Sunny Days and Slushy Drinks

Summer’s yellow spirit washes away winter’s lethargy, at least here in Karachi. It brings a fresh wave of energy and vigor, encouraging us to step out of the cool indoors, and deal with whatever comes our way. Be it intensive fieldwork or beachy vacations. However, there’s only one teeny-weeny problem; When the sun’s up high, throats go a little dry. But the good news is, this problem has an icy cool and refreshing solution in the form of tempting slushy drinks! Continue reading to learn more about your this exhilarating, magical armor against the energy-draining thirst.

The Scorching Summer Heat

Lying to the north of Tropic of Cancer, Pakistan experiences a continental climate where the extreme temperature variations are becoming frequent. Although there are four different seasons in a year, the country usually experiences long, humid summers and dry, chilly winters. Perhaps, it is the variation in altitude and landscape features that the temperature gets slightly balanced in a few areas. For example, the cities lining the coastal area are influenced by the maritime effect. Whereas the northern areas have lesser temperature due to high-rising peaks. However, global warming means that a major part of the country inland, coastal, and mountainous experiences unbearable summer heat of up to 50 degrees Celsius. So, if you are in Pakistan during the months of March to October, be ready to feel the heat! But, don’t worry because there exists a perfect solution to this sweaty problem; the Slushy Fun!

Chemistry of a Slush

By nature, slush has a soft, dense texture that resembles melting snow. It comprises of chipped ice or finely crushed ice, prepared through two different methods. These include adding flavor to crushed ice and alteration in the solidifying process of various flavored liquids to bring about the formation of fine crystals.

In both methods, the freezing point of the water lowers with the addition of salt. Inherently, the H2O molecules come together at 0° Celsius or 32° Fahrenheit and form a lattice or crystalline structure. The addition of salt, however, makes it difficult for the water particles to bond together as readily as they would in their pure state. Dissolving sugar in water can bring about similar depression in freezing point.

Sugar forms an essential component of slush, as it brings the sweet taste that forms its identity and also serves as an antifreeze solution. The slush machines that we commonly see at slush shops keep stirring the mixture at a constant speed to keep the water from freezing.

7 Slushy Drinks to Try

Regardless of the preparation method used, a slushy brings the same cooling, refreshing effect. The best part is, there is a long, long list of flavors. You can opt for a new ambrosial tang every other time. The following are some popular flavors that you must try!

1. Frosty Peach Slush

The orange-yellow Peach slush combines the potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium from peaches and Vitamin C from oranges to energize you for a longer time. This healthy tropical slushy gets even healthier when blended with pineapple or lemon.

2. Blueberry Pomegranate Slushy

A cup of pomegranate seeds, blueberries, and ice blended well. Perhaps, this is a perfect recipe for a flavorful blueberry pomegranate slushy. The resultant purplish-blue liquid is not merely a chilled delight, but an excellent source of anti-oxidants. Try out this healthy and irresistible treat on a warm sunny day!

3. Lemonade Slush

A favorite drink amongst all age groups, the lemonade slush is sour, tangy, and, undeniably, citrusy in flavor! Using only a lemon, the drink revives our bodies with energy and a sense of refreshment. People also love experimenting with the basic lemonade slush by adding other variants like strawberry, watermelon, and raspberry.

4. Ice cream Slush

Ice cream slush is somewhat similar to Granita, which is an Italian semi-frozen dessert. Just like the ice cream slush, it is made up of various flavorings, sugar, and water. Thus, it has a thicker and creamier consistency. However, Ice cream slush has a thinner consistency than Granita but thicker than that of a regular slush. That’s because unlike Granita it is either topped with a scoop of ice cream or has a smaller ice-cream to water ratio.

5. Chocolate Slush

Chocolate cakes, brownies, ice-cream, and cookies, but have you ever heard about chocolate slush? Amazing, isn’t it? Well, the sweet and creamy flavor of chocolate has entered into slushes too. There are several preparation methods as with the variety of chocolates, the variety of chocolate slushes is also increasing.

Conclusion

Indeed the slushy drinks are a wonderful source of refreshment in the blazing summers of Pakistan. The cool, flavorful drinks wash away all the dizziness and lethargy due to the hot weather, leaving us energy-filled.