It’s summer and party season, so get your cocktail shakers out. These fruity, refreshing drinks will complete your summer sundowner evenings and are perfect New Year’s Eve party drinks. And if you're lost for ideas on snacks to serve with them, have a look at these easy snack recipes, great for any summer party.
Tropical Bliss
Combine one-and-a-half-shots of rum, a shot each of mango, pineapple and peach purée, a dash of fresh lemon juice and a shot of sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker with lots of crushed ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.
Pineapple Daiquiri
In a blender, mix one-and-half-shots of rum, two shots of pineapple purée, one shot of sugar syrup, four shots of pineapple juice and lots of ice. Serve in a tall glass with a pineapple slice.
Strawberry Flamingo
Muddle three lime halves in a cocktail shaker with one-and-a-half shots of vodka, four strawberries, a shot of sugar syrup and a drizzle of honey. Pour through a strainer into a glass filled with crushed ice. Top with strawberry juice and serve with lime wedges.
Cucumber Martini
Pour one-and-a-half shots of gin into a cocktail shaker and add a quarter of finely sliced cucumber, the juice of one lime and a shot of sugar syrup. Muddle, strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a slice of cucumber.
Island Breeze
Combine two shots of raspberry-flavoured vodka, a dash of fresh lemon juice and a shot each of sugar syrup, raspberry purée and passion fruit purée in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake, pour into a tall glass with the ice, top up with apple and orange juice and garnish with half a passion fruit.
Mai Tai
Pour one-and-a-half-shots of rum and half-shots each of Amaretto, Triple Sec and apricot liqueur, a dash of grenadine and a squeeze of fresh lime into a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake well, pour into a tall glass and top up with pineapple and orange juice. Serve with a pineapple slice.
Passion Fruit and Vanilla Martini
Pour one-and-a-half shots of vanilla vodka, a shot of vanilla-infused sugar syrup and two shots of passion fruit purée into a mixer and shake with ice. Pour through a strainer into a martini glass and garnish with half a passion fruit sprinkled with icing sugar.
Some tips from the bartender…
Make sugar syrup by dissolving one cup of sugar in three cups of water over a low heat. Keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved and has a syrupy consistency. To make vanilla-infused syrup, scrape the seeds of a vanilla pod into the syrup or add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. To muddle a cocktail, use a pestle or spoon to gently mash ingredients together to release their flavours. A shot is 25 ml.
