Summer coolers

CEBU, Philippines - The craving for something cold is getting high, owing to the rising ambient temperatures that summer brings.

It is likely to get warmer still, and the demand for coolers is sure to get higher too. The hot days, as everyone knows,

tend to dehydrate the body – and so thoughts of a cold drink preoccupy the mind.

Fortunately for a tropical country like the Philippines, a cold drink is not at all hard to come by hereabouts. The common availability of refrigerators is a big advantage. And more, there are many things around that can be made into a refreshing drink.

Here’s one summer cooler that’s so easy to prepare and does not require sophisticated ingredients for its unique taste and highly refreshing kick: 

Gingery Calamansi Cooler

Ingredients:

2 cups grated fresh ginger

½ cup pure calamansi juice

½ cup brown sugar

Procedure:

1. In a pot, boil the grated ginger in four cups water to make ginger ale. Add sugar. Simmer for two minutes, and then allow to cool completely.

2. Pour the ginger ale into a pitcher. Add calamansi juice and five glasses of cold water, and stir well.

3. Adjust sweetness by adding more sugar if desired. Add ice cubes. More water may also be added according to desired strength of the drink.

4. Enjoy with family or friends.

NOTE: An alternative to calamansi would be “balimbing,” also known in Cebu as “iba.” A sour juice is extracted by mashing it in water and straining it afterwards to produce a smooth juice. Then, the juice would be used like the calamansi.

Aside from calamansi, ginger and iba, there are other common things around the house that can be used to make unique treats. “Tanglad” or lemongrass makes a refreshing drink, too. It only takes little imagination. (FREEMAN)