There’s no better way to celebrate summer than with a refreshing cocktail in hand. Whether tall, colourful, and sweet, or light and bubbly, cocktails bring a sense of enjoyment, happiness, and freedom from the stress of the day.
Whether you’re hosting a BBQ, lounging on the beach, or enjoying a family gathering, these cocktails will elevate your summer experience. Make it even more special by incorporating local produce and supporting South West based distilleries and producers.
Here are my top 5 favourites — both naughty and nice:
Marmajito
This contemporary twist on the well-known Mojito is bursting with bright citrus flavours and is utterly irresistible.
- 50ml Salcombe Gin ‘Start Point’
- 10ml Blood Orange Marmalade
- 10ml Lemon juice
- 10 Mint leaves
- Elderflower tonic water
- Red grapefruit slices and mint sprigs to garnish
Place the gin, Marmalade, lemon juice and mint leaves in a Boston shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Fill a highball glass with ice and double strain the mixture into the glass. Top with elderflower tonic water and garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of red grapefruit.
Rosy summer cup
I have the best memories of jugs of Summer Cup cocktails brimming with fresh fruit at picnics on farm fields and wild swimming under big spreading oak trees. This is a refreshing alternative to the well-known Pimms & Lemonade.
- 250ml Plymouth Gin Fruit Cup
- 500ml Rose Lemonade
- 1 cup Strawberries, sliced in quarters
- Lemon slices, Rosemary Sprigs and Lavender Sprigs to garnish
Half fill a 2-litre pitcher witch ice. Add the strawberries, lemon wheels, summer cup and rose lemonade. Stir, then pour into highball glasses.
Espresso Martini
As the sun starts to slide down the horizon, what can be better than a good Espresso Martini? I love the convenience of having a few bottles of Barbuoy Cocktails ready-made cocktails to hand. Their Espresso Martini is made using TORS Vodka and Owens Coffee’s Baya blend. I love the collaboration that takes place here!
Chill the bottle of Espresso Martini in the fridge before-hand. Pour over some ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for about 10 to 15 seconds to ensure a thick foam top. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with 3 roasted coffee beans.
Michelada (or Mexican Bloody Mary)
The first time I had a Michelada my mind exploded. I’ve always loved a good Bloody Mary and I love Mexican flavours and hot sauce, so this cocktail just made sense to me. It’s refreshing and moreish and the twist of lime elevates it to new hights. Use a lighter Mexican style beer or a lager and if you really want to get the party started you can add in a shot of tequila too! Or if you want to go alcohol free, just use a low/no beer.
- 1 Lime
- Coarse salt and chilli seasoning mix
- 4 – 5 Ice cubes
- 50 – 60ml Tomato juice
- A few dashes of Wiltshire Chilli Farm’s Chipotle Chilli Sauce
- A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bottle of Bays Brewery Devon Rock Craft Lager or Rock Steady Low Alc. Lager
- 2 or 3 green olives on a cocktail stick to garnish
Take a glass and wet the rim of the glass with a wedge of lime and dip it in the salt mixed with the chilli seasoning. Save another wedge of lime as garnish and squeeze the juice from the rest of the fruit into the glass. Add the ice cubes, pour the tomato juice and sauces over them, and fill the glass with beer (use any that’s leftover to top-up the drink as you go). Stir gently and garnish the glass with the extra wedge of lime on the rim. Add the cocktail stick with olives to the garnish. Adjust the ingredients to your taste… a bit more or less of tomato juice, extra chilli sauce for more heat, a shot of tequila if you’re feeling brave…
Passionfruit Martini
Growing up in South Africa, we always used to go on holidays in the Savanna and as kids our favourite drink was Passionfruit Cordial and Lemonade. This is the grown-up version – utterly delicious, and it looks beautiful!
- 3 Passion fruits, halved
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 Egg white
- 100ml Thunderflower Devon Dry Gin (or for a non-alcoholic variety New London Light · First Light non-alcoholic Spirit)
- 2 tsp Sugar syrup
- Handful of ice
- Sparkling grape juice, to serve
Scoop the flesh from four of the passion fruit halves into a cocktail shaker. Add the lemon juice, egg white, spirit and syrup and shake vigorously until frothy. Add the ice, then shake again until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Double strain into martini glasses. Top up the martinis with the grape juice and garnish with the remaining passion fruit halves.
So, set up your cocktail station, invite over some friends and bring on the good times!
