Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat

Subtitle: and get a wee bit tipsy, but not falling-down drunk.  And we all know the difference between the two, now don’t we?  These are cocktails that refresh AND have the ability to slightly inebriate.  Not to worry all you teetotalers and minors out there, I’ve included a few non-alcoholic selections just for you.  So, without any further fanfare, here’s my list of favorites…

• Blood orange Moscow mule. The color of this cocktail makes the copper mug quite superfluous as the blood orange juice gives it a marvelous red sunset hue.  It’s also, like the other drinks on this list, quick and easy to make once you’ve acquired the necessary ingredients.  The combination of the mint, pomegranate juice, and ginger beer give this drink a delicious sweet, spicy and minty flavor.  Just don’t be too heavy-handed with the ginger beer.  While it’s similar to ginger ale, it’s also quite a bit stronger.
• Strawberry thyme prosecco. What’s not to like here?  It’s got two of the main ingredients of any summer cocktail worth a damn: strawberries and sparkling wine.  Add the limoncello and thyme and voilà, perfect summer drink.  The bubbles from the prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) combine nicely with the limoncello, which provides a lemony taste without the sourness of lemon juice, and earthy/minty flavors of the thyme to produce a bubbly, lemony cocktail of the angels.
• Cucumber-honeydew freeze. Adjectives to describe this awesome summer drink include, green, sweet, minty, cold, slightly salty, and heavenly.  The honeydew and cuke give this drink a certain lightness and the homemade sweet fennel salt mixes well with the sweetness provided by the honey.  Ensure you eat the honeydew and cuke garnish and you’ve just included a daily serving of fruit to your diet.
• Porch crawler. As the name implies, this drink is perfect for taking on the road to visit the neighbors, just be sure to bring an extra for them.  Since every list of summer drinks requires one that includes rum, here’s mine.  What I love about this drink is the spice supplied by the serrano pepper, the sweetness provided by the cherries and the bubbles that come with the club soda.
• Sparkling raspberry lemonade virgin mojito. Middle of the day?  Under21s at the party?  Not in the mood for alcohol?  Then this wonderful summer mocktail is for you and yours.  Sweet, tart and bubbly; the adults and kids will request this drink well into the autumn months.
• Grapefruit kombucha agua fresca.  Good and good for you, primarily due to the grapefruit juice and kombucha (a black or green tea), this mocktail has a delicious tangy sweet flavor, depending upon how much maple syrup you add.  Utilize some sparkling water for a carbonated effect.  This drink, like most on this list, looks almost too good to consume, especially with the rosemary sprigs escaping from the rim of the glass.

Summer is the time to relax on the porch, deck, balcony, backyard, or around the fire pit with friends and family.  That relaxing should include a refreshing summer beverage that you otherwise wouldn’t drink except in summer.  Please utilize the above list to get you started.  Bottoms up!