Even though the past few weeks have definitely felt like summer, today is its official start, the longest day of the year. Our editors have been staying hydrated through the heat. Here’s what we’re drinking this week.
VIDEO: Sun Tea by Dan Gerdeman on Vimeo
Gabrielle Langholtz: Sun Tea (video above)
White tea gets my engine revving each day but the last thing I want to do on a sweltering summer morning is boil water. Instead I just open the fridge and get out the jar I brewed in the sun the day before.
It couldn’t be easier. Just stick a teabag (or fresh herbs, or lots of either/both if you want to make concentrate) in a lidded jar, fill with water, and stick it in the sun, even just a sunny windowsill. In the solstice week, the sun is its highest in the sky and it’s fun to take advantage—make hay, as they say.
When the tea is as strong as you like (I often leave mine all afternoon), stick it in the fridge. The next morning it’ll be ready to stoke your fires, even as it cools you from the inside out.
Marissa Finn: Avena
I eat oatmeal every day without fail, so when I was introduced to Avena Caliente – a warm oatmeal drink that combines oats, milk, and warm spices – I immediately fell in love. Avena is a common breakfast drink in the Dominican Republic, and I tasted it for the first time at Esmeraldo Bakery in Washington Heights. I made my own throughout the winter, with variations of this recipe by Dominican recipe goddess Aunt Clara. But now that the weather’s warmed up, I’ve moved on to Jugo de Avena, a cold version which adds citrus and ice to create a refreshing summer drink. This could probably be a perfect boozy brunch cocktail with a little added rum. Recipe suggestions ,Amy Zavatto?
Caroline Lange: Horchata
As much as I love spicy foods, especially in the hot summer months, my mouth is embarrassingly sensitive to even medium-level heat—which means that any and all of the tacos and elotes that I eat during my weekly-or-so trips to La Esquina require an accompanying cup of iced horchata, a cool, sweet drink made from rice, almonds and cinnamon. I haven’t yet made it at home, but it’s on my to-try list, and I bet it would make an amazing ice cream, too.
Feature photo: Caroline Lange
