How To Make Your Own Apple Cider (It's Not Hard)

This doesn't need a reason, apple cider is awesome and that's all the justification I need to make it. And it's cheaper/healthier to make it at home than to buy the premade stuff at the store.

You will need:

apx 6 apples, peeled and quartered with the seeds cut out
6 quarts water
1 cup honey
1 tbsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
dash of cardamom
2 tbsp (at least) fresh grated ginger
1 cup sugar

Boil the water in a large pot and reduce to a simmer, then put in the apples. Add the spices, sugar and honey and allow to simmer, covered, for at least 4 hours. You can either lift the apple slices out of the cider and mash them for applesauce or mush them up a bit and allow to simmer longer to get a thicker cider. I opted for the latter.

Food Trends Summer 2010: Spicy Summer Cocktails

So according to Susan Russo at foodblogga, the new "in" drinks are spicy rather than sweet and syrupy. It's high time! I've never been the biggest bloody mary fan since I'd rather eat spicy tomatoes than drink them, but contrary to layman's logic, spicy food cools you down. So give this one a try the next unbearably hot day, which will hopefully begin to fade more and more.

Ginger Lemonade with Basil

1 large regular cucumber, peeled
2 cups ice
1-2 cups carbonated water
1/2 heaping cup of sugar
juice of 2 lemons
1 tbsp grated ginger, more or less depending on level of spice desired
6 shots Russki Standart vodka (use nothing less!:)
3-4 sprigs fresh basil


Blend together everything but the basil until smooth, if it's too thick you can always add more mineral water. Serve with sprigs of basil as garnishes.

Cucumber Lemonade

Here's a refreshing treat to whip up on the most stiflingly sticky hot days of summer -- if you don't feel like dragging out the blender, just thinly slice the cucumbers into the lemonade and refrigerate. Don't you love when the things in season are the things you want the most for the weather?

You'll need:

1 medium cucumber, peeled
2-3 lemons, depending on how sour you like it
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup ice
3 cups water

Cut the cucumber into chunks and slice each lemon in half. Juice the lemons and remove any seeds. Throw all of the ingredients into the blender and pulse until the mixture is smooth and uniform, it shouldn't be too thick. Nothing else to it, just drink and enjoy!