Summertime and the living is easy, to quote Gershwin. Sunny days and warm weather make you want to be outside with friends whether it be lying by the pool or out on a patio. Soak up the sun and enjoy! Stock up on your Vitamin D! We live in Canada, trust me, sadly it will be cold soon! Enjoy it now.
Canada Day celebrations and summer fun with friends and cocktails go hand in hand. If you want something different than your normal Aperol Spritz, here are some twists on the old-fashioned lemonade stand. In honour of Canada Day (July 1st), I am pleased to be able to get in the spirit and whip up some cocktails to showcase some Canadian vodka and gin.
Lemonade and Ginger Lemonade
What you need:
- 2 cups of lemon juice (about 10 lemons, juiced) ELIN’S TIP: to get more juice out of your lemons, roll them on a firm surface first.
- 2 cups Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
- 2 cups Simple Ginger Syrup (see recipe below)
- 4 cups water, divided
- 2 cans soda water
What you do:
- Take 2 separate pitchers
- Add 1 cups juiced lemons
- Add 2 cups water
- Add 2 cups Simple Syrup (for the Lemonade) – OR – 2 cups Ginger Simple Syrup for the Ginger Lemonade
- Add 1 can of soda water
- Stir
Simple Syrup and Simple Ginger Syrup
What you need:
- 4 cups water (divided)
- 2 cups sugar (divided)
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
What you do:
- Regular Simple Syrup: In a saucepot add 1 cup sugar, 2 cups water, bring to boil and simmer 1/2 hour
- Ginger Simple Syrup: In a saucepot add 1 cup sugar, 2 cups water, minced ginger, bring to boil, simmer 1/2 hour, strain
Thai One On Lemonade
What you need:
- 1 1/2 ounces Thai Pepper Vodka
- 4 oz Ginger Lemonade
- Mint (6 leaves)
- Thai Chili
- Ice
What you do:
- In a martini glass, add mint and muddle
- Add ice, Thai Pepper Vodka
- Pour in Ginger Lemonade
- Garnish with Thai Chili
Cajun Lemonade
What you need:
- 1 1/2 ounces Habanero Thai Pepper Vodka
- 4 oz Simple Lemonade
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Ice
What you do:
- In a martini glass, add ice, Habanero Thai Pepper Vodka
- Pour in Lemonade
- Garnish with Jalapeno
The Indian Summer
What you need:
- 1 1/2 ounces Ungava Gin (a Canadian Gin)
- 4 oz Simple Lemonade
- 5 leaves Tarragon
- Lemon Twist
- Ice
What you do:
- In a martini glass, muddle tarragon
- Add ice, Gin
- Pour in Lemonade
- Garnish with lemon twist
No Para Pedro*
What you need:
- 1 1/2 ounces Tequila
- 4 oz Ginger Lemonade
- 6 leaves Mint, torn
- 12 leaves Cilantro, torn
- Thai Chili
- Ice
What you do:
- In a martini glass, add mint and cilantro and muddle
- Add ice, Tequila
- Pour in Ginger Lemonade
- Garnish with Thai Chili
* Pete hates Cilantro
