We are homo sapiens; we have highly evolved incisors, bicuspids and molars that are meant to bite and chew food. And yet there is something irresistible about the immediacy of nourishment in liquid form, especially as the weather warms up. We’re not talking the three-martini lunch à la Mad Men—those days are gone, for better or worse—but nutrient-dense options like a peppy cold soup, a creamy smoothie or an enlivening cup of fancy tea. The options are multitudinous, so get fed and hydrated in one fell swoop.
GAZPACHO
EAT!@Banning and 5th
The rotating soup menu lists more than 100 choices; these warmer days summon forth a zesty gazpacho with huge flavors that belie its essential lightness. It’s an all-raw, all-vegetable bouquet originating in Andalusia, Spain, and full of diced bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, herbs, garlic, cucumbers and more, depending on regional variations and whim of the chef. Each bite bristles with vitality—that is, roughage and micronutrients and all the things our bodies like. $3.25.
2202 Fifth St., White Bear Lake; 651.653.1225
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
Coffee Cottage
Smoothies hit the scene in the health-conscious 1960s and never looked back; now there are national smoothie chains, and you can find a smoothie at many other eateries too, like the Coffee Cottage. The coffee is great here, but there are also a bevy of fruit smoothies that are fantastic as both a treat and a nutritious mini-meal. The flavors boggle the mind: wild berry, blue raspberry, piña colada, kiwi, orange, strawberry-banana and peach. They’re made to order with a concentrated flavored syrup, plain yogurt and water for proper consistency. Good luck choosing which flavor to get. While you’re mulling it over, check out the fun tchotchkes for sale. Small, $4.50.
88 Mahtomedi Ave., Willernie; 651.407.0942
BLOODY MARY
Washington Square
A bloody Mary is as close as we get to the old-school liquid lunch. The booze is one factor; another is the garnishes, which are so plentiful and elaborate that they constitute a meal unto themselves. We’ve seen Marys with shrimp, beef sticks, hunks of cheese and one with an entire BLT balancing on the rim. Try the bloody Mary at Washington Square; it’s topped with a huge pickle spear, a skewered Greek pepperoncini, a few green olives and a wedge of lime. The rim is properly bedazzled with seasoned salt, and the drink is escorted by a small glass of a simple lager such as Grain Belt Premium. The liquid mix is made from scratch with tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and tabasco, and the vodka is one of the eatery’s special infusions, Finlandia horseradish. $6.50.
4736 Washington Square, White Bear Lake; 651.407.7162
LADY LONDONDERRY TEA
Avalon Tearoom & Pastry Shoppe
Put on something nice and sit down for an afternoon tea, a ritual celebrating an almost-sacred liquid. The liquid is, of course, tea, and the quaint Avalon Tearoom has a long menu of teas, from the familiar English breakfast to the more exotic, like Lady Londonderry, which was said to be Princess Diana’s favorite. It’s a mix of China and black Assam tea, freeze-dried strawberries, lemon balm, sunflower and calendula petals. The result is a mild fruitiness, especially redolent of strawberry and lemon, and it hardly needs sweetening, if at all. It’s a soothing, replenishing experience.
2179 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651.653.3822
KOMBUCHA
Kowalski’s Market
If you haven’t heard about kombucha by now, it’s time to emerge from your cave. Kombucha is a wildly popular tea drink—lightly fizzy, fermented and infused with juice and other flavors. It’s rather vinegary; kids will make a face and adults might need to consciously work to acquire the taste. Kombucha might be the key to health and longevity; although the jury is still out on that one, evidence shows that probiotic-rich foods, like kombucha, are full of good bacteria and are therefore good for digestion. Kowalski’s carries two brands of kombucha, which you can find in the dairy department, GT’s Synergy and KeVita. Just a few sips will convince you of its restorative properties. Synergy’s Trilogy flavor is a zesty swirl of spicy ginger, sweet raspberries and tart lemon; KeVita’s mango coconut has a tropical allure, as well as the vaunted electrolytes found in coconut juice. 16 oz. bottles, $3.19–$3.89.
4391 Lake Ave. S., White Bear Lake; 651.429.5913
HORCHATA
Casa Lupita
Horchata is a perfect warm-weather drink, and you can get it at Casa Lupita, one of those places that people call a “hidden gem.” This eatery is stocked with everything that it takes to run an authentic Mexican kitchen, including an array of refrescos, non-alcoholic drinks like Jarritos, agua de Jamaica and our favorite, horchata, a milky drink made from rice, which is a major food staple in itself. Rice may sound like a heavy winter food, but believe us, this rice has been magically transformed into the creamiest, coolest quaff with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. $2.99.
1350 Highway 96 E., White Bear Lake; 651.348.7571
