Summer Produce In Indian-Inspired Drinks: 5 Ways To Utilise Seasonal Selections
As summer makes its appearance, warmer temperatures also indicate an increase in the different seasonal, tropical fruits that begin to appear at the green grocer’s. This is a time when mangoes ripen and watermelons are available in plenty, it is a time when roses bloom in one’s backyard and herbs like tulsi and mint and spices like kokum begin to appear in the kitchen. Undoubtedly, summertime is a good moment to get creative in the kitchen and at one’s home bar to craft different seasonal mixes inspired by these local ingredients.
Indian summers are characterised by this bounty of fruits, flowers and herbs that are available when the temperatures start rising. And these ingredients are among some of the best seasonal selections that can be used to prepare Indian-inspired drinks complete with tangy, sour and spicy flavours and rather fresh, floral fragrances. Here’s more on the different kinds of seasonal produce that becomes available in summers:
Seasonal Fruits
Summer fruits are characterised by their juicy, pulpy qualities and simple, fresh flavours. These fruits can be brought together in crispy, crunchy salads or can be converted into juices and purees that are used to prepare sherbets, spritzers and highballs. Seasonal fruits such as watermelons, mangoes, jamuns, muskmelons, limes, pineapples, apricots and plums are only among some of the summertime ingredients that ripen in these months. These fruits are complete with sweet, sour and lightly tart tastes which are excellent for infusions and for blending these fruits’ juices with spirits.
Shrubs And Herbs
Another seasonal variation which blooms during summer weather is different kinds of shrubs and herbs. A seasonal herb garden cultivated in one’s backyard would begin to yield bunches of mint, tulsi, thyme and other herbs that can be muddled into cocktails or used for preparing spirit infusions. Ingredients like kokum are also set out to dry during summer weather so they can in turn be converted into syrups that are added to seasonal cocktails and mocktails.
Floral Elegance
Yet another element that is available in summers is floral elements. Warm weather is the time to utilise freshly bloomed roses. It is also the time to prepare fragrant kewra water which can be blended with saffron to add an aromatic finish to savoury and sweet drinks. The grassy effect of ingredients like kewra and the floral essence of roses and jasmines are excellent infusion elements that bring a lot of character into different alcoholic and non-alcoholic blends.
And while all these ingredients are available aplenty in summer weather, there are some ways in which they can be especially utilised to make Indian-inspired seasonal mixes:
Clarified Juices
One of the most straightforward ways to use fruits in cocktails is to turn them into clarified, clear juices. Fresh watermelon juice and a dash of chilli powder can be added to 30 ml Tanqueray No. 10 Gin or any other premium gin of choice to craft a sweet and spicy cocktail that resonates with flavours from Indian kitchens.
Fermented Mixers
In summers, fermentation is faster and at its highest because heat promotes this process. Bring together the season’s best herbs and fruits such as mint and strawberry and infuse them in apple cider and sugar to create sweet-tart shrubs that are excellent mixers for vodka spritzers prepared using 30 ml Ketel One Premium Distilled Vodka or any other premium vodka of choice.
Muddling Fresh Ingredients
Another alternative is to chop up fruit chunks and muddle them directly into cocktails. Muddling is a useful technique for blending sweet and tangy Indian-inspired cocktails like a mango margarita made using 30 ml Don Julio Blanco Tequila or any other premium tequila of choice and fresh mango chunks. Floral ingredients like rose petals can also be similarly muddled into drinks so their aromatic oils are slowly released into these blends inspired by Indian aromas and flavour notes.
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