The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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Drinks to make the long summer far more bearable

This weekend my two roommates and I introduced the fourth roommate – a Japanese exchange student – to college pastimes both recent and legendary: “Old School” and tequila. The alcohol was made into a different drink, however – what could have been a boring margarita became better with merely pomegranate juice. I instantly thought that when in a few weeks I move eight hours north to my parents’ house again, to once again work in a Sacramento caf? overrun with senior citizens, interesting drinks will be needed with friends to blow off steam. (Mom and dad, if you’re reading this, of course I don’t need alcohol to live with you guys again!) Refreshing, cool summer drinks can make the season bearable – as well as take the edge off of finals, and who doesn’t need that? Most can even be made into non-alcoholic beverages as well, for those who are unfortunately not yet 21. Each recipe serves one.

Tequila, Tequila

Margaritas have been around seemingly forever – a new twist is to use pomegranate juice, which worked out well when I tried it. Mix two ounces white tequila, a half ounce of Triple Sec, an ounce of lime juice and a tablespoon of pomegranate juice in a shaker. For the best results, use pomegranate juice instead of concentrate; it was a costly lesson. To make the virgin counterpart, mix 3 ounces of pomegranate juice, three-quarters of an ounce of orange juice, one ounce of lime juice and three ounces of water.

Another drink to try is a tequila sunrise, which has certainly been around for a while but can be very refreshing in summer. To make one, mix two ounces of tequila, four ounces of orange juice and one ounce of grenadine. If you like tequila but can’t take large amounts of it well, this drink is best out of the two; with twice the amount of orange juice, a tequila sunrise will be less strong than the pomegranate margarita.

What happens when you mix high-class and liquor

Both Bellinis and mimosas are excellent, and refreshing and crisp enough for anyone – whether they belong to high society or not – to enjoy in the summer sun.

The original Bellini recipe, created at the Venetian Harry’s Bar, calls for one-third peach juice and two-thirds champagne. However, variations on the drink have called for additions of rum and other alcohol – I had one a few weeks ago that added white wine to the mix, which was interesting. Bellinis can be frozen or be in a natural liquid form, and can be made into a non-alcoholic treat by mixing the peach juice with seltzer, club soda or a lemon-lime soda.

Though some alcohol snobs claim there is no real similarity between Bellinis and mimosas, let’s face it: one has peach juice and one has orange juice. That’s the only real difference. But I have to mention mimosas (one ounce orange juice mixed with three ounces of champagne) simply because they are awesome; despite my reluctance to include drinks that everyone knows about, it’s hard to escape that fact. Also, this drink can be made to be non-alcoholic in the same way as Bellinis.

Well, that’s different

Lastly, for something different, try a new twist on an infamous drink, as well as something out of the ordinary. I got a tip from a friend who, when trying to make a Long Island Iced Tea, drifted off course a bit and came up with a mix of five drops each of lemon and lime juice, plus a quarter-shot each of vodka and rum, all mixed in a glass of iced tea. It has far less alcohol than a Long Island Iced Tea, which is nice for some people; and it also tastes good in its non-alcoholic form, for which you add a few more drops each of juice. For the truly adventurous, try a lavender citron martini – mix citron vodka with a splash of lavender water, straight up with a twist. It’s different, sure – but being adventurous with drinks is always an interesting experiment, especially in summer.

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