Illustration by Ekaterina KorolevaI'm back in New York to prepare for my much dreaded rendez-vous at the French consulate. When I'm not photocopying and chasing documents from administrators who have an aversion to answering e-mails, particularly mine, I'm spending time outside doing tranquil things like crafting, working on projects and playing with the litter of kittens that were just born under my mom's deck. Yes, I craft from time to time. Don't laugh.
I'm enjoying my time outside but damn it's hot here! It is so scorching hot that you're not going to believe it when I say that I do not want, I repeat do not want wine or any alcoholic beverage. For real, it's blazing hip hop and R&B here.
To kick off summer on the east coast and to cool off in this hot, hot, heat, I came up with my very first Virgin Ella CoCocktail! That's the only time you will see those two words together..no not Ella and Cocktail. Come on.
Here's what you'll need:
Strawberry Fields For Ella
5 - 10 strawberries
2 -3 sprigs of fresh mint
1 cup of non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 oz. sparkling water
1 scoop of ice
1 Japanese paper fan
1 trashy gossip magazine (Star if you're in the US, Voici if you're in France)
1 pair of fierce shades
Take the strawberries...
and the mint...
...and chop them up.
Toss mint and berries in the blender with a cup of low sugar vanilla yogurt, the sparkling water and a scoop of ice.
Blend for two minutes.
Pour in a fabulous glass and add a sprig of mint for garnish. Now for the important part: Soak in the sun with a trashy magazine, Japanese fan, fierce sunglasses and enjoy this sparkling fruity cocktail while dishing on the latest dirt...
The Tom Kat divorce!
Can you believe it?! Okay yes, we all can, but still...
Stay cool everyone!
