Throwing a party at home and wondering how to entertain everyone with fresh summery drinks? We help you get a quick fix. While cocktails like Whisky sour, Mojitos and G n T’s (gin and tonic) are all-time classic and refreshing for this weather, you can also think of some new ideas by adding loads of seasonal fruits like watermelon, oranges, strawberry, grapefruit, and apples to topple the drinks.
Fruit-based cocktails and mocktails are good for summers and can be easily prepared at home, thus you can be an excellent host and pretend to be gifted bartender without breaking a sweat. For alcoholic drinks, one can use vodka, rum, gin, and tequila to prepare some great summer cocktails, recommends Prashant Chauhan, Head Bartender at club House A, Hyatt Regency Delhi. He says, “The bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables in this season give you numerous options for creating cocktails that are not only tasty but pleasing to look at. You can also add a tropical feel with exotic ingredients to give your drinks a unique twist. Herbs like rosemary, mint, and basil are magic ingredients for refreshing cocktails. Five things which must be kept handy while preparing cocktails at home are — Fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, any flavored alcohol and your favorite fruits, a shaker and a nice blender.”
While some people might want to skip wine due to hot weather, there is no hard and fast rule for which wine should be consumed or not. “It is perfectly fine to consume wine at any time of the season,” says Prashant, as he adds, “It is best to you use grapes like merlot or maybe a pinot noir which will give a fruity flavor. Wine cocktails are inherently more relaxed because you can drink them from a straw, even a bendy straw. One can invest in wines that have ability to age and put up in their wine wall say a bottle of Barolo also good single malt, American whiskey and a bottle of gin to stock up the bar.”
Virgin Mojito
Virgin Mojito
Ingredients:
- 30 ml lime juice
- 30 ml demerara syrup
- Mint leaves, eight to 10
- Lime chunks, a handful
- A dash of soda to top-up
Method:
Add demerara syrup, lime juice, mint, and lime and muddle it well. Add crushed ice, and top up with soda. Serve in a highball glass and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Here are some easy to make drinks at home by Prashant Chauhan.
Star Fizz
Star Fizz
Ingredients:
- 45 ml cream
- 1 egg white
- 15 ml lime juice
- 10 ml simple syrup
- 10 ml elder flower syrup
- A dash of soda to top-up
Method:
Using the reverse dry shake method and mix the ingredients. Use a fine strain and pour the mix into a glass, add soda until the froth forms over the brim. Serve in ball glass and garnish with orange zest.
Top End Sangria
Top End Sangria
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of wine, red or white, as per your choice
- 150 ml dark rum/cognac
- 150 ml orange liquor
- 200 grams of chopped seasonal fruits of your choice
Method:
Chop small pieces of seasonal fruits like apple, strawberry, orange, and grapes. Add wine, rum, and liquor to this mix and put everything all in a container. Leave it overnight or for six to eight hours before serving. Add some ice, serve in a wine glass.
