True or false? Blender fruit drinks are: (1) pretty; (2) very good complements to spicy or salty foods; (3) healthful.
The answers are: (1) true; (2) true; and (3) it depends.
Surely the development of the electric blender, credited to the late orchestra leader Fred Waring, will be remembered as one of the 20th Century’s great steps in culinary technology. Somewhat upstaged by the food processor, but never totally displaced, it continues to be a prime tool for blending, pureeing and liquefying diverse ingredients to produce smooth, thick soups, sauces, spreads and drinks.
Drinks! Let’s stop right there, revel for a time in this final week of summer’s lazy days and contemplate (and taste) some wonderful creations from the Drink Department, fruit-based blender category, tropical subdivision.
Mention tropical drinks and the word “rum” begins to pulsate against a vista of tropical splendor. But the foundation of these drinks is not alcohol. It is the yin-yang pull between sweet (sugar) and sour (citrus juice). Ripe fruit provides flavor. Ice provides chill and cuts the lava-like consistency of the liquefied fruit. Only then does optional alcohol kick in–so to speak–and begin to exercise its considerable soporific power.
(One illusion hidden in that funky-shaped drink glass is that your tropical concoction is thirst-quenching. Nothing so sweet quenches thirst for very long. Another illusion is that tropical drinks are energizers. Nothing laden with alcohol will make you lively for very long. Take your pass at the limbo bar sooner rather than later.)
So, in making a tropical blender drink from scratch, follow the formula but be aggressive in adding sugar or citrus juice to achieve a satisfactory balance, making sure the fruit is ripe and flavorful and using plenty of ice. Rum comes in two colors and many flavor variations. Dark rum is more assertive (but no stronger) than light. For added flavor punch, consider substituting dark rum for half the amount of white for which the recipe calls.
The recipes that follow come from my kitchen and the book “Healthy Indian Cooking.” To make a healthful tropical fruit drink, see the mango and yogurt drink below. It uses low-fat yogurt and ice cream, fresh fruit, minimal sugar, minimal alcohol or none. It can be served with a meal or as a dessert substitute.
Shopping note: Mango pulp is available, canned, at many Asian food markets. Chunked fresh pineapple is available in some supermarkets.
FROZEN PINEAPPLE FOOL
Makes four drinks
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple *
1 ripe banana, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons cream of coconut
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dark rum, spiced rum preferred, optional
6 ice cubes, or more as needed
* Buy cut pineapple chunks rather than a whole pineapple.
1. In the bowl of a blender, combine the chopped pineapple, banana, cream of coconut, lemon juice and optional rum and ice cubes. Add additional cubes as needed to bring liquid level to 24 ounces. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve in margarita glasses.
STRAWBERRY-ORANGE SMOOTHIE
Makes two drinks
1/2 cup stemmed and chopped fresh strawberries, chilled
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh preferred, chilled
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup plain, low-fat yogurt, chilled
2 teaspoons sugar
1 whole strawberry, cut in half
1. In the bowl of a blender, combine the 1/2 cup strawberries, orange juice, lime juice, yogurt and sugar. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve in cocktail or iced tea glasses, garnished with a half strawberry.
MANGO MADNESS
Makes six drinks
1 ripe mango, peeled and seeded, with pulp chopped, or 1 cup canned mango pulp
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup orange juice, fresh preferred
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup light rum or tequila
8 ice cubes, or more as needed
6 julienne strips lime zest
1. In the bowl of a blender, combine the mango pulp, the three juices, sugar, rum and ice cubes. Add extra ice cubes as needed to bring liquid level to 30 ounces. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve in martini glasses and garnish each drink with a strip of lime zest.
MANGO AND YOGURT DRINK
Makes two drinks
6 to 8 ice cubes, crushed
2 tablespoons mango pulp
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons low-fat vanilla ice cream
Mint sprigs, optional garnish
1. Place the crushed ice in two tall glasses and chill in the refrigerator.
2. Mix together the mango pulp, lemon juice, yogurt, sugar and ice cream.
3. Pour this mixture over the crushed ice and serve garnished with mint sprigs, if desired.
–From “Healthy Indian Cooking” by Shehzad Husain (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)
MANGO AND PINEAPPLE JUICE DRINK
Makes four drinks
2 large mangoes
2 cups pineapple chunks
6 to 8 ice cubes, crushed
1. Remove the flesh from the mangoes and discard the pits and skin. Dice the flesh coarsely.
2. Place the mango and pineapple pieces in a food processor or blender with half the crushed ice. Process for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until smooth.
3. Stir in the remaining crushed ice and serve immediately.
–Adapted from “Healthy Indian Cooking”
