To preface, it is hardly even spring-like here and the sun hasn't shone in over two weeks, but I'm not letting that get in the way of my optimistic outlook for June, when I surmise that Summer will arrive with a vengeance to make up for the major let-down that was/is Spring.
Here are some drink options to help get the Summer Menu ideas churning --
[and let me just say in reference to the beer cocktail suggested below, that I once had beergaritas at a summer bachelorette party (margaritas made with Wildcat beer - a super cheap beer that I would never consider drinking on its own), and they were wildly delicious (and dangerous)]
1. Raspberry Beer Cocktails
3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3 1/2 (12 oz) bottles of beer, chilled
1 (12 oz) container of frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup vodka
lemon and lime slices to garnish
Stir together the first 4 ingredients. Serve over ice, garnish with berries and citrus slices.
Recipe and image via The Kitchn via MyRecipes.com
2. Spiked Lemonade (or Vermontucky Lemonade)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 cups cold water (plus more if desired)
1/4 - 1/2 cup maple syrup
bourbon
ice
Mix lemon juice with 2 1/2 cups water and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Taste for sweetness and either add the remaining maple syrup if desired or add an additional 1/4 cup cold water. Stir to mix. This will yield 1 quart of maple lemonade.
Fill a glass with ice. Pour your desired amount of bourbon over the ice (1 or 1.5 shots), fill the glass the rest of the way with maple lemonade.
Recipe and image found on Smitten Kitchen
3. Apricot Juleps (image source)
3-5 springs of mint leaves, torn into pieces
2 ounces of apricot puree
1 ounce of freshly squeezed orange juice
1.5 ounces of bourbon
.5 ounce of apricot brandy
.5 ounce of simple syrup
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and then strain into a glass, topping it up with club soda and garnish with mint.
Recipe courtesy of Style at Home
4. Infused Vodkas (image source)
There are a million and one flavour variants that could be used to create this DIY drink - seasonal fruits and herbs being the most obvious (I saw bacon infused vodka in my searches, though, so really anything is possible). Design Sponge has listed these herb pairings based on the book The Flavor Bible:
- Cilantro Pair with: ginger, chile peppers, figs, cucumbers, cumin seed
- Basil Pair with: strawberries, cucumbers, orange peel, peaches, pineapple
- Lemon Verbena Pair with: apricots, blueberries, cherries, cinnamon stick, red currants
- Lemon Balm Pair with: fennel bulb, honeydew melon, black tea, nectarines, blackberries
- Tarragon Pair with: lemon thyme, celery seeds, lemon peel, pink grapefruit, bay leaf
- Dill Pair with: cucumber, coriander seeds, cilantro, capers, lemon balm
- Mint Pair with: apples, cardamom seeds, whole cloves, grapes, peaches
- Rosemary Pair with: pears, lemon peel, orange slices, apricots, plums
- Thyme Pair with: whole allspice, bay leaf, celery stalks, cranberries, sage
- Lavender Pair with: peaches, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, lemon peel
What could be more delicious and summery than a drink made with any of the above vodkas as a base?
