steven's raspberry mojito

6-8 fresh raspberries
8-10 fresh mint leaves
2 tsp sugar or simple syrup
3 tbsp fresh lime juice, or the juice of one lime
2 oz light rum
6 oz club soda
ice

In a glass, muddle together mint leaves, raspberries and sugar until it’s smooth and smells like a summer vacation. Add lime juice and rum, stir well.

Add plenty of ice, then top off the glass with club soda—or sparkling wine if it’s an extra special occasion. Add a few fresh raspberries and a sprig of fresh mint as garnish before serving.

If serving a crowd, increase the amounts of mint, raspberries, lime, sugar and rum, muddle them in a cocktail shaker. Pour that mixture into glasses then top each with ice and club soda.

Thanks to steven, visual merchant georgetown, for this submission.

recipe: orange sparkle punch

6 C chilled orange juice
2 C vodka
1 C sparkling soda
2 tblsp sugar
2 tblsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
ice cubes
2 oranges, thinly sliced

recipe: blood orange martini

4C blood orange juice
12 oz vodka or gin
ice
splash of lemon juice
pineapple garnish

A 3-day weekend—and the unofficial start of summer—is just days away. What better way to enjoy it than with a blood orange cocktail?

Fill a beaker glass pitcher with ice and add the blood orange juice and vodka. Stir well, pour into martini glasses, add a splash of lemon juice, and garnish as desired and enjoy!

hint: for a single serving, fill a cocktail shaker with ice, 3/4 cup of juice and 2 jiggers of vodka or gin, shake and serve.

recipe: white wine sangria

1 bottle of chardonnay
1/2 cup triple sec
1/4 cup brandy
1-1/2 cups club soda
1/8 cup sugar
slices of oranges, lemons, limes and green grapes

Mix and chill everything—except the club soda—an hour before serving.
Serve over ice and add club soda right before serving—or put on the side to top off.

hint: Reserve some fruit to garnish and drink carefully—it goes down like fruit juice especially when it’s blazing hot!

recipe: ombre summer cocktail

El Gusano Rojo

1-½ ounces mezcal
½ ounce passion fruit nectar
2 ounces chilled ginger beer
½ ounce grenadine
ice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice
Add the mezcal and passion fruit nectar
Shake well
Strain the drink into an ice-filled cooler—the taller the better
Stir in the chilled ginger beer
Drizzle the grenadine on top—which will sink to the bottom for the ombre effect