Savor the Summer

Chances are you’re going to either be invited to a summer barbecue between now and the time school starts, or you’ll be throwing one of your own. Either way, you’ll want to contribute a festive, summery menu item to the table, and the following recipes will make you the star of the get-together. Put all three together, and they will even make for a delicious poolside dinner for two.

Elderflower Fizz
Courtesy of The Vineyard

-1.5 oz. Bertina Elderflower liqueur
-1.5 oz. Aperitivo Americano Cocchi Rosa
-2 oz. Anna de Codorniu Cava Brut
-2 large ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into 1/8-inch pieces
-1/8 cup blueberries
-1 cup crushed ice

Place strawberries at the bottom of an 8 oz. glass; set aside. Add crushed ice, Bertina Elderflower liqueur and Aperitivo Americano Cocchi Rosa into a cocktail shaker tin. Shake for 10 seconds. Pour contents of cocktail shaker tin into the glass. Top with blueberries and Anna de Codorniu Cava Brut.

Tip! This recipe is delicious for any occasion. Here it has a patriotic theme but you can change the fruit to match any themed party you’re throwing. If you choose to stick with the recipe the way it is, try muddling the strawberries at the bottom of the glass to pull out the flavors of the fruit.

Ceviche 214
Yields 5 servings
Courtesy of Cocina 214

-20 oz. snapper (small dice)
-5 limes (juice only)
-1.5 oranges (juice only)
-4 lemons (juice only)
-2 Serrano peppers (sliced)
-1/8 oz. extra virgin olive oil
-1.5 garlic cloves (minced)
-Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Optional:
-Diced red onion
-Diced Roma tomatoes
-Diced avocados
-Finely chopped cilantro

All citrus should be juiced to a half cup of each fruit. Place all ingredients into a cambro and mix. Let stand for 45 minutes before serving. To serve, mix 4 oz. ceviche with 1.5 oz. diced red onions, 1.5 oz. diced roma tomatoes, 1 oz. diced avocados and ¼ oz. finely chopped cilantro. Place serving into a small glass bowl.

Tip! You don’t have to make this ceviche the same way every time. Try out different varieties for each summer party you throw by switching up the seafood. Any sushi-grade fish will work in this recipe.

Mango Ice Cream
Editor’s Pick! (and not just because it’s her mom’s recipe)

-4 cups mango (sliced)
-One can of evaporated milk
-Sugar to taste
-Several drops of vanilla extract

Put all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until combined and smooth. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and set it based on the directions of your particular machine. Churn times will vary.

Tip! Since this is a family recipe that was developed between two generations (and tweaked each time it was made), there isn’t a step-by-step method written down. But that leaves you free to experiment. Swap out the mango for your favorite fruit, determine how much sugar tastes good to you, or use water and lemon juice instead of evaporated milk to make a sorbet if you don’t have an ice cream maker.