Best Summer Treats

When the weather gets above the 90 degree mark, there are just some things that my body craves. You may think that I’m talking about a nice cold glass of ice water or a cold beer, but you would be wrong. I know this might be a sin to say, but I’m not a big fan of either. There are a few things that I just can’t go without in the summer.

Ice cream cones – Ice cream is the best dessert, or dinner substitute, in the heat of summer. You have to lick fast because the ice cream melts so fast in the heat, but you don’t mind because it just means you get to the crunchy cone that much faster. There is nothing better than a mouth full of your favorite ice cream combined with the crunchy cone.

Ice tea – I am not a fan of hot tea at all. I am an avid coffee drinker, but there is just something about iced tea that tastes so good in the summer. The nip of bitterness from the tea leaves mixed with a hint of lemon juice and a touch of sugar make ice tea the perfect hot weather refresher.

Snow cones – I know, these are supposed to just be for kids, but I can’t help it – I love them. Maybe they are so good because they make you feel like a kid. I enjoy the crunch of the ice between my teeth and then the way it melts in my mouth until my tongue gets so cold it makes me sound funny when I talk. The best part is the syrup at the bottom of the pointy little cup.

Watermelon – Have you ever eaten watermelon in the winter? There is something just not right about it. It is just not as satisfying. Watermelon was made to be eaten in big slices, slices so big that the sides of your mouth get sticky and juice runs down your chin and hands. If you don’t need to wash up after eating watermelon, then you just aren’t eating it right.

Floats – My personal favorite is a Green River float, but this is a very hard soda to find anymore. You can’t really go wrong with any kind of soda you choose. If you like more foam then add the ice cream first, if you like less foam then add it after the soda. This is the best of both worlds. Your favorite soda mixed with creamy ice cream, it’s a little piece of heaven on earth.

Joy Larson is a mother of four boys, graduate of The University of Montana, animal lover and writer.