From Garden To Glass, Sip On These Fresh Cocktails All Summer
Take advantage of this season's bounty of fruits and veggies to create freshly-made cocktails straight out of your garden. And, if you don’t have a green thumb, fret not, the local farmer’s market has plenty of fresh supply this month to sort you out.
So, go on, whip up these icy sippers that will soon become your go-to summer drinks.
1. Watermelon Gin & Tonic
Tis’ the season for watermelons! The next time you buy a batch of this fresh produce for your smoothies, set some aside for your cocktails too. The Watermelon Gin and Tonic is refreshing, crisp and light, making it perfect to sip on a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Ingredients
30ml Tanqueray No.10 Gin
1/4 cup Watermelon (de-seeded and diced)
2 Lime Slices
3 Fresh Mint Leaves
Tonic
Watermelon Slice for garnish
Ice
Method
Muddle the fresh watermelon, lime slices and mint leaves in a shaker.
Add gin, fill with ice and shake.
Strain it into a glass filled with ice and top it off with tonic.
Garnish with watermelon slice.
Image Credit: Twitter/@TanquerayUSA
2. Bloody Mary
The secret to getting that luscious red colour is to use fresh tomato juice instead of a store-bought version. So, juice out some fresh tomatoes to make this brunch cocktail.
Ingredients
45ml Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
150 ml Fresh Tomato Juice
Worcestershire Sauce
Celery stalk for garnish
Method
Fill a highball glass with cubed ice.
Pour Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka and tomato juice along with the Worcestershire sauce into the glass.
Stir thoroughly and garnish with the celery stick.
3. Jalapeño-Cucumber Mule
Cucumbers are ideal to keep you cool when the temperature begins to soar. This summer veggie can be infused in a cocktail too to make it into a refreshing sipper. Upgrade your Moscow Mule to a summer drink with the addition of garden-fresh cucumber and jalapeño peppers.
Ingredients
45ml Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
1 Cucumber, sliced
4 Jalapeño Peppers, sliced
90ml Ginger Beer
Fresh Lime Juice
2-3 cups Crushed Ice
Method
Infuse 45ml Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka with sliced cucumbers (30 minutes) and sliced jalapeño (10 minutes). Add the 90ml ginger beer and fresh lime juice to the mix.
Serve in a copper mule mug over crushed ice with jalapeño and cucumber slices for garnish.
Image Credits: Salty Canary
4. Spicy Pineapple Piña Colada
What do summer lovers and pineapple lovers have in common? A Piña Colada! The tropical cocktail can be best made with freshly juiced pineapple and coconut cream. Try this spiced out variation this season.
Ingredients
60ml Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
30ml Cream of Coconut
30ml Heavy Cream
180ml Fresh Pineapple Juice
1/2 cup Crushed Ice
Pineapple wedge and cherry for garnish
Method
Mix Captain Morgan Spiced rum, cream of coconut, heavy cream and pineapple juice in a blender.
Add ice and mix for 15 seconds.
Serve in a 350 ml glass and garnish with fresh pineapple and a cherry.
5. Beet Gin & Juice
Count on beet to beat the heat! Beets are sweet and subtly earthy and will give your gin and juice a vibrant colour. The next time you slice some beets for your salad, save a few slices for your cocktail too.
Ingredients
45ml Tanqueray No.10 Gin
30ml Fresh Beet Juice
15ml Simple Syrup (1:1 sugar & water)
15ml Freshly Squeezed Lemon
Ice
Method
Add all the ingredients, except the ice, to the shaker and shake for 30 seconds.
Add the ice to it and continue shaking for another 30 seconds.
Strain into a glass with more ice and serve.
Image Credit: Twitter/@TanquerayUSA
So, gather up some fresh stock and make this batch of summer cocktails!
*Drink Responsibly!
