Serve up summertime cocktails
Take one Canadian summer, blend in some sunshine, fresh ingredients and ice — and you have the perfect recipe for a refreshing cocktail.
Canadians take their short but stunning summer season seriously, with long-weekend get-togethers, picnics, parties and barbecues — especially after the long lockdown the country has been living with for more than a year. So bring on the sunshine and enjoy the following cocktails, perfect well past Labour Day.
MAISON NO. 9 SANGRIA AND COCKTAILS
The name and inspiration behind this delightful rosé is none other than Grammynominated, multi-platinum recording artist, Post Malone, who recently introduced Maison No. 9 French Rosé to Canada.
Malone’s love of the Mediterranean lifestyle and rosé wine in particular was the impetus for this latest creation. The following two cocktails are courtesy Maison No. 9.
2 oz. Maison No. 9
1 oz. vodka
0.75 oz. lime juice
0.5 oz. simple syrup
3 oz. watermelon juice
Tajin seasoning (a Mexican-inspired herb blend; optional for glass rim)
Ice
Add vodka, lime, simple syrup, and watermelon juice. Shake with ice. Rim glass with Tajin. Pour ingredients into a glass. Add in wine. Serves one.
THE MAISON NO. 9 ROSÉ SANGRIA
“Rosé is for when you want to get a little fancy,” says Post Malone.
1 bottle favourite rosé wine
1 cup fresh watermelon juice
1/2 cup favourite vodka
2 oz. simple syrup
Garnish: Chopped watermelon slices, cherries, strawberries (sliced), one jalapeño sliced thin
Mix all ingredients into a pitcher. Place in fridge for at least 20-30 minutes until cold. Add ice and stir. Optional mint garnish. Add additional jalapeño if you would like a little more heat to your drink.
KEEP IT TOGETHER
Northern Keep is a Canadianmade vodka, crafted from winter wheat and Canadian rye, which are harvested right in the nation. Plus the company is all about protecting the land — through a partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), every bottle sold helps to protect five square feet of ecologically significant land. Serves one.
Courtesy Northern Keep Vodka 1 oz. vodka 1 oz. honey syrup (1:1 honey and water, combined together over low heat)
3 strawberries (diced)
3 lime wedges
8-10 mint leaves
Soda water
Muddle mint, strawberries, limes and honey syrup in a Highball glass. Add ice, vodka and fill with soda. Stir to bring muddled ingredients up from bottom of glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.
MANGO MARGARITA
Take the classic blended margarita and give it a tropical spin, using fresh or frozen mango as the base. Serves six.
Courtesy Kitchenaid.
2 large fresh mangoes
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup favourite tequila
1/2 cup Triple Sec liqueur
1/4 cup superfine sugar
3-1/2 cups ice cubes
Garnish
2 Tbsp. superfine sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. each of ground cumin and ground cayenne
1 tsp. lime zest
1 lime, cut into six wedges
Peel and slice mango, and remove as much pulp as possible; place in blender. Add lime juice, tequila, Triple Sec, sugar, and ice. Blend until thick and slushy, with no ice chips remaining, about 15 seconds.
To garnish: Have ready six margarita glasses or goblets. In a small wide shallow bowl or plate, combine sugar, salt, dry spices, and lime zest. Moisten rim of each glass with a lime wedge, dip rim in sweet and savoury mixture, turning glass back and forth until rim is evenly coated. Repeat to coat each rim. Pour margarita into each prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve immediately.
SAGEY HONEY PINEAPPLE BLENDED COCKTAIL
A taste of the tropics for a hot Canadian summer day. Makes four cocktails. Courtesy Kitchenaid.
4 cups frozen pineapple
2 oz. lime juice
4 oz. favourite vodka
1/4 cup honey sage syrup (recipe to follow)
1-1/2 cups ice
Sage honey syrup: Add 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup water into a saucepan along with five sprigs of fresh sage. Heat on medium high heat until mixture comes to a bubble, then reduce to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes then discard sage. Cool completely.
Cocktail: Place frozen pineapple, vodka, lime juice and honey syrup into blender. Blend on smoothie setting and allow to run until designed smoothie consistency is reached. Serve immediately and garnish with a toasted sage leaf.
TIA CAFÉ COLADA
This cocktail, courtesy of Tia Maria ambassador and Canadian bartender Aaron Male, capitalizes on the new popularity of Coff-tails (coffee based cocktails). Serves one. 1.5 oz. favourite coffee-flavoured liqueur
1 oz. rum (Flor de Caña seven-year rum suggested)
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. coconut water
0.25 oz. lemon juice
Garnish: Pineapple fronds, coffee beans.
Shake all together with ice and pour into tall glass with ice. Garnish with pineapple or pineapple fronds and coffee beans.
VIVACE VIVACE
Refreshingly tropical, thanks to the inclusion of Martini vermouth (www.martini. com); adapted from a recipe from LaMaison Wellness. com. Serves one. Note: Can be made with non-alcoholic Martini Vibrante aperitif.
Ice
2 oz. red vermouth (Martini Rosso suggested)
1/2 a passion fruit
2 oz. grapefruit juice
Ginger beer to top
Garnish: Half a passion fruit Pack a high glass with ice. Cut a fresh passion fruit in half and scoop pulp from one half and place into high glass. Pour remaining liquid ingredients. Give a gentle stir to mix and garnish with other half of the passion fruit.
FRESH CUT FRITZ
Refreshing, easy to create, and perfect for a summer picnic. Serves 1.
Courtesy Grey Goose.
2 oz. vodka
2/3 cup soda water
1 Tbsp. fresh red grapefruit Splash white vermouth
Red grapefruit wedge
Thyme sprig
Build first four ingredients over cubed ice in a wine glass. Garnish with red grapefruit wedge and thyme sprig.
GRAND MARGARITA
This refreshing cocktail pairs sour, bitter and a touch of sweetness for a smooth cocktail. Serves one.
Recipe courtesy Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
Salt
Lime, halved
1 oz. favourite orange-flavoured liqueur
1 oz. favourite tequila (Espolon suggested)
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. agave nectar or simple syrup (Optional)
Ice cubes
Lime garnish
Fill a wide, shallow dish with fine salt. Cut a lime in half at width and rub around half of rim of a margarita glass. Cut a thin, crosswise slice from one of lime halves for garnish. Holding glass upside down, dip wet half delicately into salt. Shake rest of ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into glass and apply lime garnish to rim.
THE INSPIRATION
Adapted from a recipe courtesy Romeo’s Gin
1 1/2 oz. gin
1/4 oz. almond-flavoured liquor 2.5 oz fresh cucumber juice (you can use a juicer or grate half a cucumber and pore through a sieve)
1/4 oz. lavender syrup
3/4 oz. lemon juice
Garnish: One slice of dehydrated lemon, lavender and dill
Stir all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake lightly and strain the liquid into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a small sprig of fresh dill, lavender and a dehydrated lemon slice.