6 Tasty Refreshments to Enjoy in Your Hammock

#1  Summer Fruit Daiquiri

Did someone say daquiri? This has to be one of our favories, combining the flavors of mango and peaches, then mixing in some watermelon and strawberries. We like a little rum in our drinks, but adding orange juice still makes this a superb summer nonalcoholic drink that anyone can enjoy. For the specifics, we've outlined the following

Your Summer Fruit Daiquiri Ingredients:

• 3 cups of fruit (sliced peeled fresh or unsweetened frozen peach slices, fresh or frozen strawberries, fresh or frozen mango, and cubes of watermelon
• 3/4 cup frozen citrus juice concentrate, thawed (we like lemonade)
• 1/4 cup light rum, and adjust to your tastes... orange juice for a virgin beverage
• 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, also to taste
• 2 cups of cubed ice
• Fresh fruit to garnish your delicious work of art.

Directions:

1. Add the 3 cups mixed fruit to your blender, along with the citrus juice concentrate, a generous portion of rum, and the powdered sugar you've portioned out.
2. Cover the concoction and blend until silky smooth. With the blender still running, gradually add your cubed ice through that opening in lid. Continue to blend until your daiquiri mixture reaches your desired consistency.
3. Break out those fancy tumblers and serve your daiquiris up to guests. If desired, garnish your new hammock drink with fruit pieces and those tiny umbrellas.
4. Save the clean up for later. Enjoy your drink.

#2  Pisco Sour Drink

This exotic greeny cocktail bursts with fresh mint and lime. Perfect for an afternoon of relaxing in your hammock. If you're afraid of getting a little tipsy, try replacing the boozy portion with just a little sparkling water or even soda. What is Pisco?

Your hammock ready Pisco Sour ingredients:

• 1 cup of pisco, or white rum if you don't have access to this grape-based brandy
• 1 cup of guava nectar
• 2 teaspoons of a superfine sugar, like powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• a few dashes of Angostura bitters
• lime wedges, or try cutting these citrus garnishes into wheels
• Mint leaves, maybe even a little basil.

Directions for making your Pisco Sour:

1. Find yourself a nice glass pitcher. Lovingly add your boozy component, guava nectar, powdered sugar, and fresh lime juice.
2. Add a few dashes of Angostura bitters, and be sure to stir very well to dissolve all sugary crystals.
3. Pour yourself and a friend a glass. Add ice and garnish with a lime wheel and fresh mint. Makes 4 servings.

#3  Lemonade

This classic summer beverage is always a top choice on those easy breezy summer days on your hammock. Maybe set up a 25 cent lemonade stand next to your hammock, and call it a side business. Who says you can't multitask.

The basic ingredients for your lemonade are as follows:

• 3 cups ice cold water
• 1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
• Ice cubes in some fun, or classic shapes
• Lemon slices, wedges, or wheels

And the how to:

1. Take a 1.5 quart pitcher and mix together the water, lemon juice
2. Add the sugar slowly and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add more if you need
3. Chill in the refrigerator, or just portion out into some fun glasses and add your ice cubes
   
4. Garnish with lemon. This will make 4 servings.
5. Sit back in your backyard or patio hung hammock and enjoy.

Now, if you wanted to change things up a bit why not make things peachy. For peachy lemonade, prepare your lemonade as outlined above. Next, take 16 ounces of peach slices and combine in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of the lemonade. Blend or process until smooth. Pour into a large pitcher and mix in your remaining lemonade. Serve this peachy concoction over ice and garnish with peach slices. You've now stretched your serving size to 6 servings.

#4 Minted Iced Tea

This is a lively update on an old classic and perfect for you relaxing afternoons on the hammock. Citrusy orange and lemon nicely accompany the fresh mint flavors of this fruit-infused iced tea. Mix a pitcher of these up and invite a few friends over.

Your Minted Iced Tea Ingredients:

• 7 cups water
• 2 cups of any kind of sugar, powdered sugar is easier to dissolve
• 8 tea bags orange pekoe, but we like earl grey

• 8 sprigs of garden grown fresh mint
• 8 cups cold water
• 2 cups orange juice
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• Ice cubes
• Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Directions:

1. Brew up your tea in a large saucepan. Mix in the 7 cups water and 2 cups sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.
2. Remove from the heat and add your tea bags and all of the mint sprigs. Cover your saucepan and let the mixture steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove tea bags and mint sprigs.
3. Transfer tea to a glass 2-gallon bowl or pitcher. Add 8 cups of cold water, along with the orange and lemon juices. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for 4 to 48hours. 
4. Serve your Minted Iced Tea over ice. Garnish with mint sprigs or a lemon.
5. Invite friends over and enjoy. Makes 16 servings.

#5 Tropical Getaway Smoothie

Ooooo...packed with mango, banana, and pineapple, this sunny yellow smoothie will take you from your kitchen to your hammock in just a few minutes. Fresh lime juice gives the summer drink a zesty finish. Maybe it's best to double up this recipe to extend your hammock nap.

What you will need for your Tropical Getaway Smoothie:

• 1/2 cup of chopped mango, just make sure you've peeled your mango and removed the seeds
• 1/2 a banana, ripe...maybe organic
• 1/3 cup chilled pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

And now, what to do with your smoothie ingredients:

1. Simply add your mango, banana, pineapple juice, and lime juice to your blender.
2. Cover and blend your smoothie mixture until smooth. Add ice to thicken to your tastes. This recipe only makes enough for one, so if you're looking to share be sure to double up on the ingredients noted above

#6 Strawberry-Coconut Cream Soda

Indulge in this soda-shoppe drink recipe at home on your hammock with the help of coconut milk, club soda, sugar, and fresh strawberry slices. Break out those fancy glasses you never use and serve up this cocktail chilled to keep you and your guests cool.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, chopped in half
• 2/3 cup of powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup chilled coconut milk, coconut flavored almond milk is also tasty
• 3 cups of chilled club soda
• And a few more fresh strawberries, to garnish

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine your freshly cut strawberries and powdered sugar. Be sure to stir well to coat your berries. 
2. Next, mash your strawberries with a pastry blender/cutter, or a fork.
3. Scoop 1/3 cup of the mashed sugary berries into each of six glasses, then add ice, 2 Tbsp. of coconut milk, and 1/2 to 2/3 cup club soda. 
4. Stir drinks just before serving and hand out to your guests.