All Natural Fizz

You gotta love the family behind HOTLIPS SODA - they own five pizzerias! The Portland based, family owned and operated bottlers set their standards high in '05, creating maybe the best fruit sodas on the market today! Every bottle is made with vine-ripened, local fruit such as raspberries, cherries, blackberries, apples, pears and boysenberries.

"We use cane sugar, water and organic lemon juice; there are no added artificial flavors, colorings, or essences. Our soda is incredibly fresh, delicate, and very labor intensive to make. No one but us is crazy enough, in love enough, or daring enough to make something like it. Owner, HotLips

HotLips Soda

Hampton’s Brew

What goes well with wings, spicy food and anything grilled? A frosty pint of IPA. What’s IPA? Glad you asked. BTW you know my fave place to enjoy a fresh pulled pint is at Southampton Publick House - Phil Markowski's award winning brews. 

Located in Southampton, New York, The Southampton Publick House is a landmark for its beverages - Southampton Ales And Lagers. Since the 1800s, beer has been created and served in The Publick House’s previous incarnations as a speakeasy, watering hole and restaurant. 

IPAs were brewed to survive the voyage from England to India prior to the invention of refrigeration. The temperature extremes and rolling of the seas resulted in a highly attenuated (fermented) beer upon arrival. English pale ales were derived from India Pale Ales. American IPA can be a much different brew from the reincarnated English IPA. Generally more flavorful than English IPA, color can range from very pale gold to reddish amber. Hops are typically American with an assertive herbal and citric character; bitterness can be quite high as well.

Southampton IPA is balanced between the hopped-up West Coast-style IPAs and the Old World characteristics of a traditional European IPA. You could say that Southampton IPA is located somewhere between Europe and California, figuratively and literally.

Southampton Ales And Lagers' Brewmaster, Phil Markowski began brewing beer professionally in 1989 at the New England Brewing Company in Norwalk, Connecticut. In June 1996 he moved to Southampton to serve as resident Brewmaster at the Southampton Publick House. Phil uses three grains and a blend of three American and two English hop varieties to make this complex and delicious IPA. It’s full of floral hop aroma and has fruity apricot and grapefruit overtones. It has an assertive hop flavor and a refreshing hop bitterness while still showing plenty of caramel malt character to balance the flavor. It features more balance than any other IPA brewed in America. The result is an American-style IPA with the Old World characteristics of a traditional European IPA.

Balance, that’s what separates India Pale Ales. And that’s the difference between the Southampton IPA and most others. Watch the George Hirsch Living it UP! TV segment with Brewmaster Phil Markowski.

Southampton Publick House TV segment

Bit of Barry's

One of the best things I brought back from my TV series taping in Ireland was a good box of Barry's Irish Tea. Barry's has been making tea since 1901. When I asked the Irish for their favorite, the consensus was Barry's brand every single time. Every pot of tea I've ever had in Ireland has been great, so I think they're on to something.

You may also find Barry's state-side too, but I encourage you to travel to the Emerald Isle to get yourself some directly - brown bread optional. Lately it's been the cold version of Barry's that I've been enjoying - as an enjoyable refreshing pitcher of iced tea. I find that my iced tea is more thirst quenching sans the sugar and simply topped with lemon and some fresh mint. More flavorful tip: twist the mint leaves and stem in your hands to loosen the oils from the mint leaves before adding to tea. Share and enjoy. 

Homemade Iced Tea

Makes about 2 quarts

5-6 tea bags of Barry’s Organic Blend Tea
5 cups of hot water
4 cups of ice
12 fresh lemon wedges, about 1 lemon
12 sprigs of fresh mint or 12 lemon verbena leaves
Sugar, if desired

Brew the teabags in 5 cups of hot water for 3 minutes. Sugar may be added at this stage. Cool completly (can be made the day before) before placing in the refridgerator. Take the Iced Tea out of refrigerator. Cut lemon into wedges.  Squeeze 6 lemon wedges into tea, and add 6 mint sprigs. Add 3 cups of ice and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Fill glasses with remaining ice, lemon wedges and top with mint. Enjoy!

Summer Mixology

Here's one way to beat the summer heat. Mix-up my Watermelon Berry Fiz - it's sure to be summer's new mojito. It's very refreshing and fun to make. Serve at your next outdoor party or simply poolside avec or sans the vodka. The kids can enjoy it too, the non-alcohol version of course. Enjoy!

Tip for poolside serving: use only unbreakable drinkware!

Watermelon Berry Fiz

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 3-4 servings

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 cups cold seedless watermelon

1 cup fresh sliced strawberries (in a pinch-use frozen)

2 Tablespoons sugar, variable depending on how sweet the berries are & how tart/ sweet you like it

1/2 cup ice, crushed or cubes 

1/4 cup seltzer per glass 

In a blender, blend the lime juice, watermelon, strawberries, sugar, and ice until slushy. Serve in a tall pre-chilled glass filled with ice; fill glasses 3/4  full with blended watermelon & berry juice. Top off each glass with seltzer.

*To Spike: You can add 1/2 ounce of vodka, or rum, or tequila to each glass over the ice before adding watermelon-berry juice.  

Sharon's

Here's to the first day of summer. I am paying tribute to favorites today. It's a double tribute; first to one of my favorite friends, Sharon who - come this time of year, has opened up her beach house for the season. I love it, she calls me with at-the-beach reports, which are great, even on those days when I can't get to the ocean. And second, to the best sorbet on the market - also named Sharon.

I created this recipe as an answer to beat the summer heat. Enjoy my refreshing coctail with someone you care about and cheers to celebrating the first day of summer 2010.

Summer Mimosa ala Sharon

makes 2 drinks | recipe by George Hirsch

1 cup lemon soda or 1 cup of Prosecco

1/2 cup orange juice

2 scoops sorbet (lemon, strawberry or mixed berry)

4 Tablespoons cranberry juice

2 sprigs fresh mint

In two champagne or margarita glasses, divide the fruit juice and lemon soda (or Prosecco). Place one scoop of sorbet in each glass. Top with cranberry juice and mint. Serve immediately.