5 Slim-Down Summer Sippers

As I prepare to pour myself into a wedding dress, I´ve been inclined to scale back another kind of pouring: that of golden, God-sent beer. And it´s tough, because it´s summer; everyone´s going to the beer garden, nothing tastes so good with grilled food as beer, and nothing quenches my thirst like beer. And, well, nothing gives me a belly like beer. For those who´re looking to lighten up or simply seek an alternative to Czech-beer bloat, these refreshing drinks are slimming summer options. (No worries, beer is here, too.)

The drinks below are for mixing at home, but keep these tips in mind when ordering cocktails while out and about. Obviously, the less sweet the drink, the better for your waistline; and try to avoid frozen drinks all together. Get creative with garnish; a twist of lemon, lime, or orange peel enhances aroma and flavor as do add-ins like salsa, fruit-vinegar infusions, and fresh herbs. When choosing mixers, watch out for high-calorie tonic water; better Prague bars should stock the diet variety. At home, treat yourself to stylish or unique drinking vessels to enhance the pleasure of the experience!

The Prague Mule
Lower the calorie count by paying attention to mixers. Low-calorie soda with spirits over ice is always a healthy bet with vodka, gin, tequila and rum running about 65 calories per ounce. This cocktail, a variation on the Moscow Mule–a shot of vodka, ginger beer, and a squeeze of lime–uses Becherovka. No longer just a staid Sunday-lunch digestive, the herbal spirit was recently released for mass distribution in the U.S. where it´s tearing up the food-blog circuit as right-now ingredient.

Combine all the ingredients in an ice-filled highball glass and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wedge. You can also make a Becherovka Beton by substituting light tonic water for the ginger ale and a lemon wedge or peel for lime juice.

Chelada with Maggi
Tomato-infused drinks such as Bloody Marys are a healthy choice (just be sure to use tomato juice, not Bloody Mary mix, which can be heavy on cornstarch). Who knew that Maggi, beefy soup bolsterer of Czech grannies, was also a secret ingredient of the cooling Chelada beer cocktail? While the thought of pouring beer over ice may feel like sacrilege to Czechs, in Mexico this savory cocktail beats the heat and is said to cure a hangover.

Elderberry “Černý Bez” Fizz
Using a swirl of homemade syrup in place of sugary mixers gives your cocktails a flavorful kick. I´ve been told that this homemade potion is a favorite way of using up the “forest” fruits harvest from the cottage. Use any kind of vinegar — apple cider, red wine, or even champagne — for the syrup. Message-board tip: “The vinárna on Kolinska in P2 has nice, cheap glass wine bottles with flip-style lids in various sizes (1L, 2L, and 5L) bottles; [I´ve] been using them for years. They were well under 100 CZK each.”-pavelpavel