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Simple lychee and lime spritzer (non alcoholic) recipe

22/1/2013

 
Lychee spritzer
Chill out with my lychee and lime spritzer
'Today Sydney, Canberra and other NSW centres experienced extreme temperatures, with records being set for Sydney at Observatory Hill (45.8°C); Sydney Airport (46.4°); Canberra (41.6°); and a range of other communities along the coast from Bega (44.6°) to Williamtown (44.8°). The highest temperature recorded in the Greater Sydney Area was 46.5° at Penrith.'

                                                                    -- Media release, The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, 18 January 2013
According to a Special Climate Statement produced by the Bureau of Meteorology on this week, 'Large parts of central and southern Australia are currently under the influence of a persistent and widespread heatwave event.' The report indicates that 'this event' is ongoing, with further significant records likely to be set.' In fact, the last four months of 2012 were abnormally hot across our country, and particularly so for maximum (day-time) temperatures. 

Put simply, it's been [insert your choice of expletive] hot!! 

With this in mind, I'd like to share with you a refreshing non alcoholic spritzer. I shared a photo of this recently on Twitter and several responses came back asking if I would home deliver the said beverage to help tweeps chill out. The answer is no, but I can provide you with the instructions on how to prepare one for yourself. It's dead easy.

Fresh lychees (longans and rambutans too) are a favourite summertime snack for me.  They're sweet, refreshing and great eaten fresh from the hand, but can also be served in a variety of sweet or savoury recipes. If you can't access fresh lychees, use canned fruit for this recipe.

LYCHEE AND LIME SPRITZER
250g fresh lychees (peeled and deseeded) or 230g can lychees in syrup, chilled+
juice of half a lime, to taste
2 cups ice cubes
1.5 litre good quality carbonated mineral water*
lime wedges and sprigs of fresh mint, to garnish

Puree the lychee flesh in a blender or food processor. Stir in the syrup and the lime juice. Pour into a freezer proof container, seal and fast freeze for 1-2 hours, until frozen. Remove from the refrigerator about 10-15 minutes before you intend to serve (this will allow the mixture to soften), then run the prongs of a fork through the ice crystals. 

Spoon the mixture into tall glasses that you have pre-chilled. Top up with the thoroughly-chilled mineral water, stir and garnish with wedges of lime and sprigs of mint. Serves 2-3.

+ Reserve 1/3 of the syrup from canned fruit, a little more if you like a sweeter drink. If you are using fresh lychees, make a small quantity (1/2 to 1 cup) of a basic sugar syrup and allow it to cool before use.

Notes: the seeds from lychees can be removed with the right sort of cherry or olive stoner! If you would prefer an alcoholic cocktail, you can add a tablespoon or two of good quality vodka if you wish, but I'd suggest the drink is more refreshing on a very hot day without it. * Peter and I buy our San Benedetto mineral water from Aldi. It's particularly good, as it's fizzy but is less effervescent than some other brands.
Lychees
Chilled lychees provide refreshment on a hot summer's day
Lime
Mint
Mineral water
Chill some good quality carbonated plain mineral water until it is close to 'slushy' consistency

The process in pictures...

Making a lychee spritzer

Kick back, slurp and chill, s'il vous plaît...

Lychee spritzer Picture
Kick back, slurp and chill...
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Tell me, when you need to chill, what food or drink do you reach for? And how are the temperatures in your part of the world?
Tandy link
19/1/2013 04:18:29 pm

This sounds very refreshing! Our heatwave generally starts next month but we are already eating sorbet to keep us cool :)

Lizzy
19/1/2013 04:23:11 pm

Great idea, Tandy! ; D

Christine @ Cooking Crusade link
19/1/2013 05:08:28 pm

I LOVE this recipe Lizzy! Would absolutely love a glass of this right now.. It looks soo refreshing :)

Lizzy
20/1/2013 02:26:17 am

Thanks Christine! Peter and I love it too. So refreshing on a stinking hot day!

Mrs Mulberry link
19/1/2013 08:34:57 pm

Oh Lizzy, summer in a glass! I can't get enough of limes at the moment, or lychees. I will keep this in mind for trying during my attempt at dry February!!

Lizzy
20/1/2013 02:27:08 am

Hello there Mrs M! It is summer in a glass, that's a lovely description, thank you. I'm the same with lychees and limes at present. Dry February sounds interesting.

Celia link
20/1/2013 07:20:00 am

Oh that looks SO refreshing! Hasn't it been hot, Lizzy!

Lizzy
20/1/2013 08:50:57 am

Hi Celia, it has indeed. Actually. it was in the 30s here in Canberra for several weeks, while Sydney was still in the 20s. I'm so glad when we visited Sydney, it was only in the 30s and we missed the 40s! I think I might have melted! Great work on keeping your garden alive! ; )

Christine (Food Wine Travel) link
20/1/2013 07:59:25 am

Hi Liz, Very pleased to be missing the awful weather. Am sure your delicious spritzer is going down a treat!

Lizzy
20/1/2013 08:51:53 am

Hi Christine, hopefully in Spain you've had warm sunshine that isn't that searing heat in the high 30s and worse. We were in Sydney when Canberra hit the 40s! So pleased. Travel well xo

The Food Sage link
20/1/2013 11:12:08 am

Too easy! Looks amazing, too. We've been stocking up on alcohol for an Australia Day gathering we're having ... but i'm going to be sipping on these for the first few hours (until the cooking is over!) Lovely job, Lizzy. Great post.

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:03:00 am

Hi Rachel, I think you will enjoy this, very refreshing indeed! Happy Australia Day, in advance!

Jane @ Shady Baker link
20/1/2013 12:35:32 pm

This looks like a perfect, refreshing summer drink Lizzy. I have not tried lychee before, something else to go on the 'must try' list! I hope things have cooled down a little in your part of the world.

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:02:28 am

Hi Jane! Thank you... oh, you must try lychee when you get the opportunity! I know they won't be that easily sourced in your part of the country! Yes, things have cooled slightly.

Maureen link
20/1/2013 01:50:52 pm

Did I tell you that I had fresh lychees for the first time in my life this year? I've had them in restaurants and in a can but never fresh. OMG I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I love them! I just need a half naked man to peel them while fanning me as I lie in a hammock eating lychees. :) This drink would be just as good and I'd save money on the half naked man.

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:03:35 am

Tell me about it! I simply cannot stop eating them! LOL about the naked man peeling them for you.

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
20/1/2013 04:57:47 pm

How refreshing for the hot summer days!

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:03:53 am

Absolutely! And, boy, it has been HOT!

Peter G | Souvlaki For The Soul link
21/1/2013 07:59:53 am

How lovely and refreshing Liz...I adore the aroma of lychees!

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:04:21 am

And the taste too! Tell me Peter (and Maureen) have you tried rambutans and longans too!?

kellie@foodtoglow link
21/1/2013 08:16:02 am

So it continues with your scary as hell weather. I'm sorry. This drink sounds like something that you should put in an IV bag and mainline. Looks SO good, and simple (crucial to be low effort in your kind of heat). We are having some light snow and sleet here in Scotland but blizzards and school closures in the south of England. Go figure...

Lizzy
21/1/2013 11:05:05 am

Very good suggestion, Kellie! It has cooled down slightly, but still some searing heat out there!

Swap you for a day! What do you say?

Rhubarb Whine link
21/1/2013 12:53:05 pm

With the revolting hot weather we have had up here - this looks just the thing. Thanks so much - I'm going to give this a whirl!

Lizzy
24/1/2013 08:44:42 pm

Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by too ; )

Andrea
22/12/2013 07:56:23 am

Given that its was 41 degrees in my part of the world yesterday, gladly would I have reached for this lychee spritzer! However, nothing to stop me having this for Christmas day also. Lychees to me mean a Christmas growing up in Far North Queensland, along with an abundance of mangoes, rambutans and the tropics! Merry Christmas Bizzy Lizzy and look forward to much more of your blogs in 2014!!! Xx

gayatri jhaveri
11/12/2014 02:59:14 am

Wow! Lizzy this is awesome.. Am going to bookmark this n make it as soon we get warm weather.


Comments are closed.

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2019.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


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