Ahhh…summer is finally here and we have the perfect listing if you want to enjoy it by the pool. The outdoor bar at 1001 Cloverlea Road in Ruxton is ready to go with power, sink and mini fridge. All you need to do is plug in the blender, grab some ice and serve up one of these refreshing cocktails.
Grapefruit-Gin Cocktail Shakes
Ingredients
1 pint raspberry sorbet
⅓ - ⅔ cup pink grapefruit juice, chilled
1 pint vanilla ice cream
¼ cup gin or pink grapefruit juice
Lemon Slices
Directions
In a blender combine sorbet and 1/3 cup grapefruit juice; cover and blend until smooth. Blend in ice cream and gin. If necessary, blend in additional juice. Divide among four tall glasses. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 4 servings.
Rose Cucumber Cooler
Ingredients
• 1 750 milliliter bottle rosé wine
• 1 cup St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• ½ cup lemon juice
• Thin lemon slices
• English cucumber slices
• Ice cubes
Directions
In a large pitcher combine rosé wine, St. Germain, lemon juice, lemon and cucumber slices. Serve over ice.
Palomas
Ingredients
• 8 ounce blanco or reposado tequila
• 2 ounce fresh lime juice
• Pinch salt
• Ice cubes
• 12 - 16 ounce grapefruit-flavor carbonated beverage
Directions
In a cocktail shaker combine tequila, lime juice, and salt. Add ice cubes; cover and shake about 1 minute or until salt is dissolved. Strain mixture evenly over ice cubes into four 10-ounce glasses. Carefully pour 3 to 4 ounces grapefruit-flavor carbonated beverage over mixture in each glass. Serve immediately.
Frosé (Frozen Rosé)
Ingredients for 4 to 6 Servings
• 1 750 ml bottle hearty, bold rosé (such as a Pinot Noir or Merlot rosé)
• ½ cup sugar
• 8 ounces strawberries, hulled, quartered
• 2½ ounces fresh lemon juice
Directions
1. Pour rosé into a 13x9" pan and freeze until almost solid (it won't completely solidify due to the alcohol), at least 6 hours.
2. Meanwhile, bring sugar and ½ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add strawberries, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes to infuse syrup with strawberry flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl (do not press on solids); cover and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
3. Scrape rosé into a blender. Add lemon juice, 3½ ounces strawberry syrup, and 1 cup crushed ice and purée until smooth. Transfer blender jar to freezer and freeze until frosé is thickened (aim for milkshake consistency), 25–35 minutes.
4. Blend again until frosé is slushy. Divide among glasses.
Do Ahead: Rosé can be frozen 1 week ahead.
Option: Use Lemon flavored vodka instead of lemon juice
Sparkling Golden Sangria
Ingredients
• 3 cup white grape juice, chilled
• ½ cup orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
• ¼ cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoon honey
• 1 medium nectarine, pitted and chopped
• 1 navel orange, quartered and thinly sliced
• ¾ cup fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted and halved, or canned mandarin
orange sections, drained
• ¾ cup fresh golden or red raspberries
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 750 milliliter bottle sparkling white wine, chilled
• Ice
Directions
1. In a large pitcher or glass jar combine grape juice, orange liqueur, sugar, and honey, stirring until sugar and honey dissolve. Stir in nectarine, orange, cherries, raspberries, basil, and mint. Chill mixture for 1 hour or up to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Just before serving, add sparkling wine to fruit mixture. Serve in glasses over ice.
Nonalcoholic Sparkling Sangria:
Prepare as directed, except substitute orange juice for the orange liqueur and sparkling water or club soda for the sparkling white wine.
Enjoy patio or poolside!
