Summer Time Drinks!

I can't let a three day weekend go by without posting about great summer time drinks. Our family loves our cocktails - from super simple mixed cocktails to great wine - we always find a way to incorporate a great drink! Here are some great summertime drinks to add to your menu.

The Classic Margarita 

There are so many margarita recipes out there - this is just a baseline. If you like it a little more tart, add more lime juice? Not sweet enough - add a little more Agave Syrup. It's all about how you love your margaritas. Make sure to have salt on hand for the glass rims.

2 ounces 100% agave tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce agave nectar syrup (1 part agave nectar to 1 part water)
1 ounce Cointreau (not triple sec)
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Delicious Sangria

The secret to great Sangria is great fruit!  I love Sangria packed with seasonal fruit. For summer time Sangria I have started really loving white sangria to keep it a little lighter.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar
3 shots Calvados or other apple liquor
1 lime, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
2 ripe peaches, cut into wedges
3 ripe green apples seeded and cut into wedges
8-10 strawberries, cleaned and sliced
1 pint raspberries
1 bottle white Rioja Spanish wine or other dry white wine
Sparkling soda water, for topping off glasses of sangria at table


Directions

Combine sugar, Calvados, lime, lemon, peaches and apples in a large pitcher. Cover with 1 bottle of Rioja wine and chill sangria several hours. To serve, spoon fruits into glasses or goblets, adding a few fresh raspberries in each glass, pour wine over top of the fruit. Top glasses of sangria off with a splash of soda water and serve.

Vodka Fresca

This is a super simple - but super refreshing drink to enjoy by the pool or out in the sun. 

Ingredients:
4 oz Fresca
1 oz Vodka (Absolute works well)
1/2 squeezed lime
1/2 sliced lime

Pour Fresca and Vodka into a glass. Squeeze lime and then add the slices. Enjoy!