Summer here in Charleston is too darn hot (shoutout to Ella Fitzgerald), and being the kind, loving, caring person that I am, I’ll provide you with some help to get through it. Eat these things by yourself, with a loved one, or maybe with your parole officer — I’m not judging. Just promise me you’ll give each treat a try, just like you promised your parole officer you’d stay out of trouble this summer. We both know you can do it.
1. Coffee Ice Cubes
Photo by Karen O’Brien
Does this sounds ridiculous? Who’s to say? Do I drink coffee? Absolutely not. But if I did, I would do this in the summer. Throw some coffee into an ice tray, wait however long it takes for coffee to freeze, throw these cubes in your morning cup of joe, and boogedyboo — you got yourself iced coffee without it ever becoming watered down. Check out this article that proves I’m right.
2. Funky Lemonades
Photo by Greer Hackett
Nothing screams summer right in your face quite like a glass of lemonade. Don’t just stop with the classic flavor for the summer of 2016; mix things up with some funky lemonade flavors like these ones. You could even add a splash or two of Uncle Jack’s Mystery Juice to really get the party started.
3. Gazpacho or Cold Soup
Photo by Piril Dobrucali
Soup is delicious, but as we all know, hot soup is only for cold weather like the snow gods intended. Fortunately, gazpacho (a Spanish tomato-based cold soup) is here to satisfy all of your liquid meal needs. Try out this delicious recipe from Spoon at Northwestern University.
4. Frozen Fruit
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
I would not lie to you guys: frozen fruit is actually good. Like, is it actually as good as ice cream? I don’t really know, but it’s good and satisfying and has a fun texture. Just pop some fruit into your frozen freezer, and in a few hours, snack on little icy morsels of raspberry or peach or whatever you want. Read here to discover more frozen fruit delicacies.
5. Spiced Watermelon
Photo courtesy of Leite’s Culineria
Let me tell you something, my friends: watermelon is delicious. Let me tell you something else: it can be improved. Have you ever sprinkled salt (or maybe cayenne pepper) onto watermelon? Like, have you even considered it? Because you should, right now. Check out this guide to choosing the perfect watermelon so you can get started on the right foot.
6. Ice Cream (duh)
Photo by Kristen Kornbluth
Ice cream is the ultimate summer food, and I will fight you on that. Fortunately for us in this day and age, our ice cream options are endless. And by “options,” I mean check out this article that will explain everything you need to know about wine ice cream. Nothing says summer like kicking back with a nice bowl of creamy chardonnay.