A Little Iced Drink From India

An Iced Chai is by far my favorite summer drink of all times! As I write this I’m actually drinking a Vanilla Iced Chai with Skim Milk!

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This drink comes from India and is a spiced milk tea made up of black tea, heavy milk, various spices and sweetener. This is a tea plant that was first used as an herbal medicine rather than a beverage. The chai we drink today comes from a tea called Masala Chai. India is still the largest tea producers in the world today. Over 70 percent of tea is actually consumed within the country. Drinking chai is part of the culture in India. The word chai is actually just tea in Hindi, how cool? But confusing, right?

The spices used are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Indian chai produces a warming, soothing effect and acts as a natural digestive aid. Like Iced Green Tea, Iced Chai must start off hot. There are many ways to brew this Indian spiced tea, but a shortcut is buying chai-flavored tea bags and mixing with milk.

Big Train Chai, in my personal opinion, is the best, though I know lots of people like TazoChai. Does TazoChai sound familiar? It’s the brand Starbucks uses! TazoChai tea bags can be bought at Starbucks and the market. Where as Big Train Chai is a powdered mix that when fused together with milk, creates the beverage. Like flavored Chai? Me too! My favorite is Vanilla, but it can also be made with Chocolate, Raspberry, and Caramel.

There are tons of recipes you can find online to make Iced Chai, but if you buy the Big Train Chai Brand the recipes comes right on the back of the bag. The bags are relatively inexpensive. About the same price as a large cup of Chai from Starbucks, except you get more than one serving! You can also get bag with already added flavors.

Big Train [Iced] Chai

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Servings: 1 (12 fl oz)

What you need:
4 Tbsp Big Train Chai Flavor of your choice
4 Fl oz hot watter
1 Cup of ice
1 Fl oz of Milk

How-to:
Mix 4 tbsp of Big Train Chai with 4 fl oz of hot water until powder dissolves. Then pour mixture over 12 oz cup of ice. Add 1 fl oz of cold milk and serve.

Dazzle your friends with this iced cold beverage that normally costs around $5 at Starbucks. Who wouldn't want a $5 drink for free from their best friend?

♪ "If you like PINA COLATAS and getting caught in the rain..." ♪

Having a party on July 10? Well I have the perfect drink for you to serve! That is the Piña Colada! Why July 10? That is National Piña Colada day, of course! Though, you can enjoy this drink anytime.

Photo credit: http://www.monkeywheel.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/passive-income-pina-colada.jpg

Here comes another island drink! The name of the drink literally means strained pineapple. Though the originator of the drink is argued between three bartenders, the drink is of Puerto Rican origin and originated roughly around the late 1950s. The key ingredient of this rum based drink is cream of coconut. The original brand of cream of coconut is Coco López, which was developed in 1948 in Puerto Rico by Don Ramon López-Irizarry. The Piña Colada is the official beverage of Puerto Rico since 1978. So, if you ever find yourself in Puerto Rico, I urge you to try their staple drink!

Like I said, this is a rum based drink, although the great thing about this drink is it can be made virgin, called a Piñita Colada! The drink is almost always made by being blended, which is ice and the contents blended together to create a frozen beverage. The beverage is known as having a creamy consistence close to that of a milkshake. Looking for a great tune to listen to while mixing your Piña Colada? Look no further than the “Piña Colada Song” also known as “Escape” by Rupert Holmes.

“If you like [Frozen] Piña Colada’s, and getting caught in the rain” look no further than this simple recipe!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Serving: 1

What you need:

2 oz white rum

6 oz pineapple juice

1 ½ oz Coco Lopez Coconut Cream

1 oz heavy cream

1 pineapple wedge for garnish

1 Maraschino cherry for garnish

How-to:

Blend all white rum, pineapple juice, Coconut Cream and heavy cream together with approximately 2 cups of ice until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into a hurricane glass and garnish with the cherry and pineapple wedge.

Piñita Recipe uses the same recipe just take out the rum and you have the perfect drink for the little ones or a non-alcohol drinker!

Recipe can be found at http://cocktails.about.com/od/atozcocktailrecipes/r/frzn_pna_clda.htm

So want a mini vacation? Just sit back and relax with all your friends and your island drink!

Make Panera Iced Green Tea Right In Your Backyard

On a hot summer day sometimes all I want is an Iced Tea; my preference is Green Tea. Do you like Panera’s Iced Green Tea? Well, now you can make your own Iced Green Tea right in your own backyard.

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To make Iced Green Tea you have to start with Green tea, originally from China. The leaves are made from Camellia sinensis that undergo minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea was first brewed in 2737 BC. Green tea has been used as both a beverage and a medicine in most of Asia. It can be used to help control bleeding and help heal wounds to regulating body temperature, blood sugar and promoting digestion. Who knew what we enjoy in a class on our couch at home can help heal wounds?

Green tea is not only be used in a drink, but it is also used in health foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetic items. Researchers say that there is evidence that suggests that regular green tea drinkers may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer. Iced tea is hot tea served cold with ice. SImpel enough? It can be mixed with flavored syrup like peach, raspberry, passion fruit, and strawberry, to name a few. What’s the easiest way to make a great green tea? Make hot green tea the night before and then store in the refrigerator overnight.

Ready for some recipes?!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6

What you need:

4 cups boiling water

8 regular green tea bags

2 cups cold water

½ cup Splenda

How-to:

In a saucepan, pour boiling water over tea bags; cover and steep for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove tea bags from water and squeeze bags gently. Stir in 2 cups cold water and sweetener, stirring until sweetener dissolves. Serve over ice or let tea come to room temperature then serve over ice.
Recipe can be found at http://www.food.com/recipe/iced-green-tea-165239?scaleto=6&mode=null&st=true

So are you ready to try making the Panera Green Tea you love for all your friends right in your own backyard? Because if you like Panera’s green tea the closest taste is sold by The Republic of Tea, the product is called Sweet Tea Tropical Green Tea Bags and can be bought for $12.50, this includes a tin of 36 tea bags.

Mojito: Will Leaves in a Drink Even Taste Good?

What sugar cane drink was popular among the slaves in Cuba? That would be the Mojito, which is one of the most famous rum-based drinks.

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History of the Mojito: The Mojito originated in Cuba where the African slaves who worked in the sugar cane fields that held the sugar cane juice guarapo, which was actually the drink the slaves favorite at the time. The name is said to have come from mojadito, a Spanish word for “a little wet” and mojo, which is a Cuban seasoning, made from lime. Another fun fact, author Ernest Hemingway’s favorite drinkw was a Mojito and made a the bar ‘La Bodeguita del medio’ famous writing “My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita” on the war of the bar. Pretty cool, huh?

For a pretty intense history, this drink is pretty basic. It is always served on the rocks or over ice. Traditionally, there are five ingredients you need: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water or club soda, and mint leaves.  First add lime juice to sugar or syrup with the mint leaves before gently mashing the ingredients together. After add rub to the mixture and stir for the sugar to dissolve. Then add sparkling water or club soda. Like extra mint? You can garnish the drink with mint leaves and lime wedges for that extra presentation kick! If you are worried about your guests being out in the sun and drinking, don’t fret! This drink has a relatively low alcohol content.

Mojito Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4

What you need:

Ice

6 ounces light or white rum

12 mint sprigs

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons sugar

Club soda

4 slices lime

How-to:

Place ice in beverage shaker then add in the rum, 8 broken up mint sprigs, lime juice and the sugar. Shake well and serve over ice. Top each glass off with club soda to fill the rim.

Recipe can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alex-garcia/mojito-recipe/index.html

In my opinion the best thing about this drink is that flavors can be added. My personal favorite: Wildberry Mojito!

So, here is the recipe for it!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Servings: 1

What you need:

1-1/2 oz. Bacardi Light Rum

3-4 each of fresh blackberries, blueberries and red raspberries

8-12 fresh mint leaves

Juice of one lime

1 oz. simple syrup

Soda water

Mint sprig for garnish

How-to:

In a 12-oz highball glass, muddle mint, simple syrup, wild berries and lime juice. Fill glass with crushed ice then add rum. Stir well until ice is reduced by 1/3, then top with more crushed ice, stirring until the glass begins to frost on the outside. Spritz with soda water and stir one last time. Garnish with sprig of fresh mint.

Recipe can be found at http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/wild-berry-mojjito.html

So now are you going to enjoy a mint mojito? Or are you going to try throwing some fruit in your drink for a whole new array of flavors?

'Sex on the Beach' as a 'Drink in the Backyard'

I have four words for you: Sex on the Beach. This is my all time favorite drink to order when I’m out at the bar with my friends. So, why not make this bar drink into a backyard shindig treat? This fruit drink may have a provocative name but it’s worth the embarrassment for the first time you order it, I promise!

Photo credit http://www.stepbystep.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sex-on-the-beach-cocktail-400x400.jpg

History Lesson (on the beach, of course): In 1987 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bartender Ted Pizio was using the brand new peach schnapps to win the $100 dollar prize for selling the most peach schnapps. The drink he created: Confetti’s mixed peach schnapps, vodka, orange juice and grenadine. When asked what it was called he immediately thought of Ft. Lauderdale and why people came there on spring break: for the beach and sex, he thought. So he called it Sex on the beach. Thus, the drink was born. So if you were wondering how the drink got named, well there you go!

A Sex on the Beach is a Vodka-based drink with Peach schnapps. The drink is normally made with cranberry juice and then orange or pineapple juice. It can be made in two ways. One: vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Or two: vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, Razzmatazz, pineapple juice and cranberry juice. Grenadine can be used if there is no cranberry juice, but for those of you who are not bar-drink friendly, if you use too much grenadine it can make your drink sickeningly sweet and unbearable to drink. In my opinion, you're better off to stick to the classic recipe! A few other options are ‘Woo Woo’, which is a Sex on the Beach for those of you who do not like orange juice. For anyone under 21 or who don’t drink alcohol there is a variation called ‘Virgins on the Beach’.

Ready to try out a bar drink in your own backyard?

Sex on the Beach (alcoholic)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

What you need:

1.5 oz Vodka

0.5 oz Peach schnapps

1.5 oz Orange or Pineapple juice

1.5 oz Cranberry juice

How-to:

Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a glass. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at

http://liquor.com/recipes/sex-on-the-beach/

Virgins on the Beach (non-alcoholic)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

What you need:

1 part orange juice

1 part cranberry juice

1 oz peach nectar

1 tablespoon grenadine syrup.

How-to:

Mix equal parts of orange juice and cranberry juice, add peach nectar, and pour over ice. Add grenadine. Then, Enjoy!

Recipe can be found at 

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink6553.html 

So are you going to surprise your friends with a ‘Sex on the Beach’ next time they come to your backyard party? And if so, I hope you plan on inviting me!