Author and consummate Southern gentleman James Farmer shares drinks worth savoring for the perfect porch party

Maybe it is lemonade on grandmother’s porch, a warm mug of cider during the holidays or a glass of tea infused with garden goodness that evokes a memory– a simple beverage that perhaps takes you back through the channels of nostalgia to memorable moments of days gone by.
Food and good drinks in turn mark our memories with points of reference poised to remind us of happy times. We hold our glasses, mugs, cups, and even jars and toast to life. These drinks are meant to remind us of the importance of appreciating and relishing the first berries of spring, the ripest of summer’s best produce, the tastes and smells of autumn’s palate, and the valuable warmth of a wintertime toast. With each season, new flavors and textures can spice our days – days full of sips from drinks truly worth savoring.
Porches and parties boast as perfect venues for sipping and savoring – teas and cafés; citrus blends and lemonades; nectars, fizzes and sparklers; cordials, punches and milky concoctions can grace your porch and party as well as wet your whistle.
Upon arrival on a porch, to a party or in a home for that matter, it is a drink -- a refreshing beverage -- that is often first offered. We must rejuvenate our bodies and spirits with drink not by gulping the liquids of life but savoring each drop with purpose and maybe even pizzazz! Water may be our lifeline, but fun drinks can be our lifestyle!
Now, with these recipes and inspirations for a bevy of beverages, sip and savor these drinks for days to come – days I hope are further filled with all the celebrations life can afford.
With lazy summer days at Lake Oconee on the horizon, fun times with friends and family just ahead, or maybe even a romantic weekend is in store, this Farmer hopes you can prep, serve and enjoy a batch of some refreshing delights from the pages of my recent book, Sip & Savor. May your porches and parties be the toast of the lake!

To read more about James Farmer and discover his new drink recipes, pick up the latest issue of Lake Oconee Living magazine. It’s hot off the press! You can find it on newsstands at the Morgan County Citizen office, Ingles, Madison Drug Store, Olde South Wine and Spirits, and Thrifty Mac.

Sparkling Grapefruit
There are some colors in nature that are simply spellbinding. The inside of a red grapefruit – that salmon/coral/ pink/creamy orange is so gorgeous. Any opportunity to show off this hue is a joy.
Grapefruit has a distinct flavor and I find most folks either love or hate it. Like most all produce, a perfectly ripe grapefruit is utterly fantastic. I love pairing this flavor with rosemary, lavender or ginger. Add a little razzle-dazzle with an herbal or ginger syrup, and splash of ginger ale for a drink that embraces the senses – beautiful to the eyes, lovely to smell and delicious.

half a gallon of
grapefruit juice
1 can of ginger ale
1 cup of rosemary, lavender,
or ginger syrup
additional sugar to taste
1 whole grapefruit cut into rounds for garnish and floating in the serving piece

To the juice, add the syrup of your liking. Stir and then add the ginger ale and grapefruit rounds. Serve over ice or chilled.

Printed in the March 29th edition.