Souther Comfort, Lemonade and Lime

It takes a lot to nudge Pimms and Lemonade from our favourite BBQ Drink spot but we think we may have found an even better tasting rival. Step forward Southern Comfort, Lemonade and Lime!

Available for just £5 for 4 cans I will admit that after initial scepticism (I am a SoCo and Coke Man after all) I could have (sensibly) drank this for ever!

We had ours at nearly ice cold temperature and my one regret was that we only bought 4 for testing purposes!

The reason it nudges Pimms off the top spot for my favourite summer drink of 2009 is because it is not only refreshing, but is also not so sickly sweet that you find yourself pulling those funny faces.

Here is the write up from the lovely people Southern Comfort…

“With 35ml Southern Comfort, the sparkle of lemonade and a zing of lime, Southern Comfort, Lemonade & Lime gives you a taste of New Orleans, anytime and anywhere, and is perfect accompaniment to alfresco fun. Whether a summer BBQ with friends, lunch in the park, a festival or a house party, Southern Comfort, Lemonade & Lime adds a touch of New Orleans, crammed into a streamlined can”

Southern Comfort, Lemonade and lime is available from the likes of Threshers, Sainsbury’s and Tesco at the introductory price of £5 for 4 until 18th August. Oh yeah, and if you just want one can, it will only set you back £1.59.

Have you tried the new Southern Comfort, Lemonade and Lime? If so, why not tell us what you thought in the comments section below?

How very cool is this, a very nice man from a production company who work for the BBC got in touch today and asked what my top BBQ tips and tricks would be.

Crikey, to be put on the spot or what!?

BBQ Drinks Ahoy

Having now had chance to get over my brush with stardom I have took a bit of time out to draw up a list of my Top 10 BBQ (Barbecue) Tips and Tricks. So here we go;

1. Use a kettle style BBQ - they not only cook your chosen slab of meat more quickly, but they also deliver a better smoked flavour option when you use flavoured wood chips.

2. Use baskets to cook your food in, so you can turn them more easily and move on and off the heat hotspots more easily.

3. Always try and use your local farm shop or butcher for your meat - the supermarkets get enough of our money and the local butchers are much nicer cuts.

4. Chillax when cooking - BBQ’s are supposed to take an age to do properly and there is nothing wrong with taking your time.

5. Never use firelighters or chemicals to get your BBQ going - they make the food taste funny and can result in the loss of eyebrows

6. Use flavoured wood chips to make the food taste nicer and the smoke smell better

7. Get yourself a mini preparation table to sit alongside your BBQ where you can slice meat to make sure it is cooked

8. Always butterfly your chicken breasts - they cook alot quicker and remain moist and tender

9. Try new things, meat that would normally cause a diplomatic incident can be well disguised using a BBQ - for example, BBC Radio Gloucestershire want us to try squirrel (not sure if I am ready for that though)

10. Have a cold drink alongside you at all times!

We tried a new Barbecue drink at our last grilling session. Sounds really simple but tasted flipping great. Fizzy white wine with strawberry juice and strawberries.

The one down side is how we found the new drink. As I remember it a small food fight developed into strawberries being lobbed about and one ended up in Granny BS’s fizzy wine. Her being a fine wine aficionado she could not put such a tainted drink upon her delicate pallet and it was duly despatched to me to be hovered up.

I tried to fish the strawberry out but only succeeded in squeezing the juice into the wine and plopping he fruit back in the glass. I gave up and took a sip… it was really nice.

I passed it round the Barbecue attendees and everyone agreed it was the way forward. Two seconds later we all had one. Sitting there drinking fizzy strawberry wine whilst the red wine smoking BBQ woodchips gently wafted under my nose was BBQ Heaven and another reason why I Love My BBQ!

This has now developed into a regular BBQ drink. Here is how we did it again, squeeze some fresh strawberries into some fizzy wine and then plop the strawberry into the glass. Next step, drink and repeat the process until you cannot walk properly.

BBQ Drinks

One of the best parts of our Barbecue Wizardry is the drinking! BBQ’s present the perfect opportunity to test beers, wines and other alcoholic beverages that you would normally steer clear of. Ok, so maybe not Baileys, never any cause for that stuff.

Over the years we have tried pretty much every drink you can think of. Long before Magners came along we were pouring cider over ice and plopping bits of this and that into white wine to add to the flavour.

Probably the most consistently good drink has to be Pimms and Lemonade. We usually get through a good few jugs of this with most summer barbecues and it is a wonderful summer drink.

We usually mix ours one quarter Pimms to three quarters Lemonade. We add a bucket load of ice and them some mint, strawberries, slices of orange, lemon and apple. I think traditionally you are supposed to add mint, cucumber, tomato and that is it, we like the mix of other fruits though.

Give it a whirl, well worth a blast.