Summer Drink Favorites

House-made drinks are a great way to cater to your customers, and with Mother Nature turning up the heat, now is a better time than ever to perfect some Summer favorites into your menu! For blended beverages, ensure you’ve invested in a bar blender designated specifically for blended versions of cocktails and glass rimmer to garnish your glasses with sugar or salt! Similarly, a juicer will help bring that fresh citrus taste to all of your drinks. Here are four blended cocktails to ensure your bartenders have perfected for your summer lineup:

Margarita

From CHOW, this recipe is easy and quick to prepare.  

Ingredients:

• Salt, for rimming the glass (optional)

• Ice

• 1 1/2 ounces tequila (blanco, 100 percent agave)

• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1/2 ounce Cointreau (not Triple Sec)

Directions:

1. If using salt, place in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with a dampened paper towel, then dip in salt.

2. Fill the glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau; and stir a few times until chilled. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Daiquiri

This fan favorite comes from The Food Network and can be manipulated to make a variety of fruit variations! 

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces frozen strawberries

• 1/2 banana

• 1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade

• Coconut, banana or pineapple rum, optional

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• About 12 (3 1/2 cups) ice cubes, or as needed

• Up to 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• Fresh strawberries, for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. In a blender, place the strawberries, banana, and frozen lemonade. Fill the empty lemonade can halfway with rum, if using, and add it to the blender with the sugar and ice. Blend until well combined and slushy. Add the orange juice to thin the mixture if necessary, or more ice cubes to make it thicker.

2. Divide among 2 or 3 glasses. Garnish with a fresh strawberry and serve.

Pina Colada

Another tried-and-true recipe from The Food Network is the Pina Colada.

Ingredients:

• Ice cubes

• 1/2 cup rum

• 1/2 cup coconut cream

• 1/4 cup coconut milk

• 1/4 cup pineapple chunks

• Sliced pineapple, for garnish, optional

• Maraschino cherry, for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Fill blender halfway with ice cubes. Add rum, coconut cream, coconut milk and pineapple chunks. Puree.

2. Serve, garnished with a slice of pineapple and maraschino cherry, if desired.

Mojito

This last recipe has been dubbed ‘simply the best’ and comes from a private blogger at MusingsOfAHousewife.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• 1 handful mint leaves

• 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of light rum

• ½ lime

• 1 can club soda (optional)

Directions:

Simple Syrup:

1. Mix 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a saucepan and heat until boiling.

2. Stir until the sugar dissolves (about a minute). Then turn off the heat.

3. Toss in a handful of mint leaves and let it steep (just sit there off the heat) for an hour or so. Strain out the leaves and store in the fridge till you're ready to use it.

Mojito:

1. Pour 1 ounce mint-infused simple syrup into a tall glass.

2. Add a handful of mint leaves, and muddle it together.

3. Add crushed ice. Muddle some more.

4. Add to that 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of light rum (depending on the kind of day you had.)

5. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime.

6. Add a splash of club soda and stir. (If you don't have club soda on hand, just use water.)

7. Garnish with a mint sprig and a slice of lime.

As staples to any summer beverage lineup, ensure these customer favorites make it to your menu!