That's The Spirit

The pool is open. The BBQ is fired up and sweet summer is upon us. What shall we have in stock to make the most of our summer fun? For me it starts with some great basics. I like to be poolside or lounging somewhere with great friends, good music and awesome drinks. Here is what I will be serving;

Margaritas

Prepare the cocktail glass by rubbing lime juice all the way around the edge of the glass and place on a saucer of salt to achieve the salted rim effect. Then add the Tequila, Cointreau and lime juice into a cocktail shaker full of ice and shake well together. Strain into the cocktail glass. I prefer to make them by the pitcher allowing me more time to sit and sip. Watch this one as it is cool and sour but will knock you on your back if you have one too many.

Sangria

As is the case with so many Spanish specialties, there is no fixed sangria recipe. It consists of 'a little bit of this, a little bit of that', and whatever fruits happen to be in the kitchen. That said, at spain-recipes.com we're offering some blueprints for exciting variations on this drink. Feel free to add other ingredients to taste. Because the success of any mixture will depend on the quality of these ingredients, it is crucial always to use good red wine, fresh fruit and flavourful juice.

Sangria must always be served ice-cold. If serving from a punch bowl, stir it in the bowl before ladling it into a glass. Finally, if possible, drink it on the beach or at least poolside - there is no finer feeling. Here is what you need;

3 1/4 cups (26 fl. oz) dry red wine

2 cups (16 fl. oz) sparkling apple juice

4 tablespoons gin

4 tablespoons citron-flavoured vodka

2 tablespoons sugar

Juice of 1 large orange

Juice of 1 large lemon

1 small orange, sliced thin crosswise

1 small lemon, sliced thin crosswise

1 small lime, sliced thin crosswise

Pour all the ingredients into a large pitcher, mix well, and refrigerate. Serve chilled over ice.

Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island Iced Tea (LIIT) is the basis of many elaborate mixed-drinks. It dates to the 70's, named after the continental USA's largest island Long Island, in New York. Although it doesn't contain tea, its taste is similar. The drink sits in the top 5 of most popular cocktails and is regularly mentioned or seen served in television and films (worthy mentions are The Simpsons, Sex and the City and Cruel Intentions).

1 part vodka
1 part 1800® Tequila
1 part rum
1 part gin
1 part triple sec
1 1/2 parts sweet
and sour mix
1 splash Cola

Mix ingredients together over ice in a glass. Pour into a shaker and give one brisk shake. Pour back into the glass and make sure there is a touch of fizz at the top. Garnish with lemon. For me this is one of those that more is always better than less. Make sure you keep an eye on the junior guests as they will try to sneak a few of these!

Beer

For me it is a wheat beer or “white” beer as it is sometimes referred to. The best known and original wheat beer is Hefeweizen. Using wheat as an ingredient in beer was the first exception made to the famous beer purity law, Rheinheitsgebot, and that exception was made specifically so the nobility could continue to enjoy this style. This Bavarian style of wheat beer is pale and cloudy. It is bottled and served unfiltered so the yeast used during fermentation is still present. This special strain of yeast contributes banana and clove notes to the aroma and flavour of the beer. Wheat beer is an ale so it is heavier and doesn’t provide the smack of a lager. But served cold, with or without a slice of lemon, it is no less refreshing. I will be serving Hogaarten and Rickards White this summer. Serve it in a special Hefeweizen glass which has a narrow base and a very wide mouth. Slice of lemon or orange adds the perfect touch. Cheers!

Mint Julep

Sit on the front porch in your rocking chair on a sultry afternoon and sip on one or two of these. The proper way to serve a mint julep is in a frozen silver goblet, but you can use glasses instead--just use the most elegant ones you have! You can make the syrup ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for whenever the julep mood strikes you. What you will need;

2 cups water

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

32 fluid ounces Kentucky bourbon

8 sprigs fresh mint leaves for garnish

Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves

Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

A great celebration list of drinks for the heat of summer, I will be toasting my friends with these while enjoying a great Cuban cigar in the moonlight.

As always enjoy responsibly and share!

~Clare Jackson~

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As seen in the June Issue of Main Street Magazine.

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