Guilty pleasure

Summery slushie: Citrus-based slushie a guilty pleasure

A slushie is about the perfect summer pleasure. (Bill Hogan, Chicago Tribune / May 11, 2010)

Leah Eskin Home on the Range

May 29, 2010

Should you share a home with a near-teen, you will be conversant in "Glee." Not glee, as in giddy. But "Glee," as in the must-see (or record or Hulu or friend) TV show. You may fancy yourself a gleek. Or would-be gleek. The show skews considerably younger than you do.

You will watch, with scandalous lack of cynicism, as the students of William McKinley High work out the standard in-crowd versus outcast struggle, pausing regularly to break into show tune. It may sound ridiculous. But it's ridiculously fun.

The action is focused largely on the self-obsessed drama queen, the football hero and the cheerleader with child. You may wonder if this material is suitable for the 12-year-old gleek. You may comfort yourself — or your uncomfortable spouse — with this palliative: It provides ample opportunity for mother/daughter conversation. That or: It's funny.

McKinley adheres to the traditional high school caste system. The athlete is a winner. The audiovisual technician is a loser. The student suffering downward mobility is notified by one of her superiors, who will offer her a tall, icy drink. In the face. The bracing pink slip is termed the "slushie facial."

This is not the sort of behavior you condone. It's mean. It's messy. And it's wasteful. Especially if you swirl the summer slushie from fresh orange juice and fresh blood orange juice, lightly sweetened and liberally spiked. It's a drink packed with good vitamins and bad habits. It's not appropriate for the preteen. But then, neither is "Glee."

Leah Eskin is a Tribune special contributor.

leahreskin@aol.com

Pink drink

Prep: 25 minutes

Wait: 3 hours

Makes: 2 servings

9 juice oranges

3 blood oranges

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup citrus vodka, optional

1 Juice: Squeeze all fruit; measure out 2 cups juice. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 minutes; stir again.

2 Freeze: Pour mixture into two ice cube trays. Freeze firm, 3 hours.

3 Swirl: Pop cubes into the food processor. Swirl smooth. Mixture will be thick, like sorbet. Thin with 1/4 cup vodka or 1/4 cup remaining juice. Pour into two glasses. Enjoy.

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