Here in Arizona, we don’t really have four seasons. There’s the hot season which lasts approximately from April to October (sometimes November), and the not-so-hot season which runs from November through March. It’s been really nice lately, cause we had a few weeks of spring-like temperatures, but now temperatures are approaching the mid 90s and not looking back!

I get a little bored of regular water, but what else is a girl to drink to satisfy her thirst in the unbearably hot Arizona climate? How about some honeyed peach aguas frescas? Ripe peaches with a sweet note of honey and a little bit of lime juice to balance it all out, blended into a light, fruity, sunny-colored drink is just perfect at this time of year. Aguas frescas, literally “fresh waters” in Spanish, are drinks made from pureed fruit, a little sugar, and some water. They’re super refreshing, and an awesome and tasty alternative to dull ice water when the temperatures start creeping up.

honeyed peach aguas frescas

(yields about 6 cups, or 4-6 servings)

honey syrup – yields 2 cups

1 c granulated sugar

1/4 c honey

1 1/4 c water

peach puree

3-4 ripe peaches, sliced OR 1 lb frozen peaches, thawed

1 c honey syrup

1 Tbs + 1 tsp lime juice

1 1/2 cups plus 2 1/2 cups cold water

Begin by making the honey syrup! In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, honey and the water and heat on medium-low until just about boiling, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Pour the syrup into a bowl and set in the fridge for an hour or so until it’s no longer hot.

In the bowl of a food processor, or in a blender, puree the peaches with 1 1/2 cups of the water. Strain this puree into a large bowl, to remove as much of the pulp as possible. This is optional, you can leave the pulp in if you’d like a more hearty drink. Once the pulp is strained, pour the puree into a pitcher and stir in the lime juice, remaining 2 1/2 cups of water, and 1 cup of the honey syrup. If you’d like the drink a little less sweet, add only 3/4 cup of the honey syrup. Stir well, and chill. Pour the chilled aguas frescas over ice, sip and enjoy! Guaranteed to chase away the heat, especially if it’s already over 90 degrees in April!