A good cocktail is a must for outdoor summer-sipping. Anything "retro" is still hot, hot, hot, so stick to the classics - think outside the martini glass with these five cool cocktail recipes. Discover the deep south with a punchy Mint julep or go exotic with a Brazilian caipirinha (they definitely know a thing or two about beating the heat). Lemonade is a good ol' time thirst-quencher. Twist it up with a little fresh fruit and vodka with our adults-only Melon-ginger limeade. Go old school and revive the much-loved (and unfortunately named) Purple Jesus with our more sophisticated Frosty grape fizz or embrace the tastes of the season with a sparkling Peach sipper.
Classic mint julep
Beat the heat with this traditional southern cocktail.
Makes 6 servings
24 large mint leaves
1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
2 cups (500 mL) bourbon
Ice cubes or crushed ice
Mint sprigs (optional)
1. Place mint leaves and sugar in a pitcher. Using a wooden spoon, mash leaves with sugar against side of pitcher to release flavour. Stir in bourbon until sugar dissolves completely. Cover and refrigerate to allow flavours to blend, at least 5 hours or up to half a day. Don't worry if mint leaves darken because mixture will be strained.
2. Just before serving, fill glasses with ice. Strain bourbon mixture, then pour into glasses. Garnish each with a fresh sprig of mint.
Caipirinha
Brazil's "peasant drink," a.k.a. the cocktail that replaced the malaria shot.
8 lime wedges
2 tsp (10 mL) granulated sugar
5 tbsp (75 mL) cachaca (Brazilian rum)
ice
1. Mash wedges in a jug. Crush sugar into lime with a wooden pestle. Be careful not to crush lime skin too much, as this adds a bitter quality to the flavour. Pour cachaca over lime. Stir well. Add ice. Ask at your local liquor store about the availability of cachaca. If you use vodka instead of cachaca, the drink is called a Caipiroska; with rum, it's a Caipirissima.
Melon-ginger limeade
Pack a Thermos-full on your next picnic, or kick back and relax in the hammock with a tall frosty glass.
Makes 4 cups (1 L)
5 cups (1.25 L) coarsely chopped seedless watermelon, preferably chilled
1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen limeade concentrate and vodka
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh ginger
1. Place watermelon chunks in a blender or food processor. Add limeade and vodka. Whirl until smooth. Then place chopped ginger in a garlic press. Squeeze to extract ginger juice from pulp. Don't press ginger all the way through holes. Juice should measure about 2 tsp (10 mL). Add to blender and whirl until evenly mixed.
2. Pour into a large pitcher. Cover and refrigerate to chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Pour into glasses. For a great garnish, skewer small chunks of watermelon on toothpicks or small skewers and add to glasses.
Frosty grape fizz
Bubbly and icily refreshing - perfect for relaxing on the patio.
Makes 4 cups (1 L)
1 cup (250 mL) purple grape juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) gin or vodka
1 tbsp (15 mL) orange-flavoured liqueur
2 355-mL cans chilled soda water
1. In a large pitcher, stir grape juice with gin, orange-flavoured liqueur and soda water. Pour into tall glasses filled with ice cubes. Top with spirals of orange peel or garnish glasses with tiny champagne grapes.
