Take some sunshine, add refreshing drinks, stir with friends and you have a winning mix for summer. The days are long and the nights are light, so to celebrate, why not raise a glass filled with a delicious cocktail, organic wine or fruity cider? The following suggestions are easy to make and even easier to make and even easier to enjoy.
Mouth-watering Mixes
For starters, let’s begin with mixing an aforementioned cocktail. Grenadine and orange juice blended with icy cool scoops of sherbet is known as a June Bug. The colour is coral, the taste is terrific and it is a welcome addition at any barbecue or garden gathering. For adults, add some white rum or vodka to this thirst quenching drink that really packs a fruity punch.
Fancy something a bit different? Mix bourbon with sparkling lemonade, drop in two tablespoons of lemon juice, two teaspoons of blackberry rosemary syrup, toss in a handful of blackberries and you’ve created a delightful blackberry bourbon lemonade. Or get experimental with dark spirits, light spirits, fruit juice and lemonade to create an original summer drink of your own.
A Splash of Wine
If you like white wine, why not make a cool cucumber sangria? Simply slice a melon and put in a pitcher with slices of lime, cucumber and twelve mint leaves. Add a drizzle of honey and splash of lime juice, a bottle of semi dry white wine and chill for two hours. Top up with a litre of carbonated water and you’re good to go.
Go Organic
Summer is the time to put those rich bottles of red to one side and splash out on a crisp and welcoming white or refreshing rose. In recent years, organic wines have increased in popularity and come down in price.
It is often reported that a daily glass of wine can be good for you, and organic wines are free of sulphates, chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides. Many wine connoisseurs also comment that there is a notable difference in the quality and taste, not to mention having less of an effect the next day!
There’s no need to splash out either, with many websites showing you how to make your own. Freezing fruit, working out water to sugar ratios and foraging, are all part of the fermenting fun, it’s good for the environment, and it’s a lot more economical too.
Fruity Ciders
Finally, ciders have evolved almost beyond recognition in recent years. Now they come in a range of strengths and flavours, not just made from traditional apples. Pear, mixed berries, you name it, there’ll be a cider out there for you made from your favourite fruit.
So when it comes to summer, simply decide if you want to drink fruit punch, cocktails, wine or cider, with or without alcohol, bought or made and then select who you want to clink your glass with!
Image by Shreveport-Bossier, under the Creative Comms licence.
Suzanne Wright is a big foodie and travel addict. She especially enjoys Thai cuisine and adventure travel, her favorite activity being canyoning.
