Three summer coolers for British heat waves..
Heatwaves are getting a little more frequent and longer-lasting, but are we getting better at coping with them? British houses, on the whole, aren’t really built for coping with endless days of extreme heat and unless you have had air conditioning retro-fitted to your home or live in a very ‘smart’ new build, it’s likely you’ll be feeling the heat all of the day and all of the night.
How to cool your house in a heatwave
The first thing is to leap out of bed as the sun is rising and open all the windows, upstairs and down, to get movement of air throughout the home. Keep curtains or blinds closed in the rooms where the sun is shining in, and stay on top of this as the sun moves around from east to west.
Place fans strategically – if you have multiple fans you can use them to draw moving air through the room. If you place a bowl of ice in front of your fan, this will cool the air further.
All this isn’t exactly rocket science, and we’re still hot, so how do we maintain our own cool when the temperatures rise? By staying fully hydrated. Evaporation is our body’s way of cooling – we sweat, it evaporates, we cool. In a heatwave, you need to drink ore fluids than normal to allow for the extra cooling your body will do, while still maintaining the normal fluid needs of your internal organs and brain. It’s recommended you up your intake to around three litres of fluid each day – and everything counts, from water (of course) to tea, coffee and even fizzy drinks.
Water can get dull, however. Tea and coffee – well, who wants a hot drink on a hot day? – and fizzy drinks, well, that’s not a road I want to go down, at least. So, here are my three favourite, tried and tested summer cooler recipes I know you, and the kids, will love.
Tip: all of these can be made and poured into jam jars, which, with the lid firmly fixed, make for perfect picnic drinks. My daughter loves this – a trip to the park doesn’t seem complete without a jam jar drink! (and no plastic!)
Three easy cooling drinks for a heatwave
Watermelon lemonade
My whole family loves a chilled watermelon in the summer. It’s hugely refreshing, just sweet enough and has Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium, and Vitamin B, plus antioxidants.
Ingredients
One large watermelon (or two small)
One lemon, or two limes
Method
Slice your watermelon and cut off the rind. Remove as many of any bigger, black seeds as you can and then cut the red flesh into small chunks.
Pop these in a blender, use a stick blender or a juicer and whizz it up quickly.
Pour the juicy pulp into a sieve over a bowl and let the juice drain through without pressing down on the pulp. (You may need to do this twice)
Stir the lemon juice into the resulting watermelon juice – you can add more lemon or lime to taste, but start low and build.
Enjoy!
Tip: if you have an ice-lolly mould, this juice makes a fabulous frozen treat.
Coconut water mockito
Coconut water is really hydrating; it’s a natural source of electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which are important for hydration and muscle function. I have been known to take it to the gym instead of water, and it’s my go-to purchase before I take a flight.
Ingredients
200ml coconut water
Large squeeze lime juice
Sprig of mint leaves
Teaspoon of honey
Ice
Method
Put your coconut water, lime juice, mint leaves and honey in a cocktail shaker (or large jar) and give it all a good shake.
Fill a glass with ice, and pour the mix over till your glass is full.
This is really one you make to taste. I like a little more lime, and my wife like a little more honey, for example.
Cucumber Mint Spritz
So easy, this is one you can make in a moment, and is perfect for filling a large jug with to set on the table when friends come to dine. It’s really refreshing and so much more interesting than water with a slice of lemon.
Ingredients
Bottles of sparkling (or still, if you prefer) water
10-12 slices of cucumber
2-3 sprigs of mint, bruised (wash and then roll between your finers, or give it a bash with the back of a knife)
Ice.
Optional – a few berries, such as raspberry or blueberry, for the style, and the nibbles!
Method
Put plenty of ice in a large glass jug
Add the mint and cucumber
Pour over your chosen water.
Wait for a few minutes, give it a stir and serve.
Eddie – Saturday 11th July 2025.
