The Summer Sipper

A week at the Jersey Shore basking in the sun, eating home cooked meals as well as fried Oreos and thin crust pizza, and imbibing in cool libations is part of an ideal summer to me. I am lucky to be part of a family that loves good food. Vacationing with sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and grandparents means that the cooking duties are handled by different people each night. Sometimes a husband and wife team pair up, or a grandparent and grandkid, or two sister-in-laws join forces to create a memorable meal for all. Each brings their on tastes and cooking style to the dinner preparation. A bond is formed because family members who see each other only a couple times a year work together chopping, grilling, and serving their culinary creation. With extended family sharing dinner together, we reminisce about the past, tell stories about the days events, and plan for our future visits.

We have dined on a tomatoey fish stew loaded with scallops, mussels, clams, and mahi mahi called cioppino, lobsters, caprese salad and homemade peach and blueberry cobbler, and grilled tequila and lime chicken, steak and shrimp fajitas. A new drink creation is mixed up for happy hour every night and one of my favorites was made by my sister-in-law the mixologist.

The Summer Sipper is a refreshing concoction of limeade, mint, Pelligrino, and Malibu rum which is served on the rocks. I'll be enjoying this sparkling drink long after I return home from my days at the beach.

The Summer Sipper


makes enough for about 8 drinks

1 can frozen limeade concentrate
about 1 cup fresh mint leaves plus extra for garnish
4 cups water
1 cup Malibu rum
1 25-ounce Pelligrino

In a 2 quart pitcher, place 1/3 of the limeade concentrate and mint leaves. Smash the mint leaves with a wooden spoon to break up in small pieces. Add the remaining limeade concentrate, 4 cups water, the rum and Pelligrino and stir. Serve over ice with additional mint as a garnish.