Hot days call for cold drinks. Try these on to keep your summer buzzing.
BANANA RUM OLD-FASHIONED
Makes one drink. Recipe is from Food & Wine.
Ingredients
1 ounce 100-proof bourbon
1 ounce light rum
1/2 ounce creme de banana
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 orange peel strip
Directions
1. Fill a tall mixing glass with ice cubes. Add the bourbon, rum, creme de banana and bitters. Stir for five seconds, then strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
2. Twist the orange peel over the cocktail to express the oils and tuck into the glass or discard.
LAND OF HAPPY
Makes one drink. Recipe is from Liquor.com.
To make the shrub:
Ingredients
1 whole honeydew
1 cup fresh basil
4 cups white sugar
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 cups white balsamic vinegar
Directions
1. Cut off the rind and remove the seeds from the honeydew, then cut it into chunks. Combine it in the blender with the basil and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a saucepan and add the sugar and water. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved, but don’t get it too hot. Remove it from the heat and cool, then strain through a chinois cloth. Add the vinegar and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
To make the cocktail:
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces gin
1 1/2 ounces shrub
Prosecco
Lemon wedge, for glass
Basil
Coarse salt
Directions
1. Chop the basil and combine with coarse salt. Rub the lemon wedge on the rim of a coupe glass, coat with the basil salt mixture and set aside.
2. Add the gin and shrub to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Double strain into the prepared glass. Float the prosecco on top.
SEA BREEZE
Makes one drink. Recipe is from Gray Goose Vodka.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounce vodka
2 ounces pink grapefruit juice
1 ounce cranberry juice
Lime wedge, for garnish
Directions
1. Add the vodka and juice to a highball glass. Add cubed ice and stir.
2. Top with the cranberry juice and garnish with a lime wedge.
SUMMER MULE
Makes one serving.
Recipe is from Patron Tequila.
Ingredients
2 ounces silver tequila
3 ounces ginger beer
0.75 ounce simple syrup
0.75 ounce fresh lime juice
3 strawberries and 10 mint leaves, for garnish
Directions
1. Muddle strawberries, mint and simple syrup together in a cocktail shaker. Add the tequila and shake.
2. Strain into a Collins glass with ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with the strawberries and mint leaves.
