I proclaim far and wide the tumultuous relationship I have with summer. Suntans, fresh produce, the scent of flowers on the breeze, swimming, and long days fuel our love affair. Humidity, scorching heat, breakouts, finding a swimming suit that fits, muggy cars, stinging nettle, and mosquito bites drive us towards estrangement.
(Oh, and another thing--why in the HELL is it so hard to find a decent bikini under $100? And companies really shouldn't charge to ship those things. They weigh nothing. They ARE nothing. Call your senator, support nudity.)
Enter our love doctor....drum roll....vodka.
So, I had some rough stretches with vodka in college (which shocks no one,) and I was averse to it for, oh...like, a decade. I am going to give the blackberry brandy two decades. Maybe three.
Anyway, vodka and I are buddies again.
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| No this isn't ALL vodka...although... |
Vodka is so, so versatile. It is clear, light, it mixes with anything, and it easily takes on the very best of what summer has to offer. When the heat index is 110, I can't drink wine. I can't fathom beer. I can't suck down some syrupy margarita, and I'm too damn lazy to drive anywhere much less the liquor store. But if I can get to the garden to gather herbs, I can quickly make something refreshing.
So, the basis for everything this summer has been vodka and sparkling water. Let your imagination run wild from there. Rosemary and orange wedges, lime basil and strawberries, lemon wheels and fresh thyme, oregano and blueberries--or the star of the show this week--ginger mint and gooseberries. Later in the year there will be cucumbers with borage and cilantro, melon and lemongrass. The water separates the flavors just enough to deliver summer's very best kiss.
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| Gooseberries and mint and vodka, oh my! |
My friends--live simply, love honestly, pour generously.
