Summertime sippin' - grown-up style

I think I spent one too many summers on a college campus. I can't look at a tall, icy glass of lemonade without imaging how it would taste with a splash of raspberry vodka, and the only iced tea that passed these lips for decades was the Long Island kind. Now that's not to say that I don't enjoy a tart lemon shake-up at the local fair, but every now and then on a steamy summer eve I like to spike my lemonade.

In "Lemonade" (200 Harvard Commen Press), Fred Thompson offers a range of lemonades featuring alcohol as a main ingredient. His "Wicked Pink Lady" lemonade mixes lemonade with gin, grenadine and a splash of heavy cream. The "Blue Lagoon" includes vodka, lemonade and blue curacao. Thompson says the flavor of lemonade "plays well with others," making it versatile enough to pair with everything from beer to wine to hard liquor.

If you want to mix things up with tea, try the new Zen Green Tea Liqueur. Made with a blend of herbs and Japanese green tea leaves ground into "matcha," this spirit has a murky green hue and herbaceous nose. I wasn't expecting much from the flavor, but was surprised with subtle citrus notes. Stir some into white cranberry juice (1 part Zen to 2 parts juice) for a refreshing Zen Breeze (pictured), or add some to your favorite strongly brewed iced tea.

Bringing France to you: You might not be able to escape to Paris or Provence this summer, but you can still enjoy the flavors of France thanks to the Alliance FranÃÆ'ˆ§aise of Chicago. The group, which promotes all things French, will offer a series of culinary classes from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays at its Chicago headquarters, 810 N. Dearborn St. Explore the foods of Monet's table on June 28, Bastille Day in Provence on July 12, Paris' ethnic cuisines on Aug. 2 and market cuisine on Aug. 23.

Classes cost $85; $75 if you join the Alliance Francais. Details and registration information at www.af-chicago.org or (312) 337-1070.

Cutting edge: There you are at Ravinia with a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread. You remembered your corkscrew (not like last summer when you had to borrow one from the savvy group next to you), but now you're looking at that loaf of bread and block of cheese wondering if telepathy will slice them for you. You need the Batard Folding Picnic Knife.

Considered the Swiss Army knife for the gourmet set, this Lamson & Goodnow knife is the ultimate picnic knife. It not only minimizes the danger of packing a knife in your picnic basket, but also eliminates the need to remember a corkscrew for the wine. The knife is shaped like a standard pocket knife with a beautiful wooden handle that conceals a 5-inch serrated blade and a corkscrew. It costs about $25. Look for it at kitchen retailers or online at www.lamsonsharp.com. Buy three; you know your friends are going to want one.

Growing gourmands: Here's your excuse to drive past (and not through) McDonald's this weekend. Starting Saturday, several restaurants in the suburbs and Chicago are participating in Kids' Restaurant Week in Chicago.

Sponsored by Gourmet magazine and Cookie, a lifestyle magazine for moms, the event features local restaurants offering discounted prices in an effort to introduce the children to finer dining.

The week's events kick off at 9:30 a.m. at Chicago Green City Market, at the south end of Lincoln Park near Clark and Stockton drive, with chef cooking demonstrations, food tastings and culinary activities for the kids.

Then, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. each day through June 28, families can dine at participating restaurants (including Osteria di Tramonto in Wheeling and Isabella's Estiatorio in Geneva, Prairie Grass in Northbrook and Frontera Grill in Chicago) and kids younger than 11 pay their age while adults and kids 12 and older will pay $20.08 each. One dollar from each meal will benefit the Green City Market, Chicago's only sustainable market. For a full list of participating restaurants, head to www.KidsRestaurantWeek.com