You Gotta Salt Your Summer Drinks
One of the greatest summer pleasures is sipping an icy refreshing drink in the sun or nearby shade. Many summer cocktails and punches are finally ready for their seasonal debut, and almost all of them could be made with a little salt .
Summer drinks are usually quite sweet, and sweetness requires salt, period. It softens aggressive flavors, enhances delicate ones and provides a much-needed balance that can be the difference between nauseating sweet and sweet enough. Add to that the unparalleled ability to soothe bitterness, and you have all the reasons why you need to start salting your summer drinks. Personally, I’ve been really digging up these four salty treats lately:
- Salted lemonade or limeade: A small teaspoon of table salt added to a batch of whole lemonade makes this already delicious drink even more refreshing. Add a few pieces of pitted cucumber if desired.
- Iced coffee: I have an espresso machine on the stove to better suit my cold coffee needs, but since I use Café Bustelo it is quite intense to drink straight. My favorite concoction is espresso poured onto ice, with a healthy drop of toasted cream and a pinch of salt added to smooth out the rough edges. We are very happy together.
- Bitter cocktails: A little salt will soften any overly strong bitter, herbal, or medicinal notes in your favorite cocktail. Ferraris and soda are a prime contender, as are my beloved Negronis and French 75s . It’s also a great way to balance large cocktail parties and drinks.
- Soda Xi Moi: Stir the pickled plum (umeboshi) thoroughly with a few tablespoons of sugar, top with ice and soda, and drink all summer. (Noticeable salinity is important here, so if this isn’t your bag, skip it.)
If the idea of salty lemonade makes you uncomfortable, don’t worry: there is no need to make your drinks noticeably salty unless you want to. Start with a pinch and add more to taste only as needed.
Also, before you start to salt the cocktails right and left, keep in mind that salt helps to drink very smoothly, which can make it easier to overdo it. Calm down when you drink in the sun during the day, friends; There is no hangover more severe than a sunburn hangover, especially if it starts at three in the afternoon.