Heat up…cool down! Easy recipes to chill with

It is hot in the city! Scorching hot! We do everything to cool down. It get’s so hot that moving produces so much heat it brings us to the brink of despair. So we head off to the beaches, wade in pools, do things that would bring the temperature down to sane level. To be a bit more closer to home, here are a few food and beverage ideas to keep the summer heat at bay:

Icy Banana Freeze – boil 5 cups of sugar in 6 cups of water. When dissolved, let cool. Then Pour in the juice of 5 oranges and 2 lemons, 5 mashed banans and a large can of pineapple juice. Freeze the mixture to a slushy consistency, then serve in margherita glasses with dainty straws

Make your own ice cream and eat it too – mix 1/2 C whipping cream, 1/2 fresh cream, 4 tbsp sugar1/2 tsp vanilla essence in a Ziploc bag. Seal and place in a bigger Ziploc bag filled with ice and rock salt. Squeeze, roll, toss for the next 10-15 minutes. Eat direct from the bag with a spoon. Your kids will love it. To add variation, add 1 C fruit preserves you crave for. Just use the same proportions.

Avocado cool soup – place 3 ripe avocados (peeled, pitted and cubed), 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of white pepper, 1 small chopped white onion, 2 C chicken stock in a blender. Process until smooth, then fold in cream. Place in a serving bowl, cover with cling film and chill for 2-3 hours.

Blueberry popsicles – place 2 cups Comstock Blueberries, 1 C fresh milk and 1 tbsp white sugar in blender. Process until smooth. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze until solid. Use other fruit preserves for variation.

Go have a picnic – cheese and fruit go together like lovers entwined forever in an embrace. you are only limited by your imagination. Pineapple, orange wedges, strawberries, peaches, grapes and blueberries create wonderful sensations when paired with Havarti, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, parmigiano Reggiano and fresh mozzarella.