- Cocktails
Level Up Your Happy Hour With These Luxurious Sips
If there’s a time of year when leaning into the finer things in life is not only acceptable, but encouraged, it’s summer.
The year is drawing to a close, the weather is delightful and nature’s bounty is plentiful (we’re stocking up on tropical fruits at our local farmer’s markets), so it only feels right to invite your nearest and dearest around to share a few extra special cocktails when the vibes are this high.
From work parties to family get-togethers, one of the most exciting things about the end of the year is the abundance of social events, and if you’re on hosting duty, having a few clever cocktail recipes up your sleeve will make libations a breeze. They ought to be impressive enough to wow a crowd but easy enough for you to make en masse (bonus points if they lean into the fresh and fruity flavours of the season).
Here, find two of our favourite summer cocktails. Think vibrant flavours and clever hacks that make light work of playing mixologist for a crowd, because isn’t that what this season is all about? Consider them perfect for seasonal soirees, relaxed happy hours at home and for impressing impromptu drop-ins.
Frozen Martini
When friends come around and the mercury is hovering around the late 30s, the only thing anyone feels like drinking is an icy cocktail that’s savoury and zingy in equal measure. This take on the classic martini is easy to make in large batches and can live in your freezer, so when guests swing by you’re not stuck in the kitchen playing bartender.
Ingredients (serves 8)
475mL Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
240mL Dolin Vermouth Dry
240mL Water
A few drops of Regan’s Orange Bitters
Caviar-stuffed green olives to garnish
Method
1. Pour gin, water, dry vermouth, and orange bitters into a freezer-safe bottle. Seal the bottle tightly.
2. Turn the bottle upside down a few times to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
3. Place the bottle in the freezer. Allow it to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Strain into chilled glass and garnish with caviar-stuffed green olives.
Cherry Fizz Sour
Everyone gets a box of firm-fleshed, juicy-yet-tart cherries in summer, and this tangy cocktail is a great way to make use of leftovers. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try your hand at making your own cherry syrup.
Ingredients (serves 1)
45mL Belvedere Vodka
30mL Cherry syrup
30mL lemon juice
30mL egg white
5 dark cherries + extra for garnish
Method
1. In a shaker, muddle the cherries to extract their juices.
2. Add the gin, cherry syrup, lemon juice and egg white to the shaker.
3. Dry shake the ingredients for about 20 seconds.
4. Add ice to the shaker and shake for another 20 seconds to create foam.
5. Strain the cocktail into a glass and garnish with cherries. Enjoy!
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