SUMMERTIME COOLER

For our last family lunch, I made this refreshing drink.  It was such a delight to drink, such a burst of flavors, that I am thinking of when I can serve it again!  

I found the recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Stop and Smell the Rosemary by the Junior League of Houston, Inc.  I  took the liberty to change the recipe a little, to fit the need. The absolute coolest part of this drink, was when the liquid was done, you could chew the juice ice cubes and eat the fruit!

1 bottle (64 oz.) raspberry-cranberry drink, chilled

2 cups water

2 large lemons

2 large limes

1 medium nectarine

1/2 lb seedless green grapes

1/2 cup raspberries

lemon leaves

5 tea bags

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

1 bottle (34 oz) lemon-lime soft drink, chilled

1 can (6 oz--I used it all) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

Mix 3 cups raspberry-cranberry drink and 2 cups water.  Pour 3 1/2 cups of this mixture into a 6-cup ring mold and freeze.  (I made ice cubes instead. I wasn't aiming for a punch bowl presentation.  I also used more juice and water. 3 cubes per glass seemed just right) Refrigerate remaining 1 1/2 cups.  Cut a continuous 1-inch wide strip of peel from each lemon and each lime. (This is assuming you are creating an ice float for a punch bowl) Set aside. Squeeze juice from lemons and  limes to equal 1/4 cup each. (Do people really measure these things? I used all the juice, regardless.  Again, this drink was a fantastic!) The recipe continues to have you roll the peels to make flowers and to use the fruit to freeze in the ring of ice. I will continue as I did it. In a 4-cup glass cup, pour boiling water

over tea bags (I used Earl-Grey), and steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.  Cover and refrigerate tea until ready to complete punch.

If you are serving this in glasses, as I did, put your sliced fruit in each glass.  I used orange slices, halved grapes and nectarine slices. (I didn't buy raspberries.  I considered using blackberries from my yard, and then in the push of getting lunch on the table, forgot. Also, the lemon leaves did not make it into this drink) Drop into each glass the fruit ice cubes.

Just before serving, mix 2 tablespoons sugar, soft drink, undiluted lemonade, tea, remaining cranberry drink (I used the rest of the bottle), lemon and lime juices and 1 1/2 cups cold water. I served 12 glasses.  This recipe made about 16 glasses.  If you want to offer seconds, you should adjust accordingly.