Summer in the garden (but not horticulture)
By sarraceniac
3 comments
I don’t post much on GoY in the height of summer. In fact I don’t even post much when the weather is like it was last year, when there was no height of summer. But we just came in from our rare geriatric afternoon sitting out enjoying our labour of the winter and spring. I suddenly thought to myself ‘Self, what do we most enjoy in the really hot weather (when we get it) from our gardens?’
Now those of you that ‘met’ me on other fora will know I used to have a running joke about pints of martini cocktail which consisted (generally) of a bottle of gin mixed with a wine glass of vermouth, but that is not, totally, what this is about.
No, indeed. A neighbour just came round, or maybe it was two neighbours, to join us in the sweltering (at last, on this coast) heat, for a drink. Now I often, in summer, do a home made Pimm’s which is made from one of gin, two of red vermouth and half of orange liqueur mixed with loads of ice and lemonade. Wonderful as long as you remember that 6 of these will make you feel most peculiar the following day.
But I had no orange liqueur to hand, after all it is not Christmas, so, to make a change from the usual jug of G&T, I made a drink which was recommended by the late Arthur Lowe, Captain Mainwaring of ’Dad’s Army’ fame. Gin and Ginger! Yuk! said my neighbours. But if you serve it with LOADS of ice and, according to Arthur L, just 1 slice of cucumber (home grown is best, try lemon crystal) it is gorgeous. Personally I like 2 slices of cucumber. It is wonderfully refreshing.
So, hope our mods will forgive me for a totally non-gardening blog, my first of that ilk, but I do want to ask you all, ‘Has anybody got any unusual summer (or Christmas) drinks’ recommendations?’
They do not have to be alcoholic, that is just a rumour. But let’s have your wacky drinks ideas please.
12 Jul, 2013
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Comments
I have the same drink summer or winter, ie Scotch whisky, summer with sparkling spring water, and maybe a bit of ice, winter without the ice, most of the time it's blended, {the 1 with a picture of a famous bird on it}, but when i'm in the mood to treat myself, it's a single malt, I have a few favourite malts, but they're a bit expensive to drink every day, Derek.
12 Jul, 2013
Today we mostly had.......spiced Caribbean rum, coke, and any sparkling spring water (white and red grape rosé) with ice.....this can be as alcoholic as you want, ......served in long glasses, with sliced lemon, mint etc, we have tried it with various sparkling flavoured spring water, and most of them work well, because the rum is very strong!!
12 Jul, 2013
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Not wacky really but you quarter a lemon (or lemon)throw in the liquidizer with sugar icecubes and water.....liquidize and strain.....
Add alcohol of your choice and phew! Its refreshing!
Also we just made icecream from cream and milk, strong coffee and brown sugar......its so warm it was a lovely milkshake.....you could of course soak raisins overnight in rum and add that to the mix.....
I just read that Yorkshire and Humberside have a "hot weather warning"...... never heard the like!!
12 Jul, 2013