Fun Summer Drinking

Warm weather means thirst. Nothing quenches it more  than a cooling cocktail, mocktail or glass of wine,.A chilled glass could accompany a barbecue or  just a sultry night spent with friends.Luckily there are a variety of libations that will work perfectly to satisfy.

Alison Roman wrote about this the other day in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. She gives some interesting flavor combos for summer mocktails. One of the most important factors to consider is not making the drink too sweet.It should mimic a cocktail with ingredients that nuance the harder stuff and mimic the heat. John deBary, the bar director at the famed Momufuko, believes this is what makes faux drinks just as zingy as the real things. He also adds vinegar (!) to the mixtures because it adds salinity and acidity - the same aspects that make up regular alcohol.Ms. Roman gives a recipe, hibiscus fizz, that combines unfiltered apple cider vinegar with hibiscus tea , agave nectar or honey and soda water. Another mocktail salted lemon ginger spritzer has ginger kombuicha  A more refreshing one combines cucumbers and tonic water to taste. To give it  a more realistic flavor, a few drops of  Peychaud bitters, a gentian based tonic is stirred in. . Other ideas include a Virgin Mary, a Bloody Mary without the vodka and a fizzy lemonade made with fresh squeezed lemons and San Pelligrino. water mixed with a simple sugar.

For those of you who want a kick then think rose.Eric Asimov mentioned this in his Pour Column.It is officially the wine of summer despite it being an anemic version of more robust reds and whites.
It is made en masse, and many roses do not have memorable flavors or notes. Yet there are some good ones out there. costing anywhere from fifteen to twenty dollars. One of the best is Idlewild Mendocino, County, The Flower, Flora and Fauna, made of dolcetto, nebbolo and barbera, It's the perfect barbecue pour because it's more savory than sweet, despite the fruity, sweet citrussy smell. For a true fruity wine, go for Jean-Paul Brun Beaujolais Rose le Rose d'Folie. ,The core ingredient is gamay grapes, the deep purple ones used for red wines. Another summery fruity rose is from the Wolffer Estate on Long Island's South Fork. Their's is peachy  and well balanced with a note of anise. Soak sliced fresh peaches in it for a truly decadent warm night dessert or snack. Want exotic? Then go for  the Georgian, from the country of Georgia, Pheasant's Tears which \is fermented in ancient amphora like vessels line with beeswax and buried underground. The aroma is one of flowers and herbs and is low in alcohol.

Summer drinking should be like the season itself. Light and airy, I  should also combat the heat with refreshing flavors and a smooth chilled texture.