SUGAR AND ICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

“Ain’t no cure for the summertimeblues.” – Eddie Cochran, 1958



Eddie Cochran must have never drunk a Navy Grog. Or a Malibu Wave. Or even a simple spritzer. Fact is, cold drinks have been relieving tropical doldrums for years.

The Caribbean Islands have been a source of inspiration for cool drinks ever since Ernest Hemingway helped popularize the Daiquiri in Cuban bars in the 1930’s. The classic rum drink, the Daiquiri is simple to make and does wonders for summer lethargy:



2 oz. rum

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Shake or stir with ice and strain into glass (on the rocks is optional).

To turn a Daiquiri, or any other drink, into a frozen drink (called a frappé), mix the ice in a blender, four cubes per serving.

Rum is a most versatile summer drink ingredient; it can be drunk simply with soda or blended in exotic drinks such as the Mai Tai. The best way to use rum is to experiment with the different types offered by the various Caribbean Islands, among them Myers’s, Appleton, and Lemon Hart, all from Jamaica, the Mount Gay rums from Barbados (try the Eclipse), and Barbancourt from Haiti.

Like the Daiquiri, Mexico’s Margarita is an essential summertime rejuvenator (or anaesthetic, depending on quantity consumed). The basic formula is:



1 1/2 oz. tequila

1 oz. Triple Sec (a liqueur made from the skins of oranges)

Juice of a fresh lime

1 tsp. sugar

Salt rim of glass. Shake or blend with ice.

Garnish with lime.



To elevate your Margarita above the ordinary, substitute Cointreau or Grand Marnier for Triple Sec. The frozen Margarita is standard fare in Mexican restaurants these days, though purists scorn the practice.

Gin or vodka mixed with tonic seems to be replacing the Vodka and Tom Collinses that were once so popular; this is probably because there’s a trend toward crisper, less fruity concoctions. High on today’s list of chic drinks is Russian vodka, drunk straight from the freezer. The liquid won’t solidify, just thicken, and the cold brings out flavors you didn’t know vodka had.

Wine drinks are becoming more and more popular in the States. One of the newest discoveries (for Americans) is Kir, a blend of dry white wine (California’s fine, but French is more authentic) and Crème de Cassis, a black currant liqueur from France. The proportions can be detemined by taste – three parts wine to one part Cassis is standard – but the end result should transport you to a Parisian sidewalk cafe.

The spritzer is a classic summer wine drink whose name reveals its German origins: one-third inexpensive German white wine or California Chablis mixed with two-thirds soda or Perrier water (the latter is always an improvement over soda).

Sangria is a familiar wine punch that purists mix with a Spanish red Rioja, but a red Burgundy-type wine will do. Add fresh citrus fruits and juices, sweeten to taste, and for extra strength, pour in a little brandy.

The wine cooler is also a basic cool drink, simple and refreshing: one-half red or rose wine, one-half ginger ale or 7-Up. Garnish with cherry and orange slice.

Champagne and other sparkling wines can also be used to create some fancy summer enliveners. One of the nicest touches is to plop a strawberry into a tulip glass half-filled with a fruity sparkling wine such as Asti Spumante or German Sekt. Following is the recipe for a Mimosa, one of many bubbling summer possibilities:



4 oz. champagne or sparkling wine

1 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec

Pour over ice in a large goblet. Fill with orange juice.



The most exotic cool drinks are made from an assortment of liqueurs, spirits, brandies, dairy products, fruit, crushed ice, and just about anything else sweet and colorful. The bane of bartenders, these complex potions take time to create and often melt into a gooey mess if not consumed quickly. Many bars don’t bother with these sweet creations.

Pina Coladas, Brandy Alexanders, Singapore Slings, and Mai Tais are nevertheless delicious. Their popularity owes much to the fact that they don’t taste like alcoholic drinks; the sweetness masks the powerful punch.

The problem with these concoctions is that when they’re bad, they’re terrible. So you need to be pretty selective in ordering a fancy cooler in a bar. The following is a list of some notable bars in Dallas, each of which serves its own secret recipes:

Andrew’s (3301 McKinney). Wide assortment of refreshments, including the popular Sun King, made with Cuarenta y Tres (a Spanish vanilla liqueur) and cream, shaken and served chilled. Also recommended are the Moondance (vodka, rum, gin, and brandy, with grape juice and sour mix) and the Crimson Tide (tequila, Southern Comfort, coconut, sour mix, and passion fruit). Andrew’s sister pub, Chelsea Corner (4830 McKin-ney), has the same drinks but lacks the nifty courtyard setting.

Don the Beachcomber (8380 Meadow Rd). The originator of many famous rum drinks, Don’s bar features the Pi Yi (a medley of rum, gin, and vodka, served in a pineapple) and the infamous Zombie, a staggering solution made with strong Demerara rum. Don also invented the Missionary’s Downfall, which has a pleasant, summery taste of mint.

San Francisco Rose (3024 Greenville Ave). Specializes in California cool. Try a Malibu Wave (tequila, blue Curacao, sweet & sour, blended with ice), Buffalo Milk (bananas, Kahlua, and milk), or a Dream-Sicle (Amaretto, orange juice, and cream). An offshoot of this fern bar, the Balboa Cafe (3604 Oak Lawn), carries the same cool drinks for cool Oak Lawn patrons.

Trader Vic’s (5300 E. Mockingbird, inthe Hilton Inn). The classic internationalcool drink mecca. Over 50 South Sea concoctions, such as the powerful Navy Grog(a blend of rums and tropical fruits), theScorpion (a Don the Beachcomber invention, made from a blend of light rums),and the Bahia, Vic’s version of thecoconut-flavored Pina Colada.