The addition of a peach liqueur gives a little kick to this delightfully refreshing shake.

Ingredients:
1/2 can peach halves
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 scoops vanilla ice-cream
3 tbsp peach liqueur

Topping:
1 scoop vanilla or peach ice-cream and peach slices.

Puree the peach halves with about 1/4 cup juice until smooth. Pour about one-quarter of the puree into a jug and set aside. Add the milk, 1 1/2 scoops of ice-cream, and the peach liqueur. Process until smooth. Pour into the glass and top with the remaining scoop of ice-cream. Drizzle the reserved peach puree over the ice-cream and decorate the glass with peach slices.

BANANA SHAKE

Ingredients
1 small ripe banana
1 cup whole milk
2 scoops vanilla ice-cream
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Grated nutmeg, banana slices, to decorate

Procedure:
Peel and chop the banana into chunks. Place in the blender along with the milk, ice-cream, sugar, and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds until smooth. Pour into glasses and decorate with grated nutmeg and banana slices.

Tip: The combination of rich vanilla ice-cream and fresh fruit produces a shake that is sweet enough for most palates. Should you require a sweeter shake, add up to 1 tbsp sugar syrup, sugar, or honey. Don't forget: the riper the fruit, the sweeter the flavour.

TOM COOLIE

This soda is a frozen Tom Collins, a cocktail said to be named after its creator. Drizzle a little framboise into this one if it is too sharp to the taste.

Ingredients:
6 tbsp gin
1 tsp lemon juice
2 scoops lemon sorbet
Ice
Soda
Slice of lemon and a maraschino cherry, to decorate

Procedure:
Combine the gin, lemon juice, and sorbet in a blender and process slowly until smooth. Alternatively, shake together in a cocktail shaker. Pour over ice in a tumbler, top up with soda, and decorate with a slice of lemon and a cherry.

Tip: Slushes look good in sugar-rimmed glasses. Dip the rim of the glass in lemon juice or sugar syrup and then dip in granulated or coloured sugar.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE COOLER

A basic, but fantastic cooler -- just admire that colour!

Ingredients:
1 cup cranberry juice
2 scoops orange sorbet
2 to 4 tsp. sugar syrup or honey
Crushed ice
Orange slices, to decorate

Procedure:
Place the cranberry juice, orange sorbet, and 2 tsps sugar syrup or honey in the blender and process until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar syrup or honey, if desired. Pour over crushed ice into a glass and decorate with orange slices.

Tip: Make ice cubes from frozen orange or other fruit juice. They won't dilute your drinks as they melt.

SIMPLE HOME-MADE SHERBET

This is a basic recipe that can be adapted by simply using other flavoured juices. Great sherbets can be made from orange, mango, summer fruits, and tropical juices as well as peach and apricot nectar. Buttermilk can be substituted for the milk, if desired, in which case reduce the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
2 cups cold whole milk

Procedure:
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. The milk may curdle slightly but this is usual and will not be noticeable in the final sherbet. Place in the ice-cream machine and churn for 20 to 25 minutes until stiff. Transfer to a freezer box. Place in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before using.