There comes a moment every summer when it is time to make SLUSH. What is SLUSH you may ask? You have perhaps heard whisperings of it before on Hearty Eaters. It is a drink that we always preface with…..”Its the one alcoholic beverage our mom drinks because its that good!”
Notoriously throughout our childhood our mother would and is a die-hard teetotaler until summer time arrived and she would whip up a batch of SLUSH. In her eyes it was so good she felt she couldn’t deprive us children. There were attempts at virgin versions but the alcohol is what makes this frozen drink work. It prevents all the other ingredients from freezing solid creating that slushy quality. So mom would shockingly take pity on us and let us take tiny sips occasionally. Now of course as soon as we are home for visits in the summer, she looks at us and goes “time for a slush!?”
Just last week we had one of those already too hot to stand early summer days in Louisiana. All I wanted was a SLUSH when I got home and sadly none had been made yet. I called my mother to get pity for this situation. She was more shocked I hadn’t made up a batch in the last couple of years …. “What you haven’t made any since you lived in Tennessee!” and was even more appalled that I seemed to have misplaced the recipe. Raise your hand if you are shocked to find out that she already had the ingredients handy and ready to read off…..no one?
So my friends as I prepare for a weekend that involves both pool and beach, SLUSH is chilling to perfection in my freezer as we speak. And no worries I’m about to supply you with the recipe as well. Lord knows we don’t want to misplace it again….mom would be so disappointed in us.
SLUSH
makes enough to last all summer
1 small can frozen lemonade – thawed
1 small can frozen orange juice – thawed
46 oz pineapple juice
46 oz apricot juice (or something similar, this can be hard to find)
1 cup vodka
1 cup apricot brandy
fresca or 7up
mix the first 6 ingredients together. put into a freezable container, and leave in the freezer overnight. to make the drink put 2 scoops of slush into a glass and mix with equal parts fresca or 7up, mix well, drink and enjoy summer.
One I’m trying to be a more adventurous cook and two its hard to turn down free food. These two situations created what I referred as “My super medieval dinner” the other night. Branching out my recipe selection and being offered up some free game from a friend, I found myself browning dove breasts. After browning the breasts I sautéed onions, apples, and mushrooms together, putting the breasts back in I created a gravy with red wine and sage and let them simmer till tender. To serve them up I made herbed wild rice. As I sat down to eat I felt my plate was worthy enough for Eleanor of Aquitaine to join my table and share a goblet of wine.
Hearty Eaters 