Summer alcoholic Drinks ...

“May you - Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no-one is watching, screw like it's being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman”

If you can't solve their problems with therapy, solve them with drinking”

“A drink a day keeps the shrink away”

A.N

Watermelon and Ginger Limeade :

2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
8 cups cubed seedless watermelon, plus 8 small wedges, for garnish (from an 8-pound watermelon)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and ginger and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the ginger syrup into a small bowl.
Puree the cubed watermelon in a food processor. Strain the puree through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Stir in the ginger syrup and the lime juice.
Fill 8 tall glasses with ice and add the limeade. Garnish with the melon wedges and serve.

Strawberry-Lemon Mojitos

lemon wedges
24 mint leaves, plus 4 mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
4 strawberries, plus 2 halved strawberries, for garnish
Ice cubes, plus crushed ice
8 ounces gold or aged rum
3 ounces fresh lemon juice
2 ounces prepared sugarcane syrup or agave nectar
1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lemon wedges with the whole strawberries and mint leaves. Add ice and the rum, lemon juice and sugarcane syrup; shake well. Strain into crushed ice–filled highball glasses. Garnish with the berry halves and mint sprigs.

Zen Sangria

One 750-milliliter bottle dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 1/2 cups pomegranate juice, chilled
2 1/2 cups pear nectar, chilled
2 1/2 cups apricot nectar, chilled
1 cup green-tea vodka (see Note)
Ice
1 Anjou or Bartlett pear, thinly sliced, for garnish
1. In a pitcher, combine the wine with the pomegranate juice, pear and apricot nectars and vodka; refrigerate until chilled, 20 minutes. Pour into glasses over ice, garnish with the pear slices and serve.

Notes Charbay brand green-tea vodka is available at large liquor stores.

Thai Boxer

Thai basil leaves, plus 1 Thai basil sprig
10 mint leaves
10 cilantro leaves
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice
1 1/2 ounces vanilla rum, preferably Charbay Tahitian Vanilla Rum
1/2 ounce unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce chilled ginger beer

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the basil leaves with the mint, cilantro and Simple Syrup. Add ice and the rum, coconut milk and lime juice and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled white wine glass or highball glass and stir in the ginger beer. Garnish with the basil sprig.

Uprising Sun Refresher

3 large mint leaves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup pineapple juice
Ice cubes
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice

Put the mint and sugar in a tall glass and mash them together to muddle. Stir in the pineapple juice. Add enough ice to fill the glass. Add the pomegranate juice and do not stir. Serve.

Notes One Serving 146 cal, 0 gm total fat, 0 gm saturated fat, 36 gm carb, 0 gm fiber

Silver Monk :

2 cucumber slices, plus 1 cucumber spear for garnish
8 mint leaves
Pinch of salt
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice
2 ounces blanco tequila
3/4 ounce yellow Chartreuse
1 ounce fresh lime juice

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber slices with 7 of the mint leaves, the salt and the Simple Syrup. Add ice and the tequila, Chartreuse and lime juice and shake well. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the cucumber spear and remaining mint leaf.

Kumquat Mojitos

FAST
VEGETARIAN

20 kumquats (1/2 pound), halved lengthwise
1 cup mint leaves
One 10-ounce can frozen kalamansi or orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 3/4 cups white rum
1 quart club soda
1 large lime, cut into 10 thin wedges

1. In a large pitcher, combine the halved kumquats and mint leaves. Using a large wooden spoon, vigorously muddle the mixture. Pour in the juice concentrate, rum and club soda and squeeze in the lime wedges. Fill the pitcher with ice and serve.

Sour Cherry–Yuzu Bellinis

STAFF-FAVORITE
FAST
VEGETARIAN

1/2 pound pitted fresh or frozen sour cherries (2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons fresh yuzu juice or 2 tablespoons each of fresh tangerine and lime juices
One 750-milliliter bottle plus 2 cups chilled brut Champagne
Ice

1. Puree the cherries in a food processor. Pass the puree through a fine strainer set over a small saucepan, pressing on the solids; you should have 1/2 cup of juice. Stir in the sugar and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.

2. In a large pitcher, combine the sweetened cherry juice with the yuzu juice. Slowly pour in the Champagne. Serve the Bellinis over ice.

Make Ahead The sweetened cherry–and–yuzu juice can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Tangy Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea

MAKE-AHEAD
HEALTHY
VEGETARIAN

1 cup each of sugar and warm water
Zest of 4 limes, removed in strips
8 cups cold water
3/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers (see Note)
Ice cubes

1. In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, warm water and lime zest to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain into a measuring cup.

2. In a large saucepan, bring the cold water and hibiscus flowers to a boil. Remove from the heat; let steep for 20 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled.

3. Strain the tea into a pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup of the lime syrup, or more to taste. Serve the tea in tall glasses over ice.

Notes Dried hibiscus is available at health food stores, Latin markets and tea shops. If you can't find hibiscus flowers, you can substitute dried rose hips or Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea (which contains hibiscus, rose hips and other herbs).

Passion Fruit Caipiroskas

MAKE-AHEAD
FAST

3/4 cup frozen pure passion fruit puree, thawed (see Note)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 5 limes), plus 6 thin lime wheels for garnish
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vodka (9 ounces)
6 cups crushed ice

1. In a pitcher, stir together the passion fruit puree, sugar and lime juice until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir in the vodka. Fill 6 tumblers with the ice and pour the drink over the ice. Garnish with the lime wheels and serve.

Make Ahead The passion fruit mixture can be made through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight. Notes Frozen passion fruit puree is available at specialty food shops. Vergera Boiron is a terrific brand. In a pinch, substitute passion fruit sorbet and reduce the sugar in the recipe.

Puente Punch

FAST
VEGETARIAN

1 lime wedge
Granulated sugar
Ice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup amber rum, preferably Brugal Anejo Dominican Rum

1. Moisten the outer rim of a highball glass with the lime wedge and coat with sugar. Fill the glass and cocktail shaker with ice. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, the orange juice, condensed milk, vanilla extract and amber rum; shake well. Strain into the prepared glass.

Sangria Flora

MAKE-AHEAD
FAST

One 750-milliliter bottle Sauvignon Blanc
1 1/2 cups St-Germain elderflower liqueur (or elderflower cordial)
1/4 cup Cointreau
6 strawberries, sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 raspberries
2 peaches, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise
1 pound green and red grapes
Ice

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve in wineglasses over ice.

Cucumber-Honeydew Freeze

FAST

Sweet Fennel Salt

2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds

Cocktail

1 lime wedge
8 ounces gin
2 cups chilled chopped peeled cucumber
2 cups chilled chopped honeydew melon
6 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 cup honey
5 cups ice
Cucumber wheels and honeydew melon balls, for garnish

1. MAKE THE SWEET FENNEL SALT In a medium bowl, mix the kosher salt, sugar and ground fennel seeds.

2. MAKE THE COCKTAIL Moisten half of the outer rim of 6 chilled white wine glasses with the lime wedge and coat lightly with the sweet fennel salt.

3. In a blender, combine all of the remaining ingredients except the garnishes and blend until smooth. Pour the drink into the glasses. Garnish the drinks with the cucumber wheels and honeydew melon balls.

Indian Summer Cup

MAKE-AHEAD

One 1-liter bottle gin, preferably London dry
One 1-liter bottle Carpano Antica Formula (sweet Italian vermouth)
8 ounces St-Germain elderflower liqueur
8 ounces crème de pêche (peach liqueur)
24 ounces Lemon Syrup
16 ounces unfiltered apple juice
32 ounces chilled tonic water
16 ounces chilled sparkling water
Ice
1 sliced green apple, 2 sliced peaches, 6 long, thin cucumber slices and 1/4 cup torn mint leaves (optional), for garnish

1. In a punch bowl, combine the gin, vermouth, elderflower and peach liqueurs, Lemon Syrup and apple juice. Refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours. Stir in the tonic water and sparkling water. Add ice and garnish with the apple, peaches, cucumber and mint leaves.

Sophie Dahl's Iced Tea

FAST
HEALTHY
MAKE-AHEAD
VEGETARIAN

8 and 1/4 cups boiling water
6 Earl Grey tea bags
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers (or 6 lavender Earl Grey tea bags)
1/4 cup sugar
Lavender or mint sprigs, for garnish

1. In a very large heatproof measuring cup, combine 8 cups boiling water with the tea bags and dried lavender flowers; let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the tea and let cool. In a heatproof bowl, combine the sugar with the remaining 1/4 cup boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the sugar syrup to the tea and let cool. Serve the tea in tall ice-filled glasses, garnished with lavender or mint sprigs.

Watermelon-Tequila Cocktails

MAKE-AHEAD
VEGETARIAN

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 cups diced seedless watermelon (1 pound)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 3/4 cups blueberries
3/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, plus 8 sprigs for garnish
1 1/4 cups silver tequila
Ice

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer with the sugar and stir over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute; let the sugar syrup cool.

2. In a blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the watermelon juice, pressing gently on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp.

3. In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the lime juice, blueberries and mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, lightly muddle the blueberries and mint. Add the watermelon juice and tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

4. Pour the cocktail into tall ice-filled glasses. Garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

Mango-Peach Sangria

MAKE-AHEAD
VEGETARIAN

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup Grand Marnier
1 bottle Viognier
1 mango, chopped
2 peaches, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup mint

1. In a saucepan, cook the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves; transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the Grand Marnier, Viognier, mango, peaches and mint and serve over ice.

Okanagan

FAST

Ice
2 ounces Blueberry Cabernet Sauvignon
1 ounce Calvados
1/2 ounce apricot liqueur
5 blueberries skewered on a pick, for garnish

1. Fill a pint glass with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the skewered blueberries and stir well. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the skewered blueberries.

Key Lime Pisco Sour

FAST

1 medium egg white
1 1/2 ounces pisco, preferably acholado
3/4 ounce fresh key lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
Angostura bitters
ice

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the egg white, pisco, key lime juice, simple syrup and 1 dash of Angostura bitters and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with 3 drops of Angostura.