As I’ve already mentioned, I didn’t drink milk until I moved to Germany in 2005. And if there was one thing I disliked more than milk, it was buttermilk. But my Russian partner made me a drink he insisted I try on a hot summer’s day. It was a blender mix of buttermilk, strawberries, and apple juice, thinned with water, and it was delectable.
Buttermilk-fruit juice mixes are my go-to summer drink now. I particularly like a mix with ⅓ buttermilk, ½ fresh unfiltered apple juice, and ⅓ ice water or sparkling water. I also was surprised to find that buttermilk-orange juice mixes taste great, as do buttermilk-blueberry mixes (or other berries). I haven’t tried this with U.S. buttermilk, but with Swiss buttermilk they are terrific.