Having recently moved all of my worldly possessions about 900 miles, I spent a good share of this month lifting, unwrapping and arranging. Most evenings I was hot, tired and ready for a drink. I am sure since I moved to America’s wine capitol that many of you would have thought I’d be making a beeline towards a bottle of wine, but that was not the case. As much as I love wine, I wanted something refreshing and only mildly alcoholic in this warm and dry climate.
I used lychee as a starting point for this drink. Lychee is a lovely mild fruit with an interesting slightly spongy texture that is incredibly addictive. I am a fan, but I can tell you that every time I bring home lychees from Uwajimaya, Phil motors through them like they are going out of style. His sticky hands always tell the story. My recipe calls for you to use canned lychees, because you need the syrup they are packed to flavor the drink. If you can’t find lychees try your local Asian grocer.
I took the delicate flavor of the lychee and paired it with something a little less wholesome. At first I thought of vodka, but it sort of felt like a fall back option. Then I was puttering around Trader Joe’s wine section when I saw a bottle of sake and I realised it’s delicate flavor and mild punch would be gorgeous with the lychee. That left the refreshing element of the lemonade. I initially used a sparkling lemonade. The light effervescence it adds makes the drink very refreshing, but I think I prefer the more pronounced tang of a still lemonade. I leave that choice to you.
Lychee Sake Lemonade
Ice
1 TBS Lychee Syrup
1/4 cup Chilled Sake (sparkling or still, but I recommend still)
Chilled Lemonade (sparkling or still, it’s your choice)
Lychee to garnish, seeds removed
Hibiscus Flowers, to garnish (optional)
Fill a tall glass with ice, add the syrup, sake and lemonade. Give it a stir and garnish with your lychee.
Notes: You can use sparkling sake for this drink, but it is a tad spendy. I personally enjoy my sparkling sake on it’s own.
You may have taken notice of the straw in the photo, it is a reusable straw I picked up at Starbucks a century ago. I don’t know if they still sell them, but I’m sure you can find them elsewhere.
oh those cocktails are the deadliest because they are so good. You keep drinking and don’t realize how much alcohol is in it. I’m not very strong to alcohol and get very tipsy lol Love it, love it. Gorgeous photo as well, nice contrast with the hibiscus flower and the blue straw
If you can find it, you will have to try Elderflower and lemonade. It’s non-alcoholic but very refreshing. I am, as you may have noticed, a fan!
Does Phil just like lychees, or is he becoming a lychee addict? If so, will he be joining Lychees Anonymous… or just enjoying the addiction?!
Oh this sounds so wonderful for this time of year! What an excellent combination! I have been playing around with different homemade liqueurs, one of which is kumquat, which might add a nice touch to the lychees as well. I can’t wait to try this, I even have a can of lychees hanging around and my kids will love it (non-alcoholic, of course!)
Jackie, Thank you very much, and Phil will be pleased you enjoyed the photo. Welcome to The Endive Chronicles!
Griffin, I have actually just found that the Brit section of my local market carries Belvoir Elderflower Presse! I am planning on picking up a bottle on my next visit.
I do believe Phil qualifies total lychee head.
Lydia, I bet they would. It is very good without the sake as well, I’m sure your kids will love it. Thanks for your comment!
Lychee and Sake; how very pan-Asian of you! Now if only I could find still lemonade here, or any lemonade at all that doesn’t contain saccharin. I guess I just have to squeeze my own.
Thanks Les. I think you just may have to. I don’t understand why there is such a fear of natural sugar out there, maybe in some cases people see it as the only alternative to high-fructose corn syrup. Thankfully, natural sugar is beginning to be used more and more in drinks, although apparently not at the Co-op.
Blame the Tudors. Even Queen Elizabeth had black teeth.
“Even Queen Elizabeth had black teeth.” Yes, but she had a heart of gold! And a wardrobe to die for!
There’s an exhibition on in London at the British Library on Henry VIII, at the moment.
I am not supposed to drink alcohol at all anymore…….. but the sake and lemonade does sound fabulous.
Discovered a lemonade from Alsace with is absolutely delicious. It is called Lorina. They make a red fruit version which is heavenly. I hate commercial lemonades, but this is good as it is like a homemade lightly sparkling one.
What is it with using junk sweeteners instead of sugar???? I hate it. Our bodies can process the real thing so much easier and it is far more healthy (in small doses) than poisonous chemical alternatives. Hope you find a proper lemonade soon.
I’m with you Griffin. The outfits swoon. If you get to the exhibition please let me know. I would love to go but the budget and the schedule do not permit it at this stage. sigh
Debbie, While the sake version is wonderful a plain lychee lemonade is quite nice as well. Most commercial lemonades are junk, but I’ve been able to fine some nice natural lemonade that is not shelf stable and only has three ingredients! 3! It’s lovely. Lorina? Is it in a curvy bottle and the flavor, really delicate?
Fake sweeteners either taste weird, give me a raging headache or are just too sweet. Why do they even bother?
Yes it does have a curvy bottle for the small ones. The family size bottle has an old fashioned cork and rubber seal closure and is a normal bottle. They have pink, normal and red fruit lemonades. It is actually made with fruit juice so has a proper flavour. Unlike most commercial lemonades which make my teeth hurt and taste like pure sugar and nothing else.
Not as short on ingredients as the natural lemonade you mention….. what is the name of it?
I agree that artificial sweeteners come with some nasty side effects. The disgusting taste in the mouth for hours afterwards is just as bad as the raging headache I think.
Debbie, Lorina is what I used the first time I made this! It was lovely. I actually don’t know what my lemonade was called. It was local producer, I’d never heard of it before. Next time I am at the market, I’ll make a note of it.
I can always tell when a certain artificial sweetener is in something. I used to get a drop of vanilla in my latte and on occasion the barista would sneak in sugar-free when they were out of the natural thinking I wouldn’t notice. We had to have a little chat. A latte is not worth a debilitating headache.
If you can get the lorina cloudy lemonade or the red fruits you will see a huge difference in the taste and quality to their “normal” lemonade. The best flavours only seem to come in the tiny bottles though……
Oh YUCK! I hate it when they substitute and think you are too ignorant to notice. I always say something because I feel it is a potential health hazard. How many people are allergic to things, or if they reversed it the other way, they could be giving a diabetic a sugar hit. Not good.
Back to painting my fingernails purple now…..
This sounds yummy. My lemon tree has several lemons on it right now. Can hardly wait til they ripen. Have you ever tried lemonade with vodka and a basil leaf? It’s very refreshing. I bruise the basil leaf before adding.
Can’t wait for summer so we can start drinking these.
Bordeaux, I am a tad jealous that you are in winter! I miss hot cocoa.
You know best to make your own lemonade. Make your sugar syrup.
You can get organic frozen lemonade concentrate too it’s one less headache.
I like to muddle a lime and a mandarin orange for the oils and add the above recipe.
mmmmmmmm. We get Lychee fresh right now. Of course I loved it having it handy back home in Hawaii. But I just blend them up and strain the juice in.