With the current heat wave engulfing the East Coast, what better time than now to share some refreshing drink concoctions? We offered some summer sips before, but can you ever have TOO many drink options? We think not. One of our preferred cocktails has no official name — you just combine champagne with strawberry puree. It’s AMAZING. So in the spirit of branching out from the same old beverages, here are some of our fave recipes!
Yield: 2 servings, approximately 6 oz.
Raspberry Simple Syrup:
½ package (3 oz.) Driscoll’s Raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
Raspberry Cachaça:
8-10 Driscoll’s Raspberries
4 large mint leaves
2 Tbsp. lemon-lime soda
½ cup ice cubes
6 Tbsp. cachaça or white rum
1½ tsp. lime juice
6 Tbsp. raspberry simple syrup
For raspberry simple syrup:
Combine ½ package raspberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves and berries soften. Cool. Strain and press berries to release juice. Discard pulp.
For drink:
Muddle raspberries, mint leaves and raspberry simple syrup in a cocktail glass using a muddler or flexible spatula. Add ice, white rum or cachaça and lime juice. Top with soda. Stir and serve.
2. Cucumber-Rosemary Gin and Tonic
1 cucumber
1 lime
3 sprigs rosemary
2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
4 oz. tonic water (preferably Q or Fever-Tree)
ice
Peel one half of a cucumber, and slice a lime into eight wedges. In a highball glass, add three slices of peeled cucumber, 1 sprig rosemary, juice from a lime wedge and 1 ounce gin. Muddle with the back of a spoon.
Strain through a mesh strainer into a second highball glass. Add several cubes of ice, and three slices of unpeeled cucumber. Top with remaining gin and tonic, and serve garnished with rosemary sprigs.
2 cups whole frozen strawberries
32 fluid ounces, brewed tea, make hot then let cool
1/3 cup white sugar (amount can vary depending on desired sweetness)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 punnet of fresh strawberries
mint leaves
ice
Sweet Tea Vodka
Serving: 5
Blend frozen strawberries in a food processor until smooth, then strain. Mix together pureed strawberries, tea, desired amount of sugar to taste, and lemon juice. Chill. Add desired amount of vodka. Decorate and serve with a fresh strawberry (stem removed), ice and a sprig of mint
Makes approximately 18 half-pint jars
64 ounces water
2 cans frozen limeade
3 tablespoons lime juice
24 ounces tequila
24 ounces Paula’s Texas Orange
Mix everything together in a large pot. Ladle into mason jars, place lids, and screw on rings. For ease of transport and storage, put jars back into the original box flat. Store in freezer for at least two hours, until ready to serve.
