Summer Drinks! Three Refreshing Favourites
Summer Drinks! Three Refreshing Favourites https://rgfresh.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Summer-Drinks.jpg 1024 569 R&G Fresh https://rgfresh.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Summer-Drinks.jpgWith schools out for summer and the holidays in full swing, we thought we’d bring together three of our favourite refreshing summer drinks recipes infused with herbs, all in one place for you to enjoy.
We’ve gone for non-alcoholic herby mocktails so the whole family can enjoy them. But of course, you can always add a spirit of your choice if you want to take the edge off after a long hot day!
Refreshing lemongrass orangeade
The first of our favourite easy refreshing summer drinks recipes is this tasty, tangy lemongrass orangeade recipe from Waitrose.
Ingredients
- Two lemongrass stalks (bash the stems)
- Six juiced oranges (save the peel from two of them)
- One juiced lemon
- 150g granulated sugar
- 600ml chilled soda water
- Goes well with vodka
Image credit: Waitrose
How to make
- Take two of the oranges and grate the zest from them, then place this zest into a pan with the lemongrass, sugar and half the water (300ml). Bring to the boil using a medium heat and stir the mixture until the sugar’s completely dissolved. Once it has, simmer for around five minutes until the whole mixture has the consistency of syrup.
- Leave the syrup to cool. Once it has, add both the orange juice and lemon juice and stir, then strain everything into a jug. This is your refreshing lemongrass orangeade mixture!
- Keep in the fridge for up to three days and serve with orange cordial to taste, topped up with ice and soda water.
Minty strawberry limeade
Number two of our three refreshing summer drinks with herbs in them is this gorgeous strawberry limeade from foodie blog Fifteen Spatulas, chock full of fresh mint leaves.
Ingredients
- 25-30 fresh mint leaves
- 120ml lime juice
- 43g of sugar
- 550ml cold water
- 230g sliced strawberries
- Goes well with rum
Image credit: Fifteen Spatulas
How to make
- As with the lemongrass orangeade, you’ll be making a syrup here first then adding the juice. To start with, add 75ml of the water to a saucepan and pour in the sugar. Cook over a medium-high heat for between five and 10 minutes until the solution is clear, meaning the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour the rest of the water into a pitcher or other container and add the syrup along with the lime juice, most of the mint leaves, and all of the strawberries. Put the jar into the fridge for between two and three hours to chill and infuse.
- Serve in cold mason jars (if you like the presentation above) or chilled glasses and garnish with a couple of mint leaves. Enjoy!
Chilli watermelon agua fresca
The third and final of our favourite refreshing summer drinks is this rich, fruity watermelon agua fresca from Myriad Musings, blended with hot green chillies for a satisfying kick!
Ingredients
- Three green chillies
- Around 450g diced watermelon
- Two teaspoons of honey or maple syrup
- Around 300g of ice cubes
- 15 grams fresh mint leaves
- Two juiced limes
- One cucumber for garnish
- Goes well with gin
Image credit: Myriad Musings
How to make
- Grab a blender and throw in at least a third of the fresh mint leaves, all three green chillies, plus the watermelon, lime juice, honey and half the ice cubes, then blend them together until pureed. Add water if the mixture looks a little thicker than you’d like.
- Strain into a jug (unless you prefer a thicker, more pulpy drink, in which case skip this step). Then grab the majority of the remaining mint leaves and add them to the liquid, pressing them with a muddler to release their minty flavour into the drink.
- To serve, add the remaining ice into glasses and pour over the blended watermelon agua fresca, garnishing each glass with the last of the mint plus slices of cucumber and lime to taste.
More amazing recipes
So that’s our blog about summer drinks: three refreshing favourites – each one packed with tasty herbs and other fresh ingredients. Which one will you try first?
If full alcoholic cocktails infused with herbs are more your thing, check out this post over at Relish. And of course, head to The Chopping Board for more of our favourite recipes featuring soft and hard herbs, as well as other fresh ingredients of all kinds.