SUMMER SPECIAL-PINEAPPLE COOLER

I had mentioned earlier how much we love pineapple and Gagan never misses a chance to procure one the moment he sees it, with fresh pineapple however there is a little hitch-they are normally sour and one has to give them a good blanching in sugar syrup to be able to enjoy them, whenever I buy a fresh pineapple I am reminded of this particular fellow in Dehradun (my hometown) who used to make this summer cooler, after school if we used to go there and in the hot, thirsty summer months it was no less than nectar of the gods, how much I loved drinking it, the fellow is still there quenching the thirst of passerbys bang opposite Punjab National Bank in Astley Hall, I think this is how he used to make it..

Ingredients-

• Fresh pineapple-1 (skin,chop into bite sized pieces and boil in atleast 5 cups of water+1/2 cup sugar, cool and chill)


• Limes or lemons- a few


• Rock salt


• few sprigs of mint

Method-

Spoon some of the pineapple pieces in a glass, add the boiled and cooled juice to it, squeeze half a lemon, add a pinch of rock salt, stir and taste ,adjust sugar acc. to taste, add lots of ice and garnish with mint, the combination of all these refreshing ingredients is unbeatable, do remember to put in a fork too, to scoop out the juicy pineapple chunks....enjoy!