5 Ways to Drink Fruit Like a Lush
The abundance of gorgeous summer fruit available right now is just begging to be used in as many ways as possible. While you can use it in salads, smoothies, and pies, don’t forget you can also feature it in drinks! Here are five ways to turn fruit into cool, liquid refreshments.
1. Frozen
Freeze fruit and turn it into tasty ice cubes. You can drop fruit into ice cube trays before filling them with water for pretty ice cubes, or just freeze chunks of fruit. Frozen fruit can both chill and flavor wine and spirits for an instant sangria.
2. Grilled
Grilling fruit for cocktails adds yummy caramel flavors and a touch of smokiness. My favorite is grilled citrus, but you can also grill other fruits, like pineapple or peaches. If you’d like, dip the fruit in a bit of sugar before grilling for some extra caramelization.
3. Made into Shrubs
Shrubs are basically drinking vinegars, usually infused with things like fruit. Making shrubs is a great way to use up overripe fruit; once you make one, you can just add sparkling water for a refreshing drink, or turn it into a cocktail.
4. Infused
Why waste money buying expensive flavored vodkas (that might not even taste like real fruit) when you can do it yourself? A bottle of vodka, the fruit of your choice, and some patience will yield a tasty fruit-infused vodka you can share with friends.
5. Sangrias
This is the original way to drink your fruit, and it’s still popular today, for good reason — it’s easy, beautiful, and perfect for parties and large gatherings. Citrus is classic, but I love stone fruit too. My favorite part is nibbling on the booze-infused fruit that’s left at the bottom of the glass — the perfect treat!