Sloshy slushes for the judges

What sounds especially tasty on a scorching summer afternoon? If it was so hot that even ice cream sounded a bit heavy, my childhood self would occasionally go for a slush instead. (Always the contrarian, I generally ignored the red flavors and had trouble deciding whether my tongue should turn lime green or raspberry blue.)

And what makes a slush an even better summer treat for grownups?

If you immediately thought of alcohol, then the Cedar Rapids Association of Gymnasts is with you. Their Recipes You'll Flip Over (1983, but a cool enough book that it's allowed in even if it's not from the '70s or earlier) has way more alcoholic slush recipes than I might expect from a bunch of people known for being able to do flips on balance beams. But hey-- Vicki Beverige (Ha!) was a judge, not a gymnast, so I guess she didn't care what her beverage options did to her coordination.

If you'd prefer a little more complexity than just orange juice, lemonade, and 7-Up in your vodka slush, the Unknown Gymnast (unmemorable because she had too many of these before a competition, or unwilling to acknowledge that this is her recipe?) offers up a version with tea and lime vodka.

For the more sophisticated set, here's a slush you might be tempted to drink from a snifter.

And if you just wanna get the job done, Sara Winders offers both the easiest and hardest drink of all.

Mix a gallon each of 7-Up and rum with a cup of sugar and freeze. Just don't get on the balance beam after you try it.

Thanks to my sister for the new book! There will be a more in-depth look later, but the weather demanded an immediate slush post.