“I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Collected Dorothy Parker
Sometimes there really isn't anything better than an ice cold soothing cocktail. Most of my favourite cocktails are summer inspired, as I always associate sun, summer and the sea with a the sounds of ice clinking around in a large glass full of a strong fruity mix.
VODKA BERRY SORBET
Yields Two Servings
You will need:
For the Simple Syrup
Method
Prepare simple syrup by dissolving sugar in a pan of boiling water over medium heat. Allow to cool completely and bottle it to store.
In a blender, add ice, raspberries, strawberries, lemon and simple syrup. Blend until you get the consistency of a thick puree. Taste and add more lemon/simple syrup to adjust taste to your liking. Pour vodka into the blender and blitz one last time. Prepare glasses by wetting the rim with a lemon/lime wedge. Pour granulated sugar on a flat plate and add the food coloring, or you can mix granulated sugar with 2 or 3 raspberries and colour the sugar that way. Dip and swirl the rims of the glass into the plate of sugar, the coloured sugar should adhere to the rim.
To serve, pour the vodka sorbet mixture into the rimmed glasses and add berries of your choice. Mint leaves work very well as a garnish and also add a lovely fresh scent to the drink. Finally, enjoy!
You will need:
- 100ml Vodka/Rum
- Handful of ice
- 1 packet of raspberries
- 5/6 Strawberries
- Squeeze of Lemon/Lime
- 20ml Simple Syrup
- Granulated sugar (to decorate)
- Red food coloring.
For the Simple Syrup
- 1 Part water
- 2 Parts sugar
Method
Prepare simple syrup by dissolving sugar in a pan of boiling water over medium heat. Allow to cool completely and bottle it to store.
In a blender, add ice, raspberries, strawberries, lemon and simple syrup. Blend until you get the consistency of a thick puree. Taste and add more lemon/simple syrup to adjust taste to your liking. Pour vodka into the blender and blitz one last time. Prepare glasses by wetting the rim with a lemon/lime wedge. Pour granulated sugar on a flat plate and add the food coloring, or you can mix granulated sugar with 2 or 3 raspberries and colour the sugar that way. Dip and swirl the rims of the glass into the plate of sugar, the coloured sugar should adhere to the rim.
To serve, pour the vodka sorbet mixture into the rimmed glasses and add berries of your choice. Mint leaves work very well as a garnish and also add a lovely fresh scent to the drink. Finally, enjoy!
MANGO DAIQUIRI
Yields two drinks
What you will need:
For the Raspberry Couli
Method
Semi-freeze prepared mango in the freezer for 45mins-1hour. Prepare simple syrup while mango is freezing. Boil water over medium heat, add sugar to the water and stir until it is dissolved. Allow to cool and store in a jar or bottle. Then prepare the raspberry couli. In a saucepan over medium heat add raspberries, lemon juice and granulated sugar. With a fork help break up the raspberries. Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes until everything is well combined. You should be left with a thick syrup consistency. Allow to cool and set aside for use. To make the coloured sugar, mix granulated sugar with food colouring on a flat plate. Rub the rims of the glasses with a wedge of lemon/lime, this will allow the sugar to stick to the rims. Dip and swirl the rims of the glasses into the coloured sugar. When mango is ready, place it in the blender with rum, simple syrup and lime juice. Blend until the mango is smooth. Pour the drink into the prepared glasses and add a teaspoon of the raspberry couli to each one. Drink and enjoy!
What you will need:
- 1 Mango, peeled & sliced
- 50ml of Rum.
- Juice of half a lime
- 10 ml of simple syrup
- Granulated Sugar (to decorate)
- Pink food colouring
For the Raspberry Couli
- 1/2 a packet of raspberries
- 2 Tbls Lemon Juice
- 75g granulated sugar
Method
Semi-freeze prepared mango in the freezer for 45mins-1hour. Prepare simple syrup while mango is freezing. Boil water over medium heat, add sugar to the water and stir until it is dissolved. Allow to cool and store in a jar or bottle. Then prepare the raspberry couli. In a saucepan over medium heat add raspberries, lemon juice and granulated sugar. With a fork help break up the raspberries. Allow the mixture to boil for 5 minutes until everything is well combined. You should be left with a thick syrup consistency. Allow to cool and set aside for use. To make the coloured sugar, mix granulated sugar with food colouring on a flat plate. Rub the rims of the glasses with a wedge of lemon/lime, this will allow the sugar to stick to the rims. Dip and swirl the rims of the glasses into the coloured sugar. When mango is ready, place it in the blender with rum, simple syrup and lime juice. Blend until the mango is smooth. Pour the drink into the prepared glasses and add a teaspoon of the raspberry couli to each one. Drink and enjoy!
STRAWBERRY & BASIL COCKTAILS
Yields Two Drinks
What you will need:
Method.
Prepare glasses by rimming them with coloured/plain granulated sugar (as mentioned above). Add frozen strawberries, basil leaves, lime juice, simple syrup and 20ml of soda water or San Pellegrino Lemonade (to loosen) into a blender. Blend until everything is completely smooth, you should be able to see specks of the basil leaves through out the mixture. Fill your glasses up about 3/4 of the way with the strawberry mix and then fill the rest with club soda or San Pellegrino Lemonade. Garnish with basil leaves or strawberries, drink and enjoy!
What you will need:
- 70ml of Rum/Vodka
- 1 punnet of frozen strawberries
- 10 basil leaves (plus extra to garnish)
- 1/2 a Lime
- 10 ml Simple Syrup
- Soda Water or San Pellegrino Lemonade
- Granulated Sugar (to decorate)
Method.
Prepare glasses by rimming them with coloured/plain granulated sugar (as mentioned above). Add frozen strawberries, basil leaves, lime juice, simple syrup and 20ml of soda water or San Pellegrino Lemonade (to loosen) into a blender. Blend until everything is completely smooth, you should be able to see specks of the basil leaves through out the mixture. Fill your glasses up about 3/4 of the way with the strawberry mix and then fill the rest with club soda or San Pellegrino Lemonade. Garnish with basil leaves or strawberries, drink and enjoy!