YUMMY SUMMER DRINKS

 

If you’re sitting poolside or having an evening with friends around a fire, it’s always nice to have a tasty drink in hand. When I was a kid, I lived for a virgin strawberry daiquiri or a shirley temple on a family vacation (probably because they are so sugary sweet, but I loved the look of a fun beverage that wasn’t just water). The joy of a beautiful and yummy drink is something I still enjoy, so I’ve gathered some of my favorite finds to share with you here!

Blueberry Sparkling Lemonade

Drinks with a lemonade base always seem so appealing to me, especially in the summer! I love the mixture of sweet and sparkling in this one, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. If blueberry is not your thing, feel free to use another syrup for your desired taste. You really can’t go wrong here!

  • 2 oz of Gin

  • 3-4 oz Sparkling Lemonade

  • 0.75 oz of Blueberry Simple Syrup (You can do a little more if you want, but the sparkling lemonade already adds a little sweetness!)

The Starburst

This drink comes from the book Just A Spritz by Danielle Centoni! The only change made was switching out the prosescco for some champagne we already had, and it was delicious! I’m also a huge fan of making a drink look aesthetically pleasing, so I was drawn to the orange wheel in this one. But if you’re more interested in a sugar rim, that would be fun too!

  • 2 oz of Campari

  • 2 oz of San Pellegrino Aranciata

  • 2 oz of champagne

  • Orange wheel for garnish

Raspberry Gimlet

This drink feels a little more formal since I put it in a champagne coupe instead of a glass over ice, but it’s still a great fresh and fun summer option. The lime juice gives it a little tangy element, and I loved the incorporation of the raspberry flavor!

  • 2 oz of Gin

  • 1 oz of Lime Juice

  • 0.75 -1 oz of Raspberry Simple Syrup

It’s Simple to Make Simples

We made our own simple syrups for the recipes above. It’s actually pretty easy! It’s an extra step; but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty fun to make the whole cocktail, start to finish. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 cup of granulated sugar

  • 1 cup of water

  • 1 cup of berries (either blueberry or raspberry depending on which one you make)

Place all your ingredients into a small saucepan, bring the heat to medium-low and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the mixture continue to simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool before straining the syrup. A mesh strainer works great for this! I like to store my syrup in the fridge in a small swing top bottle.

And there you have it! Easy and absolutely yummy summer drinks just for that afternoon by the pool or an evening with friends. And if you’re not interested in alcohol, these can easily be made into mocktails!

 
Lifestyle, FoodMegan Nicolesummer drinks, summer cocktails, drink ideas