Orange Fruity Drinks For Summer

Webster defines "dog days" as:

1. the period between early July and early September when the hot, sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2. a period of stagnation or inactivity (By the way, the name "dog days" comes from the visibility of Sirius, the "dog star" in the summer night sky. See? Liquid Solutions is more than just a column on good stuff to drink!)

I define the dog days of summer as those lengthy, languid moments when all you want to do is chill out under a big, shady tree (preferably on a hammock) with a nice, frosty beverage.

Fortunately, some readers must feel the same way, and recently wrote in to share some of their dog day drinks. Interestingly, several of them included orange juice.

When the going gets hot, Buffy Yatos concocts an adult version of a Dreamsicle -- that perennial summer pleasure that usually comes on a stick. Yatos' Dreamsicle includes rum and is best enjoyed through a straw!

Liquid Dreamsicle

Fill 16 oz. glass with ice
Add:
2 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Fill with orange soda

Brenda Thurmon suggests a similar, nonalcoholic version. She recommends adding two or three scoops of vanilla bean ice cream to a tall glass and filling with orange juice -- like a float. The recipe is simple and tasty -- a perfect combination for summer, when it's too hot to fuss with stuff.

And, finally, Kathy Magyar wrote me recently with another Dreamsicle-inspired creation. This one might be a little more complicated, but it's worth the effort.

Milonrange Delight

1 c. low fat milk or rice milk
1 c. freshly squeezed orange juice (or 100 percent orange juice store bought)
2 tsp. sugar
1 tall glass filled ice cubes (or crushed ice)

In separate measuring cups, mix milk and 1 tsp. sugar in one and orange juice and 1 tsp. sugar in the other. Mix well.

Pour the 2 cups of sweetened milk and orange juice simultaneously into a tall glass. I hold one cup in my left hand, the other in my right hand and pour into the tall glass at the same time. Stir and enjoy this delightfully refreshing drink!