Drink Ideas & Recipes For the Summer

I'm delivering an updated list of quenchers today. A quick summer drink round-up to keep you hydrated and full of good ingredients while enjoying the sunshine. xo -h

Vanilla Rose Water: I've encountered vanilla water in various guises over the past year or two. It's fantastic. The first time was at Héctor Galván's La Casa Tropical studio - it was sparkling water with a small segment of beautiful Mexican vanilla dropped into it. And again, the other night, my friend Bonni made a version combining a vanilla segment with fresh, fragrant rose petals, and a splash of rose water. It was a beautiful refresher. I did this version of Bonni's (pictured above) and added ice-cubes frozen with a mix of summer berries to the rose petals and rose water.

Pineapple Coconut Water: If you've never had absolutely fresh pineapple juice, you are missing out on one of life's simple pleasures. I juiced my little pineapple, enjoyed the first glass straight, and proceeded to use the remaining in this quencher - made with coconut water, lime, and straight ginger juice. It is invigorating, fragrant, hydrating, and a pure, intense shade of yellow that somehow tips us off to its strength and vitality before ever picking up the glass.

Paloma Rosa: One of our favorite cocktails, Palomas push all the buttons - bright, refreshing, tart, with a kiss of sweet and salty. They also couldn't be simpler. Combine the juices and tequila ahead of time, and mix in a flash.

Yellow Tomato Bloody Mary: Perfect this time of year, it's the bloody mary I want to drink - fragrant herbs, yellow heirloom tomatoes, shallots, and a bit of kick from vodka and serrano pepper.

Iced Green Tea: Cold-brewed after an initial hot splash of water to awaken the leaves, you can enjoy this chilled green tea straight, or accented with rose and a bit of whole coriander. A beautiful warm weather hydrator.

White Peach Maple Soda: Make this when stone fruit is at its sweet and ripest.

Blackberry Limeade: Put those plump, juicy summer berries to work. This blackberry limeade is a stunning jeweled-toned refresher, perfect for summer, from the cookbook Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Martha Hall Foose.

Green Juice: Everyone should have a green juice recipe in their repertoire, and this one is a ringer. Its heart and soul is straight green, not at all sweet, with a good amount of lemon-lime tang, and invigorating ginger lift.