Some drinks have such cute names you want to try them based on that alone. The Fuzzy Navel Slush is in this category, and its taste is as good as its name is charming.
Fuzzy Navel Origins
As the '70s came to an end, so did the trend among drinkers to consume mass quantities of cheap, sweet wines packed in economically priced gallon jugs. Drink enthusiasts of the '80s rediscovered cocktails, and many of the most popular drinks of that era were overly-sweet homages to the soft drinks that generation had consumed growing up. The Fuzzy Navel was created during this era, along with its icy version called a Fuzzy Navel Slush.
The Name
Despite some wild interpretations of how the Fuzzy Navel got its name, the word fuzzy merely refers to the downy soft skin of a peach, one of the main flavorings in the cocktail. Likewise, the term navel has nothing to do with a body part but applies to the orange juice in the drink, commonly squeezed from navel oranges, one of the most popular varieties for juicing.
Fuzzy Navel Slush
The original Fuzzy Navel is an easy mixed drink since it's a simple mixture of peach schnapps and orange juice. Some recipes call for a bit of lemonade to bring the tastes together. A Fuzzy Navel Slush requires mixing these ingredients with some sugar and freezing it until it becomes slushy, like partially thawed snow. Slushes are particularly popular during the summer when frozen mixed drinks are most satisfying.
Fuzzy Navel Slush Recipe
This recipe makes four slushes and can be kept frozen for easy access over a period of days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon white, granulated sugar
- 2 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
- 2 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
- 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons peach schnapps
- Lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage like 7Up or Sprite
Directions
- Combine the water and sugar in a medium size freezer container with a lid.
- Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water.
- Stir in the orange and lemonade concentrates along with the peach schnapps.
- Tightly cap the container and freeze for a minimum of four hours.
- When you are ready to serve the cocktail, fill a tumbler 3/4 full with the slush mixture. Fill the glass with the lemon-lime soda and stir, and serve the drink with a straw.
Fuzzy Navel Relatives
Not long after the Fuzzy Navel and Fuzzy Navel Slush became popular, mixologists and adventurous home cocktail mixers began concocting variations on the theme. A Hairy Navel has the same ingredients as the Fuzzy Navel but adds vodka to the mixture. Plain vodka adds no flavor to the original version, but vodkas flavored with apple, pomegranate or pear add a distinctive flavor to the cocktail. Hairy Navel Slushes require longer freezing times because the alcohol in the vodka inhibits the process. Another relative of the Fuzzy Navel is called Sex on the Beach, which includes vodka along with cranberry juice. At family-style restaurants, the drink is usually listed on the menu as Fun on the Beach.
Give This Drink a Try
Even if sweet drinks aren't usually your preference, everyone should try this iconic drink at least once. You may actually find that the slushy version of the Fuzzy Navel is more refreshing than you might have thought.
