Delicious: Jallab Syrup at Sizar's Food Mart

August is really the cruellest month, breeding swamp heat and mosquitos, and one of the few ways to fight back is a classic cool drink like iced tea or lemonade.

Or with an exotic one like jallab syrup, a sweet liquid that mixes with ice and water to create a refreshment best known in the Middle East. Jallab syrup is made from grape mollases or raisins, rose water and dates. The rose water flavor comes through, but it's a unique taste -- a cooler when you need one most.

I bought the syrup at Sizar's Middle Eastern grocery story in Columbia. I searched the Internet for a use and settled on pouring three tablespoons into a tall glass, filling the glass with crushed ice, then filling the glass with cold water. Stir and sip. (I actually pulverized the ice in a blender. It started like slush, but melted quickly.)

For the recipe that I used, check out the Kitchen Caravan blog. Sizar's sells the Cortas brand syrup shown in the picture. There was an array of Cortas syrups, including blueberry, and rose water. Click here for all my posts about Sizar's. Definitely check out the pistachio nougat if you visit. Click here for a full list of ethnic and organic markets in Howard County.