Vol. 4, No. 7, July 2007
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Summer Cocktails
Summer drinks should be like summer days: long, bright and absolutely fabulous. There’s a cocktail for every mood and hour of the day, from a Tequila Sunrise to a Blue Moon. Here are some ’round-the-clock favorites. Of course, everything in moderation. Trying them all in one day is sure to leave you needing a hangover remedy. So serve up some of these summer treats whenever the mood stikes you.
Here’s one to start your day off right. Hop out of bed, slip on a swimsuit and sip on a cold Bloody Mary. Kill two birds with one stone; the tomato juice and celery replace vitamins in the body while the vodka helps to numb your throbbing head from the previous late night. Perfect with a late brunch.
Bloody Mary
1.5 oz. vodka
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to taste
1 celery stick
1 lemon wedge
Combine vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco with 1 cup of ice cubes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice. Garnish with a celery stick and lemon wedge.
On the Beach
Carrying the chairs, towels, umbrella and blanket down to the beach can really work up a thirst. But don’t forget the cooler. Nothing lowers your temperature while soaking up the sun like a frosty daiquiri. A cooler with a spout is ideal for this, but if you don’t have one, just use a thermos.
Strawberry Daiquiri
2 oz. light rum
1 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cup of ice
5 strawberries
Combine all the ingredients in a blender at high speed until slushy. Pour into glass and serve with a straw. (For a variation on this drink, substitute the strawberries with one whole banana.)
The Cool-Down
After a fun-filled day on the beach, there is always a mad rush to grab a shower while there’s still hot water. Waiting for everyone to de-sand is the perfect time to sit on the deck and enjoy a refreshing mojito in the late afternoon. The trick to this Cuban classic is to muddle the mint leaves to release their oils. Use a fork or the back of a spoon for best results.
Mojito
2 oz. light rum
Juice of 1 lime (3 tsp.)
2 tsp. sugar
2-4 mint sprigs
Splash club soda
Lightly muddle (crush) the mint and sugar with a splash of club soda in a tall glass until the sugar dissolves and you smell the mint. Squeeze in the lime, add rum and shake with ice. Strain over cracked ice in a highball glass. Top with club soda, garnish with mint sprig and slice of lime.
The Dinner Hour
The grill is fired up, the conversation is lively and the chips and dip are feeding your appetite for the main course. A perfect pairing with burgers, hot dogs or ribs is a margarita. A true Mexican margarita comes down to three essential ingredients: tequila, Triple Sec (Cointreau) and fresh-squeezed lime juice. It’s the ultimate party cocktail, and using quality liquor is key. The salt cuts down on the sourness of the drink. So break out the blender, put on your sombrero and don’t forget the fresh Jersey corn!
Margarita
1.5 oz. white tequila
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. lime juice
1 cup crushed ice
2 tsp. coarse salt
Place salt in a saucer. Rub rim of a cocktail glass with lime wedge and dip glass into salt to coat thoroughly. Pour tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice, and crushed ice into a blender on high speed. Blend until slushy, then pour into salt-coated glass. Garnish with lime wedge.
Nightcap
Your stomach’s full and you’re feeling no pain. The night is winding down and you want to top it off with something sweet. As decadent as any dessert is a chocolate martini. A couple of years back, a drink like this wouldn’t have been on your radar screen, but now that martinis have made a posh comeback, this is the crème de la crème of after-hour drinks. The topping of grated chocolate (a Hershey chocolate bar works best) makes this the ultimate nightcap.
Chocolate Martini
1.5 oz. vodka (vanilla)
1/2 oz. Baileys Irish Cream
1 oz. chocolate liqueur
Chocolate syrup
Ice cubes
1 oz. grated chocolate (one half of a chocolate bar)
Mix Baileys Irish Cream, vodka and chocolate liqueur over ice in a shaker. Shake well or until frost develops on outside of metal shaker. Drizzle chocolate syrup along the inside edges of the chilled martini glass, then strain shaker contents into chilled glass. Grate chocolate bar and sprinkle as topping.
Hangover Helper
No matter how fun the night before was, waking up with a hangover puts a damper on the day. Headache, upset stomach, dry mouth and fatigue are just some of the symptoms of overindulging. Depending on how much you have consumed, a hangover can last anywhere from 12 to 36 hours. While there is no proven effective cure, here are some remedies to help get you through the day.
1. Drink several glasses of water before going to bed, and take an aspirin. Avoid anything with acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) since it may cause liver damage.
2. In the morning, rehydrate your system with a sports drink like Gatorade.
3. Replenish your body with a multivitamin. Vitamins B6 and B12 are depleted from a night of heavy drinking.
4. Eat a banana. They contain potassium, which revitilizes the system. Food helps soak up alcohol, so eat a big breakfast.
5. Take a hot shower or sit in a sauna to sweat the booze out.
6. For more drastic measures, take an anit-nausea pill like Dramamine. Or try a children’s dehydration cure such as a tasty Pedialyte Popsicle.
