Summer treats used to be so simple - cold drinks and frosty ice pops are the delicacies of childhood.
Suddenly though, there’s been a rush to make food well, fancier than it once was. Summer food is no longer about perfecting the classics, but about making them as exotic as possible.
As the song goes, "you think you fancy, huh?" Well if so, here are some of our favorite fancified versions of typical summer goodies:
1. DIY Fruit Pops are the New Popsicles
Remember the impossible-to-open plastic sleeves of frozen sugary goodness? Well, the tides have turned, and it seems that, now, moms will do anything to keep their kids away from processed sugar and corn syrup. This summer, it’s all about the DIY fruit pops. Cooking and food blogs all over the Internet are showing us how to make our own popsicles with 100% fruit juice and exotic flavors like papaya and mango. In the land of summer desserts, freezing is the new baking.
2. Iced Tea has Gone Gourmet
Iced tea used to mean a glass pitcher, ice cubes, some tea bags, and about a pound of sugar. It was perfected in the south, where anyone will tell you that sweet tea is actually the real deal. As we look to make everything healthier in 2012, however, iced tea has gone gourmet. Bottles boast antioxidant powers and essential vitamins, while special pitchers have been designed specifically for loose leaf iced tea.
3. Super-fruits, not Watermelon
Remember when summer meant munching on watermelon and spitting the seeds at your friends? Few things are more delicious than a mouthful of cold, juicy watermelon when it’s hot and sticky out. Fruit has gotten fancy lately, though, and recipes for new-aged fruit salads contain pomegranate seeds, guava chunks, and acai berries. Have antioxidants and exotic foods really beat out our favorite summer classic?
[Read "Fruit Salad Recipes With Fewer Than Five Ingredients"]
4. Gelato is the New Ice Cream
What’s more indicative of an American summer than a waffle cone filled with ice cream? To those of you who plan your vacations around trips to the Ben and Jerry’s flavor graveyard or farm-stand ice cream stops, things are getting European and chi-chi around here. Gelato was once an Italian phenomenon, but it’s slowing making its way into American markets. Brightly colored gelato shops are popping up all over American cities, bringing the treats of “the boot” to the States.
5. Slide Over, Burgers!
The all-beef hamburger is another American summer staple. A good hamburger should be big enough to be held with two hands and juicy enough to warrant licking one’s fingers. America’s downsizing though, and mini-sliders are in. Tiny hamburgers are awesome because they allow for better portion control, and because you can eat two of them without feeling like you’ve consumed half of a cow.
[Read "Mini-Sliders: Burgers With a Twist!"]
What's your favorite fancy summer treat? Share it in the comment section below!
