Three refreshing summer drinks to make

By Sydnie Sabbarese

As summer approaches, it begins to get hotter day by day. On a warm day having a good drink is an essential part of staying cool and refreshed. Making these three drinks will not only help with this, but the process will be fun and worth your time. 

Peach lemonade (serves eight) 

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups of water 
• 2 cups of chopped peaches 
• ¾ cup of sugar/sweetener 
• 1 cup of lemon juice 
• 4 cups of ice 
• (Optional) 1 peach cut into 8 wedges 

Materials: 

• Medium saucepan 
• Blender 
• Large bowl 
• Sieve/strainer 
• Eight glasses 

Instructions: 

1. Combine the water, chopped peaches and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for three minutes.
3. Place the mixture into a blender and let sit for 20 minutes. Once cooled, blend the mixture until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate for at least three hours.
5. Press mixture through a sieve or strainer over a bowl, keeping the liquid and discarding any solids.
6. Stir the lemon juice into the same bowl as the peach juice.
7. Place ½ cup of ice into each of eight glasses, and top with ⅔ of the peach lemonade.
8. (Optional) Garnish each glass with a peach wedge.

Rose tea (serves two) 

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup of rose petals/blossoms (fresh or dried) 
• 3 cups of hot water 
• Honey/sweetener to taste 
• (Optional) ¼ cup of green/black tea leaves 

Materials: 

• Medium saucepan (with lid)
• Strainer 
• Two glasses 

Instructions: 

1. Thoroughly rinse rose petals with water (only if using fresh petals). 
2. Place petals in a saucepan with hot, but not boiling, water. 
3. (Optional) Mix in tea leaves and allow them to steep with the rose petals (using tea leaves will result in the tea having a weaker rose taste). 
4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to steep for five minutes. 
5. Strain the mixture, discard the rose petals. 
6. Allow the tea to cool for 20 minutes, and refrigerate for at least one hour. 
7. Once completely cooled, add your desired amount of ice and honey/sweetener. 

Iced frappe  (serves two) 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of small ice cubes 
• 1 cup of cooled brewed espresso 
• ½ cup of milk 
• 3 tbsps of sugar/sweetener 
• ¼ tsp of pure vanilla extract 
• (Optional) Whipped cream 
• (Optional) Caramel sauce 

Materials: 

• Blender 
• Two tall glasses 

Instructions: 

1. Place the ice, espresso, milk, sugar/sweetener and vanilla into a blender and blend until smooth. 
2. Pour half of the mixture into each of two tall glasses. 
3. (Optional) Top with whipped cream and caramel sauce. 

With these three recipes, you will be able to stay cool and refreshed as the days grow hotter.