Top six easy to make summer cocktails..
Who doesn’t love a cocktail? Settling into a comfy seat in a smart bar, perusing the cocktail list, debating this one or that one – and always going back to your tried and tested forever favourite… Cocktails can be complicated to make at home, however, with a little of this and a little of that, requiring ingredients you will never otherwise use, so a home cocktail party isn’t a regular on most calendars – but it can be, with our top six easy to make at home summer cocktails.
The classic Mojito
We did a quick poll here in our offices and the Mojito was the hands-down winner for a long summer cocktail – and joy of joys, it’s dead easy to make at home.
Ingredients for one serving
1 large spoon lime juice (Jiff or your supermarket’s alternative is perfect, if you don’t fancy squeezing your own)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
A small handful of mint leaves, rolled around to bruise them and release the oils
60ml white rum
Soda water to taste.
First, muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint in a small jug or bowl. Pour into a glass and fill to the top with ice.
Pour over the rum and give it a good stir. If you have a cocktail shaker, do it all in that, add the ice and give it a good shake, then pour into a tall glass. No cocktail shaker? Pour your muddled lime, sugar and mint into a glass, add the ice and stir.
Finally, add the soda water to taste.
This one is really easy to upsize to make jugs full of the good stuff! You can make a raspberry version by the simple addition of some fresh raspberries, crushed in a cup and then added to the cocktail shaker with the rest of the ingredients. Drop a whole one on top to garnish.
The Bellini
Invented in the world-famous Harry’s Bar, in Venice, the Bellini is a simple mix of Prosecco and peach puree.
Simply peel and stone a fresh peach, then blend to a puree.
Add a teaspoon of the peach puree to a flute, then slowly (too fast and it will overflow, fast) top up with Prosecco. Simple!
Cuba Libre
Cuba Libre means Free Cuba in Spanish, and is based on the classic Cuban spirit – rum. Choose a white rum, top with Coca Cola, add a generous splash of lime juice, ice and serve.
Espresso Martini
A year round favourite, we couldn’t resist including this in our summer cocktails list! It does require a moment in the kitchen before you can make the cocktail, but it’s worth it.
For two Martinis you will need:
100g caster sugar
50 ml water
100ml vodka
50ml chilled espresso coffee
50ml coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
First, melt the sugar into the water to make a simple sugar syrup. Allow it to cool before stage two.
Next, mix one tablespoon of the simple syrup with the vodka, coffee liqueur and and espresso coffee in a cocktail shaker or jug, with a few cubes of ice. If you have a shaker, shake hard before pouring into your cocktail glass. If not, give it all a really good stir to get the liquid really cold, then serve.
Whisky Highball
Whisky is all too often seen as an end-of-the-night spirit to sip, but here’s how to enjoy your favourite tipple on a hot summer’s day, too.
You will need:
50 ml whisky (maybe not your absolute fave, but still a good one)
100ml sparkling spring water
Strip of lemon zest
Two or three mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the whisky and add the lemon and mint, before stirring for a few minutes to combine the flavours.
Classic Margarita
This is the one where you dip the rim of your cocktail glass in salt, giving a tang to those first sips and a very sophisticated look. Not many of us carry a bottle of orange liqueur in our cupboards at all times, but this is a fab cocktail and worth the investment, we say!
You will need:
50ml tequila
25ml lime juice
20ml orange liqueur (Triple Sec, or Cointreau, or Grand Marnier)
Shake it all up with some ice, then strain into your cocktail glass.
Have a very happy summer! Visit the team on Beech Road, Chorlton Green for an awesome cocktail menu.
Eddie – Friday 14th July 2023 (Picture supplied by The Laundrette).
