the accidental summer drink and a list of likes

*The accidental summer drink:

A couple of weeks ago, I made "Peach Collins" from a Sunset magazine recipe. Sure enough, it was as fresh and summery a cocktail as I'd hoped it would be. In fact, we could not believe how smooth it was, how invisible the peach vodka became. After a few more sips, I realized the reason was that I had, indeed, forgotten to add the vodka. The result was a perfect afternoon drink.

The Near-Peach Collins adapted from Sunset

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped ripe peaches, divided
• 1/2 cup club soda
• 2 peach slices
• 1/4 c simple syrup

Preparation

1. Mix simple syrup, lemon juice, 1/4 cup peaches, and about 1/2 cup ice in a cocktail shaker or plastic cup. Using the end of a wooden spoon, muddle mixture until peaches start to break up. Shake until blended.
2. Divide unstrained mixture between 2 tall glasses. Add half the remaining chopped peaches to each, then fill glasses with ice. Top each glass with 1/4 cup club soda and garnish with a peach slice.
And, of course, if you'd like to make a cocktail, add 1/2 c peach vodka to the end of step #1.

A Summer List of Likes:

*Ben's text today to tell me that at 11AM, it was 8-9-10-11 (aug 9, 2010, 11:00)

*watermelon lemonade -- I have yet to make this myself, but have had it two different places now and cannot get enough

*the sound of hot jars of jam sucking sealed on the counter

*$4 movies on Tuesdays and Thursdays at our movie theatre

*the anticipation of Fall's newness already creeping in -- setting up the pieces for our new rhythm

*a sense of settling peace today after a week of knots and wonderings

*summer tutoring -- hours at an old wooden table talking about Lord of the Flies -- and the little itch to teach again that these sessions have inflamed

*the smell of fresh plum cake waiting in the kitchen (if it turned out, I will post the recipe), and ripe farmers' market stone fruit

*LA portraits of the kids from our weekend away with Ben's dad: