Summer vacations will be coming to an end and kids will be coming home from camp and going back to school. But we can still enjoy the last days of relaxing before the chaos of September hits.
Sangria is a drink that screams summer. The refreshing combination of fruit and cold wine begs to be served outside in the sun on a beautiful day. Traditionally sangria is made with red wine, but white sangria looks gorgeous and makes less of a mess if you spill it on your summer whites. We can still hold onto summer just a little bit longer with a tall cool glass of sangria.
One of the fabulous things about summer is how fresh everything is – the fruit, the vegetables – it all just tastes better. Strenuous activities include which outdoor patio or rooftop bar to pick; or do we just stay lounging by the pool? To keep us in summer mode just a little bit longer, here are a few cocktails that remind us of hot summer nights, time spent with friends and the best of summer.
What you need:
- 1 750 ml bottle white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc Chardonnay blend)
- 1/2 cup Lichi-Li (a fabulous lychee-flavoured liqueur from Giffard available at the LCBO)
- 1 can ginger ale
- 1 pear, deseeded and diced
- 1 orange, cut into half circles
- 1 lemon, cut into half circles
- 5 strawberries, cut into quarters
- strawberries for garnish
What you do:
- In a large pitcher, put diced pears, orange slices, lemon slices and strawberry quarters
- Pour in bottle of wine
- Add Lichi-Li
- Add the can of ginger ale
- Stir
- Refrigerate – at least 1 hour, but longer if you can wait to let the flavours blend
- Pour into a large glass filled with ice
To quote my sister, “it tastes like more”!
KJ’s Summer Crush (shout out to KJ for this creation)
What you need:
- 2 oz Verveine
- 3 oz Limonata (or Lemonade)
- ginger ale
- 5 strawberries, quarter 4 and leave 1 for garnish
What you do:
- In a tall glass, muddle strawberries
- Add Verveine
- Add Limonata
- Stir
- Add ice
- Top with ginger ale
- Garnish with a strawberry
The Back to School (this is based on a cocktail I first had poolside at the Aria hotel, Las Vegas)
What you need:
- 1 tsp blueberries (approximately 7-9)
- 1 tsp raspberries (approximately 5-7)
- 2 basil leaves
- 1 1/2 ounces Bacardi Dragonfruit Rum
- 1 tsp Simple Syrup
- club soda
What you do:
- In a martini glass, muddle blueberries, raspberries, and basil leaves
- Add Dragonfruit Rum
- Add Simple Syrup
- Stir
- Add ice
- Top with club soda
- Garnish with a raspberry
Shoutout to BoldWorks for arranging a special order of Verveine for me and for letting me try their Lichi-Li liqueur. It is perfect for a new twist on a summer classic.
Looks so good, would be great to have a pitcher of this up on the rooftop patio, hint hint
Would love to once I’m back from Italy! The Sangria is super yummy!