Atol de elote is a sweet corn beverage frequently doled out warm in Guatemalan markets. Seasoned with cinnamon or vanilla, fresh corn kernels are pulverized on a grinding stone or metate to achieve the drink’s silky, creamy consistency. (In a pinch, a blender gets the job done, too.)

This recipe ran alongside Chris Bagley‘s 2017 story, “Guatemala’s Ancient Food Traditions.“

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There’s nothing better than blueberry pie a la mode—except, perhaps, for the blueberry pie milk shake at Hamburg Inn No. 2 in Iowa City, Iowa. It’s exactly what it sounds like: A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hefty slice of pie go into the blender together, and out comes the ultimate dessert, a creamy shake with buttery crumbles of pie crust and ribbons of gorgeous fruit filling throughout.

This recipe first appeared in the 2013 edition of the  SAVEUR 100.

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The most basic simple syrup recipe combines equal parts sugar and water to make a bartenders’ staple perfect for sweetening everything from cocktails to iced coffee and tea. An essential ingredient in many classic drinks, the neutral syrup can also be infused with herbs, spices, or other seasonings. Find a few variations from our archives here. 

*Note: This basic simple syrup recipe can be adapted to make a thicker and more concentrated “rich simple syrup” by doubling the quantity of sugar.

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Welcome to SAVEUR’s column on how to cook local produce according to our test kitchen manager, Fatima Khawaja. This is where you’ll find creative, unfussy meal ideas plus plenty of cooking advice—like what to do with that bumper crop of zucchini or how to store delicate heirloom tomatoes. Every other week, Fatima hits the farmers market and chooses a peak-season ingredient to explore in depth. Follow along, and you’ll learn how to turn the season’s bounty into easy plant-based meals that’ll be on the table in under an hour.

In June, I was lucky enough to visit Baja, Mexico. I was awestruck by the endless beaches, warm hospitality, and unforgettable dining—but it was the produce that truly won me over. 

The watermelon tasted like my childhood. In Pakistan, there were always bowls of cold, juicy, cubed melon in the refrigerator. I’d snack on them in the summertime with the door still ajar. 

In both Baja and my home city of Lahore, fresh fruit juices abound. This recipe for watermelon agua fresca, then, is a kind of cross-cultural celebration. The key ingredient is salt, which accentuates the melon’s sweetness. 

When buying a watermelon, look for the orange “field spot” on the rind. That’s where the fruit met the ground while growing. The darker the color of the field spot, the more sun the melon got, meaning the sweeter it’ll be. Most grocery store watermelons are of the picnic variety, which is striped, large, and heavy. I sometimes spot icebox watermelons at the farmers market, which are petite and perfect for one person. Both seedless and regular watermelon work in this recipe.

Agua frescas are alcohol-free crowd-pleasers for people of all ages, but they are also a wonderful base for cocktails. In Cabo, I fell in love with the watermelon julep at Flora Farms, a farm-to-table restaurant that grows 115 types of fruits and vegetables. Find that recipe here.

Watermelon Julep

Get the recipe >

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This classic Southern-style sweet tea recipe came to us from Mobile, Alabama, resident and founder of the Southern Sweet Tea Sip-off, Jay Bob Grelen. On hot days, Grelen downs between one and two quarts—with gusto. “I’m a Southern Baptist,” he says, laughing, between seeps. “I can’t drink, can’t cuss, can’t dance, and can’t go to Disney World. All I have left is sweet tea.” Grelen favors Hill + Brooks quart-sized tea bags for his recipe, but other brands of black tea may be substituted. For more advice on how to brew iced tea, check out our comprehensive guide, here.

Featured in “True Brew.”

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Agua de jamaica owes its deep pink color and tart, perfumy flavor to the flower of a common garden plant: hibiscus. Called jamaica (pronounced ha-MY-kuh) in Spanish, the shrub thrives in subtropical climates. Dried hibiscus flowers are often labeled “flor de jamaica” in Latin American markets and in health food stores. The recipe for this faintly sweet drink, which uses dried hibiscus flowers, comes from the Enríquez family in El Paso. 

Featured in “From Jamaica to Senegal, This Crimson Infusion Reigns Supreme.”

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The Elmer is a favorite of old-timers at Elliston Place Soda Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, which has operated on the same street corner since 1939. If apocryphal sources are to be believed, the Elmer gets its name from the glue mascot of the same name. While this might seem out-of-place now, Elmer was originally introduced to the world in the 1940s as the husband to the Borden Dairy Company’s far better-known dairy mascot, Elsie. (Borden would later go on to launch their chemicals division with Elmer as the face.)
This tart-forward recipe, passed down orally for most of its history, combines just two ingredients: orange sherbet and buttermilk, blended together into a frosty shake that’s perfect for beating the Tennessee summer heat.

Featured in “Despite Nashville’s Rapid Growth, the City’s Longtime Restaurants Hold on to Its Community Spirit.”

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Forager Oonagh O’Dwyer of Wild Kitchen hunts for the tiny rose hips that grow in hedgerows blanketing The Burren in County Clare. Once O’Dwyer has enough fruit of the dog rose (Rosa canina), she simmers them in a syrup that can be poured over ice cream, drizzled onto tea cakes, or added to cocktails. O’Dwyer says that raw unfiltered honey works well with old recipes like this, resulting in an earthy finished taste, similar to cranberry, and not too sweet. Dried rose hips can be substituted if you’re making this before fresh ones are available, just use half the total weight.

Featured in “Our Favorite Irish Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day.”

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Made with only three ingredients, this simple shrub from Cosme’s beverage director, Yana Volfson transforms the attractive and aromatic Japanese herb into something equally special. Adjust the acidity and sweetness to your own taste, and feel free to customize by adding additional spices or fresh herbs along with the shiso. The tart syrup keeps well in the fridge for several weeks. Use it to add flavor, fragrance, and brightness to cocktails and soft drinks, or pack into small bottles for gifting.

Featured in: “Showcase These Late-Season Leaves in an Herbal Elixir.”

How to Cook With Perilla and Shiso, the Super-Fragrant Herb We Can’t Stop Eating

This global family of edible leaves makes for fantastic pickles, cocktails, and desserts »

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Created by bartender-author Derek Brown of Washington D.C.’s lauded Columbia Room, this smoky tea-based cocktail proves that a drink doesn’t have to have alcohol to pack an aromatic punch. Brown calls out the use of strongly-brewed lapsang souchong tea, which can be used reliably as a nonalcoholic aromatic base. Vanilla extract and ginger offer sugar and spice, while the egg white is whipped up for texture.

Equipment

• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Small Bowls
• Fine Grater
• Bar Spoon or Chopstick
• Rocks Glass

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