Wednesday 9 June 2010

Cocktail Hour: Delectable summer drinks

In this heat (where is the sunshine right now?), I want nothing more than to sit by the pool with my friends and sip scrumptious cocktails all day long... sigh!

image via Villa-in-Algarve.co.uk

To kick start an evening of fun, I love a good refreshing mojito (one that's made well - not too sugary or overly muddled) and a raspberry Capiroska. I do tend to favour all things sweet, which is why I love lychee in cocktails - my faves can be sampled over at Yauatcha, Shochu & Dim T, London.


I'm also a sucker for unusual flavour combination; such as the Basil Grande, which i first tasted at The Living Room, London. This strawberry flavoured cocktail has notes of black pepper and basil... seriously it is so yummy! I have listed the recipe below.

Anyhow, if you're planning a get together with your friends this weekend, why not try some of these yum-tastic cocktails.

WATERMELON MARTINI By The Living Room, London

A wonderfully simple yet refreshing mix of fresh watermelon pieces, Wyborowa Exquisite vodka, lemon juice and sugar

Ingredients

45ml Wyborowa Single Estate - Or any other vodka
15ml Gomme
Juice of half a lemon
50ml Watermelon juice
1 Watermelon wedge

Muddle the above ingredients together then shake for about ten seconds (a bit longer than normal to create dilution). Pour into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the watermelon wedge.

Super duper Sangria

image via Hostess with the Mostess

Ingredients
  • 1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup triple sec
  • 1/3 cup brandy
  • 1 cup lemonade/7 UP - add more if it's too strong or not sweet enough - note you can add a coupla tablespoons of sugar if you're using Soda instead of lemonade. Make sure you give it a good swizzle so it dissolves first!

Make it!

Mix brandy, lemon juice, orange juice, red wine, triple sec, and sugar in a large bowl or jug. Float slices of lemon, orange and lime in the mixture then add lemonade/soda accordingly.

For best results, refrigerate overnight to give the fruit flavors time to soak in. Enjoy!

Basil Grande by Grand Mariner

This recipe doesn't use Pepper - but you can try using a Basil Leaf as a boat garnish, and a grind of pepper to finish.

Ingredients
  • 4 fresh strawberries
  • 4 basil leaves
  • ¾ oz Grand Marnier® liqueur
  • ¾ oz black raspberry liqueur
  • ¾ oz vodka
  • 2 oz cranberry juice

Make it!
  • Gently crush the strawberries and basil leaves in the bottom of a shaker. Then combine all ingredients. Shake with ice and strain.
The Ultimate Summer drink Pimms (Traditional recipe)

Nothing beats a glass of Pimms on a summer’s day. The British beverage is almost as much a tradition as the cup of tea, and the British down the gin-based drink by the gallon during the summer months.

What you need:
Take one slice of orange, strawberry, (I also add a coupla slices of apple too), cucumber & some fresh mint (I tend to OD on the mint!) and add to three parts chilled lemonade to one part Pimm's.


SEX & THE CITY INSPIRED COCKTAILS

I don't know about you guys, but I kinda miss Sex & The City and Carrie Bradshaw's sense of style, love affair with shoes, search for that "Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love" and brilliantly humourous one-liners. There isn't really any other basis of comparison out there, is there?

I used to look forward to each upcoming episode to see what the fabulous foursome would be wearing, then falling in love with elements of their style. Fashion wise it fed me buckets. For now lovelies, let's celebrate the memories of the most stylish girls in TV history, with some fun cocktails inspired by each of the characters we've known to love. There's even one for the boys!







The Carrie


2 oz. SKYY Vodka
0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
Drop of crème de cassis

Rim a crystallized Swarovski martini glass with crème de cassis and sugar (first dip the rim in a shallow dish filled with crème de cassis and then into a dish of sugar). Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into the martini glass.











The Samantha


2 oz. SKYY Infusions Pineapple
1 oz. fresh lime juice
0.75 oz. Triple Sec
0.75 oz. crème de cacao

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.













The Charlotte


1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Grape
3 oz. 7-Up
0.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.25 oz. red wine

Squeeze and drop half a lemon into a cocktail shaker. Add SKYY Infusions Grape and 7-Up with ice and stir. Strain into a tall Collins glass with fresh ice and float red wine over the top of the drink.












The Miranda


2 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger
1 oz. honey syrup
0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients (to create honey syrup, combine 0.5 oz. water with 0.5 oz. honey) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Set a lemon peel twirl across the rim of the glass with a cocktail pick.









The Mr. Big


2 oz. SKYY Infusions Cherry
0.5 oz. Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
0.75 oz. cola

Combine SKYY Infusions Cherry Vodka, Wild Turkey Bourbon and cola in a cocktail shaker with ice and stir. Pour into a double rocks glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Hope you all have a delicious & fabulous week!

Source via: Marie Claire & top image via Daily Mail

One last thing, drink responsibly!!!

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