With summer in full swing here’s 10 delicious recipes to enjoy in the sunshine. Whether you’ve got a family barbecue coming up, taking the kids out for a picnic in the park or looking for a cocktail to enjoy by the pool, here’s 5 alcoholic and 5 non-alcoholic summer cocktails to keep you refreshed.
Non Alcoholic
1. Cooling Ginger Zinger
- 1l ginger beer
- 500ml chilled apple juice
- 4 lime, 2 juiced, 2 cut into wedges
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- Crushed ice
2. Homemade Raspberry Cordial
- 500g raspberry
- 500g caster sugar
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Mash the above ingredients over a high heat for 10 mins. Strain through a sieve and mix with
- 300ml of water.
- Store in the fridge and dilute with water when you fancy a tangy, refreshing drink.
3. Lemon Iced Tea
- 6 ordinary tea bags
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 10 sprigs mint
- 300ml fresh orange juice
- juice 1 lime
- 1⁄2 sliced orange, mint leaves and ice to serve
4. Tangy Peach Cooler
- Juice of 2 lemons
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 lime, thinly sliced
- 3 peaches, stones removed and blended
- Cloudy lemonade
- Sparkling water
5. Iced Mocha Smoothie
- 85g good quality dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp coffee granules
- 700ml milk
- 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, or Greek yoghurt.
- Crushed ice
Alcoholic
6. Zingy pineapple punch
- 12 ounces brandy
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- 3 ounces fresh lime juice
- 3 ounces simple syrup (see Note)
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 9 ounces chilled club soda
- Ice
7. Sunset punch
- 8 ounces bourbon
- 8 ounces white vermouth
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon slices for garnish
- 1/4 cup simple syrup (see Note)
- 12 ounces chilled ginger beer
8. Sangria
- 2 bottles chilled dry red wine, like Rioja
- 1 cup brandy
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup superfine granulated sugar
- 2 oranges, cut into thin rounds
- 2 Meyer lemons, cut into thin rounds
- 3 Key limes, cut into thin rounds
- 2 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 cups cold club soda
9. Vodka and cranberry crush
- 200ml/7fl oz each vodka and Cointreau
- 600ml cranberry juice
- 400ml orange juice
- strips of peel from 2-3 limes
- crushed ice, to serve
10. Amaretto Fizz
- 400ml Disaronno
- 600ml orange juice
- 2 x 75cl bottles sparkling wine
- strips orange zest
Written by Mike Pye
