More Summer Drinks + Summer Tag!

Back in 2013 I did a post on summer drinks. That was 4 years ago now, so I thought it was time for a follow-up post!

Now we're in August we're getting near the end of summer but there are still a few weeks to go! Summer is my favourite season so I want to enjoy it for as long as possible. After a dull, rainy couple of weeks here in South East England, it's been hotter and sunny these past couple of days and feels more like summer again, lol. So here are some drinks to enjoy during the rest of August (and into September)!



Iced coffee

I love iced coffee. I didn't used to drink it as much because I would get it from Starbucks and they're more expensive but then a few years ago McDonald's started doing iced coffees and they're over £1 cheaper, so now I have them more frequently. (A regular Starbucks frappuccino costs £3.40 in the UK, whereas a regular mocha frappe from McDonald's costs £2.19). Starbucks do mini frappuccinos for a cheaper price but they really are mini!

My favourite Starbucks frappuccino flavour is mocha and I also like mocha frappes from McDonald's. I also occasionally have a McD's caramel frappe. Check out the Starbucks and McDonald's ranges below:

https://www.starbucks.co.uk/menu/drinks/frappuccino


https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/latest/mccafe.html





Homemade Starbucks frappuccino

One of my favourite homemade coffee recipes is this DIY Starbucks frappuccino from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes: http://www.fantasticalsharing.com/2013/07/drinks-week-diy-starbucks-frappuccino.html

I discovered the recipe a few years ago. It uses creamer and the first time I made it I used Sainsbury's coffee whitener, but you can also use milk or evaporated milk (I use Carnation). I find it's not quite like Starbucks (at least the way I make it) but it's the closest I can do at home! lol.



Vietnamese style iced coffee

Speaking of Carnation, back in June I made a Vietnamese style iced coffee  using a recipe from the Co-Op magazine. It's made with condensed milk (I use Carnation). I can't seem to find the recipe online but here are a couple of  similar ones:

http://heavytable.com/adventures-in-condensed-milk-how-to-make-vietnamese-coffee-and-vietnamese-yogurt/

http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/vietnamese-iced-coffe-recipe/

It's basically made by just pouring hot coffee over condensed milk and ice, at least you can do that at home. In coffee shops they will make it with coffee machines and I expect it tastes different. Probably nicer than homemade. It would be good to try one in a Vietnamese cafe one day!

Anyway, it is nice. The condensed milk makes it quite rich and thick, so I don't think I could drink too much of it, but it's definitely good for a treat. :) I'm planning to make some again this week. Here's a picture from when I made it in June:

I'd also like to try this iced caramel coffee from M Loves M:  http://mlovesm.com/2016/10/homemade-iced-caramel-coffee/

And this homemade mocha smoothie has been on my To Make list for ages: http://www.nashvillewife.com/2016/07/homemade-mocha-smoothie-recipe.html


I should get round to making it! I drink iced coffee year round though, so if I don't do it this summer then I can have a go in autumn, lol.

Finally here are some more iced coffee recipes: http://coffeenate.com/iced-coffee-recipes-cold-brew-coffee-tips/



Lemonade

Lemonade is a perfect drink for summer. I like to make what I call "Hello Kitty lemonade" because the recipe is from a Hello Kitty book! You can find the recipe in the Summer Drinks post here: http://livingseasonal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/summer-drinks.html

 I normally make it for Litha but it's good any time. I've also made lemonade from Kate West's book The Kitchen Witch but I much prefer the Hello Kitty one. I found the Kitchen Witch one too bitter. It's simpler to make too, you don't have to boil the lemon rind.

I also fancy making Vanessa Lachey's lemonade: hhttp://vanessalachey.com/2016/08/fun-in-the-sun-summer-lemonade-3-ways/


McDonald's has a frozen strawberry lemonade this year. I plan to try that. (See the McD's menu link above or below).


Miscellaneous


I love McDonald's Raspberry Ripple iced cooler this year. You can find it in their McCafe menu: https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/latest/mccafe.html

I'm a fan of their Belgian Honeycomb iced frappe as well. It doesn't have coffee in it, just honeycomb, chunks of chocolate, cream and a bit of chocolate sauce on top.


And check out these summer drinks: http://www.herecomesthesunblog.net/10-amazing-summer-drink-recipes/

 The basil lemonade slushie and raspberry 7up punch look good. :)


 I like Costa's Ice range as well and this year they're doing Frostinos. I plan to try one of them this summer, maybe Caramel Latte, Belgian Chocolate or Mint Choc Chip. Visit their site for the range: http://www.costa.co.uk/iceddrinks/



Hope you enjoyed the post and you found some drinks you'd like! 😀



Summer Tag (This or That)


I found this tag on Life After Lux and thought it would be fun to do. :) Check out her post here: https://lifeafterlux.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/this-or-that-summer-tag.html


Ocean or pool

Ocean. I live near the beach and although I don't go swimming these days I like walking by the sea and paddling.


Beach vacation or wilderness

I'd definitely prefer a beach holiday!


Watermelon or strawberries

Umm...strawberries, although I don't eat them a lot.


Bikini or one piece

One piece. I last wore a bikini as a child! lol.


Lemonade or iced tea

Lemonade. I prefer iced coffee to tea but I'm  a lemonade fan too (as you can see above!).


Grilled hotdogs or over a fire

I haven't done either but it would be fun to try it over a fire!


Hat or sunglasses

Sunglasses.


Windows down or AC

Window down. No air conditioner!


Tanning lotion or sunscreen

Sunscreen. I'm naturally brown so don't need to tan, but use suntan lotion because I can still burn!


Baseball game or concert

I've never been to a professional concert but love music so I'm picking that. We don't get many baseball games here in the UK but I might attend one in America one day for the experience. :)



Ice cream or popsicle

Ice cream.


Fireworks or fireflies

Fireworks. But fireflies must be beautiful too. :)



Flip flops or bare feet

Bare feet for in the house, flip flops outside! Love #officialflipflopweather lol.


Water ballons or squirt guns

Umm...squirt guns!



Hope you're enjoying summer! And if it's winter where you are then I hope you're having a good winter. :)



P.S. I mentioned in my Lammas post that I was making some Esbat/Full Moon biscuits and might post about them. I did make the biscuits and they were quite nice. But I'd thought I'd save them for a future post, since I'd been planning this one for a long time. :)