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Your party just got cooler
• by Anne Earney - Photo by Anne Earney
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I knew what I was getting into, staying in St. Louis for yet another sweltering summer. And at the inevitably sweaty backyard parties, I know better than to complain. Instead, I’ve found a solution – chilled party drinks that are as fun, and almost as easy, as old standards like beer and Jell-O shots.
To help your friends (and yourself) stay cool, mix up some of these refreshers, which can be made in batches: Crème Brûlée Gelatin Shots, Ginger Peach Martinis and herb-infused martinis. You can make enough for the whole neighborhood, and they aren’t nearly as much trouble as you might suspect. Best of all, they’re bound to make all your summer parties a little cooler.
Gelatin shots are making a comeback. Flavorless plain gelatin makes this new generation better than the Jell-O-and-vodka originals because it allows for nonfruity options, such as my favorite, the Crème Brûlée. These 1-ounce wonders have gone over quite well with my friends (and anyone else who happened to be around). Made with cold milk (any kind will work, but I prefer Silk vanilla soy milk), Dr. McGillicuddy’s vanilla schnapps, a good vanilla vodka, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and a bit of vanilla pudding, the shots rest on a small bed of brown sugar, resembling tiny, upside-down desserts. They taste like sweet vanilla cream, but they’re stronger than their size would indicate. So, unless you want to annihilate your friends, consider serving them after the barbecue.
For pre-dinner cocktails, mix up some Ginger-Peach Martinis. This is one of those drinks people want the recipe for even before they’ve tasted it. Infuse a high-quality vodka with fresh, sliced ginger, then add peach purée, such as Fructal Peach-Apple Nectar (look in the ethnic food aisles of grocery stores), in equal proportion to the vodka. Prepare this mixture at home and take it to the party in a pitcher, along with a mixing can and ice for chilling, or pour it into a freezable container and let it chill itself. Put a sugar rim on the martini glass, and the smooth vodka mixed with sweet peach, with just enough kick from the ginger, becomes the perfect summer drink. Garnish with a slice of fresh peach, and you’ve got heaven in a glass.
If your idea of a good martini is never that sweet, try one that’s herb-infused. Pluck some herbs from your garden – anything from rosemary to mint – and steep them in vodka or gin for a few minutes, without ice. For a stronger infusion, stir or mull the herbs while they’re immersed. Add a couple of drops of dry vermouth, shake with ice, strain and pour, and you’ve got a no-sweat summer drink, not to mention a great use for all those overgrown herbs.
Take the time to make these drinks for your next backyard party, and your friends will forget all about the heat. But whatever you do, don’t forget the cooler and ice, or your Crème Brûlée will melt, your martinis will burn and your friends will wonder if perhaps this isn’t your very first summer in St. Louis.
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