Sweet Summer Drinks

Whenever you are sitting outside in the sunshine, a nice refreshing drink should accompany you.  Ranging from fruity to sweet to whatever your taste buds can handle.  Here are some alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with the recipes to help.

ALCOHOLIC:

SILVER MONK

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of cucumber
• 1 spear cucumber for garnish
• 8 leaves of mint
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 ounce Basic Simple Syrup
• Ice
• 2 ounces Blanco Tequila
• 3/4 ounce yellow chartreuse
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice

Directions:
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.


AVIATION

 Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of gin
• ounce of maraschino liqueur
• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• ounce of violet liqueur
• 1 marasca cherry, for garnish

Directions:
Fill cocktail shaker with ice.  Add all of the ingredients, except the cherry, and shake until chilled.  Strain the drink into a coupe glass and garnish with a marasca cherry.


NON-ALCOHOLIC:

WATERMELON LEMONADE

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pound sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mild honey (such as orange blossom)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor, place watermelon and process until very smooth.  Strain through a coarse sieve set over a bowl, stirring to push through any pulp.  Pour juice into a large pitcher.  Add lemon zest.
 In a bowl, whisk lemon juice and honey until honey dissolves; stir into watermelon juice.  Stir 1 1/2 cups cold water; cover and refrigerate until very cold.  Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices


RASPBERRY SPRITZER

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups seltzer
• 2/3 cup frozen raspberries
• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• 3 ounces raspberry-flavored syrup, or Chambord
• ice cubes

Directions:
Combine seltzer, raspberries, mint and raspberry-flavored syrup (or  Chambord) in a small pitcher.  Pour over ice.