Summer Drinks II - Cocktails

Fresh Strawberry Daiquiri

Cut in quarters fresh strawberries to fill one half of a blender.  Add ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, and 4 shots of rum. Puree in the blender. Add additional sugar to taste. Fill the blender with crushed ice to ¾ full and blend.

Arizona Style Whole Citrus Margaritas

(make 24 hours in advance)

Special equipment: Whole fruit juice machine such as a Juice Man.

Ingredients:

2 navel oranges, cut in half, half again, and half again for the juicer
1 lemon, cut in pieces the same size as the orange
1 lime, cut in pieces the same size as the orange
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Cointreau orange liquor
¼ cup Triple Sec
¾ cup tequila – 100% agave-reposado
¼ cup superfine sugar
8 cups ice cubes

Process:

·         Cut the citrus in desired pieces for the juice machine.
·         Juice the citrus pieces.
·         Mix the citrus juice and the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
·         Put citrus mixture and four cups of ice in a blender, pulse a few times and then blend on high until smooth.
·         Add the remaining four cups of ice and blend until smooth and can be poured into a glass.

 Garrett’s Boat Drink

½ cup passion fruit juice, chilled
1 ½ ounces Triple Sec
1 ½ ounces Rum

Mix together well and pour over ice.

Clear Chocolate Martinis

Melt white chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, starting at 30 seconds on high. Stir. Continue to melt at 15 second intervals until it is melted and is smooth when stirred. Dip the rim of a martini glass in the white chocolate and put in the freezer for an hour to firm the chocolate. Dip the pointed ends of large strawberries in the white chocolate to coat half way up the strawberry. Put the chocolate coated strawberries in the refrigerator, on a plate lined with wax paper, for an hour to firm the chocolate.

¼ cup vanilla Stoli (vodka)

¼ cup clear Godiva chocolate liquor or crème de cacao

Pour over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Pour into the prepared martini glass. Make a slice in the large strawberry part way in half from the pointed end that was dipped in the white chocolate. Slide the cut strawberry onto the rim of the glass as a decoration. Enjoy!

Summer Drinks

Fresh Peppermint Iced Tea

(make 24 hours in advance)

3 green tea bags

1 quart boiling water

6 tablespoons sugar

½  lemon sliced thin

A large generous bunch of fresh peppermint

2 cups cold water

Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Add sugar and lemon and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the mint and cold water. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the mint and lemon.

Fresh Lemonade

(make 24 hours in advance)

Make the lemon syrup: Add to a medium size saucepan the rind of 2 lemons, 1 ¼ cups sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool the syrup. Add the juice of five medium lemons, stir the syrup well and refrigerate overnight.
Make the lemonade: Use 2 tablespoons of the syrup to 5-6 ounces of cold water or to taste. Add ice as desired. Keeps in a closed jar in the refrigerator for two weeks.

My Orange Julius

1 cup orange juice, fresh if possible

½ cup non-fat dry milk powder

1 ½ tablespoon sugar

Few drops vanilla extract

½ cup crushed ice

Combine all ingredients except the ice in a blender and mix well. Add ice and mix until refined to drink.

Watermelon Lemonade

(make 24 hours in advance)

In a one gallon container steep overnight:

½ small watermelon cut in 1-2 inch cubes, a pint of raspberries, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 ½ lemons thinly sliced – stir and then refrigerate overnight.

Stir or shake. Add six cups of cold water and stir or shake again to mix well.