Wacky Summer Drinks

Last summer I wrote about the Mai Tai and how to make it, which got some nice notice from Trader Vic's who invented it. It was also a great way to get through a hot Texas summer--not the writing about it, but the testing of it. So, I'm going to take up the challenge again this summer.

First up is Limoncello, an Italian liquer with a lemon flavor. Mary Fran brought some home because she was watching Giada De Laurentiis's cooking show and some Travel Channel show about Italy and got the idea that she needed Italian booze. I'd have bought Grappa, but she doesn't have a taste for Grappa.

The Limoncello looks good. It comes in a tall, thin bottle and is bright yellow in color. We tried it straight up in a cordial glass with coffee after dinner. It tasted like a lemon drop soaked in medicine.We both agreed that Limoncello needs to be mixed with something.

I looked up some recipes and found a surprising number, which I intend to try, especially the Limoncello martini, but for our second go, I improvised with some ingredients at hand--half of a fresh peach and some cranberry juice. The result was a very refreshing concoction. I don't know what to call it, but here is the recipe. It makes two servings.

Limoncello
1/2 fresh peach
4oz. cranberry juice.

Puree the peach half and the cranberry juice in a blender.

Fill two old fashioned glasses with ice, pour 1 1/2 oz Limoncello into each glass. Divide the peach puree between the two glasses, top off with more cranberry juice.

The peach mellows out the Limoncello and complements it.