Cocktails: summer sipping recipes

As I sit at my laptop and begin to write this article, it is still early April and the weather is seesawing daily between the 40s and 80s. Hopefully by the time you are reading this the weather will have settled down a bit, and warmer weather will be here to stay, at least for a while.

As we transition from winter to spring, cocktails change from the dark cocktails of winter to a light, refreshing cooler suitable for outdoor poolside sipping, garden parties, or backyard bar-b-ques. The one thing these events have in common is the potential to go on for hours. With that duration in mind, try something on the lighter side, suitable for enjoying all afternoon.

For a trip down Memory Lane, try a Frozen Orange Julius (this one has a little more kick than the mall slushy), a great brunch sipper might be a Pamplemousse (pamplemousse is French for grapefruit). For a large event that needs a signature cocktail to simplify bar set up, try an Italian Spritz Punch. For an easy to compile fizzy sipper, the Americano might just be the ticket.

FROZEN ORANGE JULIUS

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate

1/3 cup sugar

1 ½ c. ice

4 ounces Wheatley vodka

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until slushy. Serve immediately.

PAMPLEMOUSSE

1 ounce Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin

½ ounce St. Germain Elderflower liqueur

1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

½ ounce fresh lemon juice

1 large basil leaf, for garnish

Add all ingredients to ice filled cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with basil leaf.

ITALIAN SPRITZ PUNCH

16 ounces Galliano, an Italian herbal liqueur

One 750 ml bottle Aperol, a bitter orange aperitif

Three 750 ml bottles chilled Zardetto Brut Prosecco

Ice, preferably one large block

2 oranges and 2 lemons, sliced, and one pint of raspberries, for garnish

In a punch bowl, combine the Galliano and Aperol and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours. Gently stir in prosecco. Add ice and garnish with fruit.

Suitable for an indoor or outdoor event !! Try to get a block of ice rather than cubed-will keep punch chilled but won’t melt quickly.

AMERICANO

1 ½ ounces Campari

1 ½ ounces Dolin sweet vermouth

3 ounces chilled club soda

1 orange wheel and one lemon twist, for garnish

Fill a chilled rocks glass with ice. Add Campari, sweet vermouth and club soda and stir well. Garnish with orange wheel and lemon twist.

Fun fact-The Americano is the first cocktail ordered by James Bond in Ian Fleming’s short story “From a View to a Kill”, in his short story series “Casino Royale”.