sweeten the day
10 summer recipes from grandma that refresh us in the heat

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When it’s thirty degrees or higher outside, the stove quickly becomes our personal master. Therefore, it should be cold, light and refreshing. Here are some of Grandma’s favorite summer snacks and hacks.
The main goal in the sun and rising temperatures: Please keep the apartment cool! And how do we do it? Well, with the ideas of refreshing food, which have already proven themselves in the grandmother.
We keep the oven off, the hotplate only for emergencies, and it’s best to start it early in the morning or late at night. After all, the kitchen door can be opened wide and exchange cool air for rising steam. Ideally with the help of a fan that stands in the door frame. But apart from these small culinary tricks for the summer, grandma always had delicious dishes ready that didn’t make us sweat. Here are our favorites:
fruit salad
“Cherries, raspberries and strawberries were splashed straight from the garden – or sometimes straight from the garden into the mouth. Grandma’s fruit was always incredibly refreshing and was enjoyed cut into small pieces with a few scoops of ice cream or vanilla sauce. . Sometimes they add melon or bananas from the supermarket. Perfect after a (often too long) game in the hot sun.”
cold shell
“Fresh fruit, a cool liquid that refreshes your throat and head, and of course: lots of sugar. What could be better than this mixture? The cold bowl is an absolute childhood memory for me and was always stirred together when we visited Grandma. . The night before, everything was quickly mixed and left in the refrigerator overnight. Perfect for a hot day and absolutely delicious.”
favorite salad
“This is not a joke, but my grandmother’s salad was one of our favorites growing up. Just wash the fresh lettuce, cut it into thin strips, mix sour cream with a little lemon juice and add sugar or sweetener until it thickens. quite a sweet salad. If you don’t know it yet, I think you should definitely try the sweet salad. The recipe is still called “Favorite Salad” in my cookbook, and I personally will definitely want it again. “
Fresh syrup from grandma
“Elder, rhubarb or other ingredients from the garden – my grandmother always painstakingly prepared different types of syrup, and then, when we grew up, she regularly gave us gifts. It was really cool to help out as a kid, but on the other hand, it was also great to have a ready-made juice that was easy to enjoy with sparkling water, and even ingredients from the garden that had to be processed before retained their flavor and freshness in liquid form.”
Pudding treats
“Vanilla pudding with strawberries is always a cheer on hot days. Thanks to the fruit, the dessert turns into a summer delicacy super quickly. And it’s very easy!”
Variations of ice cream a la grandmother
“I always had ice cream ready in my grandmother’s huge freezer. From waffle ice cream to fruit ice cream to containers filled with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. The selection was simply wonderful! We liked vanilla ice cream with fruit and cold chocolate sauce or fresh. Iced coffee, also with vanilla ice cream and, of course, lots of cream.”
Carrot and cucumber salad
“What could be more refreshing than refreshing vegetable or fruit salads. A cold salad of carrots and apples (everything finely grated, of course) with a little lemon and oil is just a dream, and a salad of finely sliced cucumbers and chopped onions in vinegar and oil has always been an absolute delight.”
Stracciatella cream and chocolate mousse
“If there’s one thing I learned from my grandmother, it’s that you don’t always have to do it yourself. She often had stracciatella cream mixed from a bag or cool chocolate mousse – and honestly, it tasted AMAZING! It is still for me today an appetizer that I like to touch when I have a spontaneous visit, and which is incredibly tasty.
Fresh watermelon
“To quench our thirst in the summer, my grandmother often prepared sliced watermelons for us. To slow us down, they put them right in front of the bow so we could take a break from the games and have something to drink. Of course, honeydew melon was often included there as well.”
making lemonade
“My grandmother was always happy to put things together, and for some reason it was always very tasty. For example, mineral water with basil leaves, a little thyme and lemon was one of her creations – or fresh fruit was simply added to the drink, which was crushed without further ado, everything was wonderful.”