Summer Cocktails

[slkinsey]

Warm weather is on the way, and with it comes to the slkinsey abode a preference for lighter, fizzier, less alchoholic cocktails -- often of the rocks/highball glass variety rather up/cocktail glass. I often think of old standards like Mojitos (like I'm making tonight) and Caipirinhas, but there are plenty of great ones out there.

Here is a recent article in NY Metro about new cocktails around the City for summer 2004. Recipes are included for the following: Lemon-Coconut Colada, Gin Rawlinson, Tamarind Rum Punch, Pineapple Cooler, Rosy Dawn, Soursop Sour and Guava Mai Tai -- all for Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel from expert mixologist and eGullet member Audrey Saunders, aka the Libation Goddess.

What are some of your favorites?

[bleachboy]

Margaritas! My wife makes awesome, awesome margaritas.

[Lan4Dawg]

I made margaritas tonight. Since it topped out at 95 degrees this afternoon I thought it was appropriate. As far as typical hot weather cocktail, however, I usually reach for the gin (or sometimes rum) & lime juice to make a gimlet. I do like to add just a splash of soda to give some fizz to it. I also like Campari & soda w/ an orange slice.

However, if the neighbors are out I will make a pitcher of lemon drops, daiquiris, or margaritas for the crowd. It is amazing how often the neighbors show up in our front yard when every one gets home fr/ work.

[JAZ]

I too tend toward the less potent, fizzy drinks: Gin Rickeys, Americanos, rum or gin with tonic. One of my relatively new favorites is Gary Regan's Tart Gin Fizz, which is equal parts gin and graprefruit juice, with a healthy dash of Angostura bitters and topped off with tonic.

[Cusina]

I know this won't meet most eGullet standards as it contains *gasp* frozen lemonade concentrate, but damn, these are good. I'm sure you could use an equal amount of intensely flavored lemon sorbet if you were really cool.

Mango Margaritas

1 24 oz. jar of sliced mangos in juice

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate

1 cup gold tequila

3/4 cup Cointreau

crushed ice

Spoon a little of the mango juice into a saucer. Dip glasses in mango juice then rim with sugar.

In blender, add lemonade concentrate, mangos and juice, tequila and Cointreau. Blend till smooth. At this point, pour half of the mixture into a separate pitcher. My blender isn't big enough to do a whole batch at once, and my liver isn't anywhere near being able to process that much either. Add crushed ice (about 3 cups) to the remaining liquid in the blender, process. Pour into glasses and enjoy immediately. Repeat.

[cdh]

Two great classic summery drinks:

Pimm's, the perfect fruity summery punch-y libation that gives one excuses to put cucumbers into one's drinks. I generally make it by the bowlful by taking a cup of Pimm's, a cup of gin, an orange sliced into wheels, a peeled cucumber sliced into rounds, and two liters of good ginger ale. Place all of the above into a large bowl in which a large hunk of ice is already residing, and you're good for an afternoon on the lawn with a dozen friends.

and

Pastis, for those of us who happen to like anise flavored stuff... a shot of pastis in a glass of ice, and a tall pitcher of water to dilue it down with is all I need on a summery afternoon.

As to novelty, a friend threw a party the other week that featured a potion of his own that was quite tasty (and which I'll christen a Kate's Birthday Cocktail)-- I'm unsure as to proportions, but the major ingredients were gin, elderflower cordial and blueberry juice. Served as a fizz. Delicious. (Got me thinking that the elderflower cordial would make a mighty fine pseudo-gimlet... ) Later in the evening I also found that a cucumber garnish (left in my glass from the Pimm's I'd had earlier) actually works quite well with this combination and makes it an even more pleasant experience... at least for those of us who like cucumbers in our drinks...

Edited May 22, 2004 by cdh (log)

[slbunge]

I also enjoy a good Pimm's punch in the summer. Other favorites included spritz Campari (Campari with cold Prosecco); beer with fresh lemonade; gimlets (gin, of course).

[Splificator]

I've got three things in the rotation this summer.

For large parties, it's the Garrick Club Punch, as served at the rather raffish London club of that name in the 1830s. John Timbs' History of Clubs and Club Life gives the recipe thus:

Pour half a pint of gin on the outer peel of a lemon, then add a little lemon-juice, a glass of maraschino, about a pint and a quarter of water, and two bottles of iced soda-water, and the result will be three pints of the punch in question.

This requires some interpretation. After monkeying a bit (and drinking my mistakes), I've come up with the following. I'm assuming he's talking about Imperial pints here.

10 oz gin (I use Bols genever gin, since Hollands gin was very commonly used in the day, and more importantly, it makes a delicious punch)

2 oz maraschino (I'm assuming the "glass" in the recipe is a wineglass, a standard measure of the day, which held 2 oz)

3 oz lemon juice (I have no idea what "a little lemon juice" means, but this works and the total quantity of punch comes out right)

20 oz soda water (Soda water came in 6-oz and 10-oz bottles; the larger ones were the more popular and make sense considering the total quantity of punch required)

25 oz water Being American, I prefer this frozen into a block of ice. And it doesn't have to be exactly 25 oz, either, although if it is you have exactly 60 oz of punch, or 3 Imperial pints.

To assemble, peel a large lemon with an oxo peeler and steep the peel in the gin, maraschino and lemon juice for at least an hour. When it's time to serve it forth, pour it in a bowl, bung in your block of ice and add the soda water. This recipe is easily scalable, although the block of ice doesn't need to keep getting bigger in direct proportion. This is a fresh and delightful punch whose flavor will be quite familiar to those familiar with the Aviation.

For informal tippling, I've been getting very good results with the Paloma, a Mexican drink:

Pour 2 oz reposado tequila in a highball glass, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, drop in the squeezed-out lime shell, add a pinch of salt and some ice and top off with chilled grapefruit soda (I like the Mexican Jarritos brand and the Jamaican Ting). This is extremely refreshing and dirt simple to make, and as a curiosity it's worth noting that, with the slight bitterness of the grapefruit, you've got bitter, sweet, sour and salty all in one drink.

For really informal tippling, the Rum Coco is tough to beat: pour rum on ice, add fresh or canned coconut water (not coconut milk) to taste and have at it. For a suave drink, I like Trinidadian rum; for a wildly over the top one, Wray & Nephew white overproof (the most popular rum in Jamaica). In either case, this is very refreshing, especially since the coconut water has all sorts of electrolytes and things. Fresh coconut water--the juice of the green coconut--can be found in its natural container in Asian markets; otherwise, Goya offers an unsweetened coconut water in their line which works just fine. There are several brands of lightly-sweetened stuff on the market, which are ok too.

It's hot and I've made myself thirsty. Time to polish off the inch or so of Wray & Nephew I've got left.

[suzilightning]

when the cherries, especially ranier cherries, start to come in and the peaches are at their most succulent it has to be white sangria.

johnnybird discovered mojitos in key west and those are his new favorite drink - until the doctor tells him his liver enzymes are too high and he has to totally quit

since he is on chemo right now the non-alcoholic fizzy lizzy's made 40% unsweetended grapefruit juice and 60% seltzer are really wonderful

me? give me a dubonnet or lilet rouge on ice

[Stigand]

Last summer I made some damson gin, and I'm finding it very useful for making summery slings.

Damson gin, lemon juice, soda water, sugar. I'm afraid I don't know the proportions except with reference to the glass I use to make it in (which isn't very helpful to anyone else), but it doesn't need to be very accurate. I think this drink may be called a hedgerow sling, but I'm not sure.

[JAZ]

For large parties, it's the Garrick Club Punch. . .

To assemble, peel a large lemon with an oxo peeler and steep the peel in the gin, maraschino and lemon juice for at least an hour.

Dave, that punch sounds divine. By the way, check out this Messermeister serrated peeler for peeling your lemons. With the serrated edge, you can get just the zest, no pith, faster than with any other peeler I've ever tried. I promise you'll never go back to the Oxo.

Back on topic, I've been playing around with Velvet Falernum and have come up with a sort of Daiquiri-esque drink that's going to make frequent appearances this summer. The peach bitters and Falernum match up really well.

1.5 oz. white rum

1/2 oz. Velvet Falernum

Juice of one Mexican lime (I'm guessing here, but I'd say 1/2 oz.)

Two big dashes of peach bitters

I've been shaking this and serving it up, but I'm thinking it would be great with a splash of soda over ice.

[Splificator]

Thanks, Janet; it really is quite lovely, if I do say so myself. And I'll look for the serrated peeler, although I've got no complaints about the OXO I'm using now (it's their "i-series", which has a replaceable blade--very useful, as nothing is worse than a dull peeler--and a longer channel than their old ones).

Peach bitters and Falernum--I've got to try that combo. Which white rum do you use?

DW

[trillium]

I like to muddle peeled ginger with lemon juice and sugar and then add ice and chilled gin, orange bitters and shake, pour over cracked ice and top with mineral water. I vary the sour and the spice depending on my mood. I also like a good old fashioned Tom Collins.

Lately I've been sipping Pimm's with Aranciata from San Pellingrino. It's not as sweet as ginger ale, and really brings out the ginseng/earth taste of the Pimm's. It's not the world's most attractive drink, however. I like have the cucumber to crunch out of the glass, but a snippet or two of borage plus the blossoms is always tucked into the glass too, if I have it.

I also really love Picon punch in the summer, I might have to break down and order the Picon substitute Torani makes.

regards,

trillium

[JAZ]

I like to muddle peeled ginger with lemon juice and sugar and then add ice and chilled gin, orange bitters and shake, pour over cracked ice and top with mineral water.

That reminded me of a drink I haven't made in a couple of years -- Dale DeGroff's Anejo Highball (which I actually first saw in Gary's New Classic Cocktails book). It calls for Anejo rum, curacao, lime juice and a dash of bitters, topped off with ginger beer (not ginger ale). Very refreshing.

For some reason, for me rum drinks are the quintessential summer drinks, although fizzy gin drinks are a very close second. As to Dave's question above about the type of rum, I've been using Bacardi (white) because I had a bottle left over from a class. I have to admit I don't know a lot about white rums -- I've tried Barbancourt and liked it, and usually fall back on Bacardi because it's available everywhere. What do you recommend, Dave?

[birder53]

Lately I've been sipping Pimm's with Aranciata from San Pellingrino. It's not as sweet as ginger ale, and really brings out the ginseng/earth taste of the Pimm's. It's not the world's most attractive drink, however. I like have the cucumber to crunch out of the glass, but a snippet or two of borage plus the blossoms is always tucked into the glass too, if I have it.

We have borage growing in the herb garden and had no idea what to do with it! The blossoms are beautiful. I'll have to remember to add it to my next Pimm's.

[JPW]

I don't think anything says summer quite like the beautiful Gin and Tonic.

However, I do tend to pull out my experience behind the bar at a little greek place on St. THomas USVI (Zorba's) and start looking for a good Retsina to be served colder than typical for a white wine, or the lovely cloudiness of Ouzo on the rocks.

[slkinsey]

I don't think anything says summer quite like the beautiful Gin and Tonic.

I've always meant to try David Rosengarten's G&T recipe. It calls for 3:4 gin to Schweppes Tonic Water... but the interesting twist is that the ice cubes are made with frozen Schweppes Tonic Water. He says he prefers Plymouth, though, which doesn't make much sense to me. I'd rather have a more strongly juniper-flavored (and more alcoholic) gin in a G&T. Something like Junipero.

[birder53]

I don't think anything says summer quite like the beautiful Gin and Tonic.

I've always meant to try David Rosengarten's G&T recipe. It calls for 3:4 gin to Schweppes Tonic Water... but the interesting twist is that the ice cubes are made with frozen Schweppes Tonic Water. He says he prefers Plymouth, though, which doesn't make much sense to me. I'd rather have a more strongly juniper-flavored (and more alcoholic) gin in a G&T. Something like Junipero.

And here I thought Plymouth was very aromatic! What is the flavor I taste if not juniper? The only other gins I have tried is Smirnoff (barely any taste to me) and Bombay Sapphire (lots of flavor!)

[NeroW]

Warm weather is on the way, and with it comes to the slkinsey abode a preference for lighter, fizzier, less alchoholic cocktails.

What are some of your favorites?

Beer.

[johnnyd]

I posted this on the Lillet thread a couple weeks ago:

1oz Vodka

1oz Lillet Blonde

1oz Italian Lemon Soda

Mint Leaf

JAZ suggested Meyer Lemon Juice which worked well until they became unavailable locally.

LUDJA gave it a name: Limone Pavlova or Bolshoi since it has an amalgam of cultural origins

I threw it together for an Easter party and *POOF* I'm all out of Lillet...

[mrbigjas]

Gin and seagram's bitter lemon.

[tastykimmie]

Warm weather is on the way, and with it comes to the slkinsey abode a preference for lighter, fizzier, less alchoholic cocktails.

What are some of your favorites?

Beer.

RIGHT ON, DUDE!!

[ludja]

Very simple, the Michelada from Mexico is very refreshing; the salt and lime juice add a lot. I read about it the first time in Saveur. A nice, light, cold drink.

The basic version is beer on ice,

in a tall glass

with salt on the rim

and

fresh lime juice.

(I use a lighter Mexican style beer)

edited to add: Can't wait to try the Paloma, Rum Coco and Garrick Club Punch!

Edited May 28, 2004 by ludja (log)

[Amuse Bouche]

Well, there's always the good old G&T. And a margarita. Those are classics.

In the fizzy but light category, I seem to quaff an inordinate amount of vinho verde in the summertime, and (don't hate me) white zinfandel (very cold, it's a refreshing aperitif. Not unlike a kir)

I tend to favor rum based drinks more in the summer than I do in the winter (with the exception of hot buttered rum, of course.) This would include the usual suspects -- mojitos, rum and tonics, but I have two favorites.

The first is a Bermuda Rum Swizzle. We drank a lot of these when visiting Bermuda last year. They're reminiscent of a Mai Tai but not quite as sweet. We make them at home with this recipe:

BERMUDA RUM SWIZZLE

2 limes

5 oz. orange juice

5 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. grenadine

4 oz. dark rum

4 oz. light rum

6 dashes Angostura bitters

Squeeze lime juice into pitcher. Fill pitcher with shaved ice, add remaining ingredients, and swizzle until a frost appears on the outside of the pitcher. Pour into 4 12 ounce collins glasses. Garnish with an orange slice, a lime slice, and a swizzle stick.

I've heard that for authenticity, they should be made with falernum instead of grenadine, but I haven't tried it.

The other is my grandfather's recipe for a navy grog. The proportions are to taste rather than exact, but they involve equal parts light and dark rum, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, and a float of pernod on the top. Even people who don't like the liquorice should try the Pernod -- it adds depth to the drink without any overt liquorice notes. Last time I made these I used ouzo instead of pernod, and it worked very well.

Edited May 28, 2004 by Amuse Bouche (log)

[johnnyd]

In the fizzy but light category, I seem to quaff an inordinate amount of vinho verde in the summertime

...especially since the stuff is sooooo cheap!! Drank a bunch of it when I lived in Portugal and was shocked to see it here, let alone at $6/ea!

Your grog looks intriguing. Just bought a bottle of Pernod for oyster stew and various lobster dishes. I like a smidge with a drop or two of water every now and then...

Hmmm. Is it too early for a nip???