by Ernest Barteldes
s the
lazy days of summer linger on, sometimes we crave for a refreshing
drink.
Of course, these hot times preferrably point out to the "icy
blonde"(beer) which is readily available in any supermarket or deli in
the city.
Even the Staten Island Ferry's concession stands(inside the boats) have
that cold brew as an option to sodas or fruit punches.
However, beer, some might argue, can get boring. And they also leave
that unpleasant volume under the shirt, which is not appealing in any
way(and don't send me mail calling a beer belly a 'sex callous' - such a
thing does not exist).
Which brings us to the idea of summer cocktails.
As a person who enjoys entertaining friends, I often amuse them with
drink mixes that are quite easy to prepare but are nonetheless delicious
to savor. Some of them, such as the first one on this list, are well known
around the world.
I have also created a few drinks, and I include one of the most
successful creations on this list.
All of them have been duly approved by my own drink tester(my wife,
Ana), who often enjoys my cocktails,even though she is not a "drink"
person.
So here are some of the coktails that I like to prepare on a hot
weekend:
CAIPIRINHA
(an extremely popular drink in Brazil)
1 shot aguardiente(option: vodka or rum)
1 medium-sized lemon(NEVER use limes)
about 1 tbsp sugar
ice
Slice the lemon and put it in a tall glass. Add sugar. With a spoon,
crush the lemon until well blended with the sugar. Pour ice and top off
with the aguardiente. Mix well and enjoy. To add a bit of sophistication,
add a spoonful of honey before adding the ice.
CUBA LOCA
(which is a variation of the old rum and coke)
1 shot of rum
2 tbsp of condensed milk
2 tsp powdered chocolate
a dash of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
ice
cola
In a tall glass, combine the condensed milk, the chocolate and the
cinnamon. Mix well and add the lemon juice. Add the rum and the ice, and
finally pour the cola until glass is almost filled. Mix well and enjoy.
ERNIE'S STATEN ISLAND
(this is an invention of mine which my wife fell in love
with)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp condensed milk
ice
about 1 cup peach chardonnay wine
In a tall glass, combine the condensed milk and the orange juice. Add
ice and top with the peach chardonnay. Mix well and enjoy.
CAIPI-WINE
(being a variation of the caipirinha)
1 medium-sized lemon, sliced
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp condensed milk
red wine(any kind if not sweet)
ice
Slice the lemon and put it in a tall glass. Add sugar. With a spoon,
crush the lemon until well blended with the sugar. Add condensed milk to
the mixture and pour ice. Top with the red wine and mix well. Enjoy.
ICED TEA SPECIAL
(this one I learned long ago but cannot remember where or when)
1 can iced tea
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 shot white rum
a few mint leaves, shredded
ice
In a tall glass, blend the mint, the rum and the lemon juice. Add ice
and top with iced tea.
Enjoy.
Ernest Barteldes is an ESL, GED and Portuguese teacher. In
addition to that, he is a freelance writer who has been contributing to
the Gazette since September 1999. His work has also been published by
The Staten Island Advance, The Staten Island Register, The SI Muse,The
Downtown Express, Brazzil magazine, GLSSite and other publications. He
lives on Staten Island, NY. He can be reached at
ebarteldes@nycny.net
