Warm Weather Coolers

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Two lovely cocktail recipes worth a try as the temperatures rise and the sun shines: Lever House's Citron Lemonade and the Passion Fruit Mojito.

The mention of the Rhubarb Margarita piqued my interest but disappoints as a recipe of same was not included. It would seem that talented head bartender, Rainlove Lampariello, has developed a new, season-inspired, lovely drink menu.

Across town, bartenders and bar chefs, working closely with their restaurant kitchens, are introducing new drink menus for the season, and not a minute too soon. People are stripping. The weather has warmed, the wisteria is budding and the new cocktails are showing their colors — this is vivid, sleeveless, "easy and light as a breeze" drinking. Roll-in-the-grass cocktails that are coolers at heart. It's a good season to go out drinking. The choices are as fresh as a waking garden.

New York Times' William L. Hamilton's weekly Style column, "Sipping a Season," April 25, 2004, article (and the Citron Lemonade and Passion Fruit Mojito recipes) here

I'm into this.

After a couple of seasonably (is that a word?), warm-weather weekends, Blueberry Smashs, a variation on the Mojito, have sold very well, and I believe will be one of my favourite Summer '04 cocktails:

Blueberry Smash

1 1/2 ounces Bacardi Limón

1/4 cup Blueberries

8 Mint Leaves

A good squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tablespoon sugar

Soda

In the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass, place sugar, blueberries and mint; muddle. Add a scoop of crushed ice. Pour Bacardi Limón Rum over the crushed ice and top with soda. Garnish with a sliced swizzle stick of fresh sugar cane and mint leaves.

Evolving Cocktails, Part 2 of 2

Bring the warm weather on!

Cheers!