Summertime Specialties: Homemade Drinks

Summer brings to mind fun in the sun with signature fruity drinks and memories in the making. There is no need to leave your beautiful home to taste specialty refreshments. Here are two simple – and simply refreshing – summer drink recipes that are great to try, whether you’re entertaining guests or making a ‘just because’ treat.

Refreshing Raspberry Lemonade

8-12 servings
One of the benefits of this liquid treat is that it can be enjoyed by all ages as it is alcohol free. Admittedly raspberry lemonade is a classic, but it is so for a reason. In the heart of summer this sweet and tangy beverage can offer you the solace that you were in search of with a bit of extra spunk.

4 cups fresh lemon juice
3 cups sugar
11 cups water
1 bag frozen raspberries
ice for serving

1. Pour the lemon juice into your serving pitcher.
2. Mix the sugar with 3 cups of water and stir to dissolve into syrup, adding the mixture to the lemon juice.
3. Add 8 cups of water to the pitcher. Check that the concoction is sweet enough for you and to offset the tartness of the raspberries. When satisfied, add the raspberries to the pitcher, mixing altogether. Leave the pitcher in the fridge for about an hour so the drink can chill and infuse.
4. When ready to serve, fill your serving glass or mason jar with ice, crushed or cubed, to preference and pour the raspberry lemonade over to get it crispy cold.

Proper Pimm’s Cocktail

4-6 servings (contains alcohol)
For this summer drink recipe, we’ll look to the United Kingdom. The Brits have got it going on. Not only does British culture consist of essentially regulated times for tea and snack breaks—from ‘elevenses’ to 3 pm tea time—but they’ve got treats specific to the seasons, much starker transitions than what Florida residents are used to. A simple cocktail made with Pimm’s liqueur comes out of hibernation for the summer months in Britain. There’s no reason that we Floridians shouldn’t bring this refreshing and delicious mix across the pond.

1 cup Pimm’s (available at liquor outlets)
4 cups carbonated lemonade*
1 sliced orange
1 cored and chopped apple
3 sliced strawberries
½ chopped cucumber
handful fresh mint leaves

1. Mix the orange, apple, strawberries, cucumber and mint leaves into a large pitcher with ice.
2. Pour the carbonated lemonade (or your mixture substitute) into the pitcher. Add Pimm’s and stir to combine.
3. Pour the cocktail into your serving glass, allowing a small amount of fruit for indulgence.
4. The final and most crucial step is announcing to your companions that it’s Pimm’s o’clock in your best British accent.

*If you can’t find carbonated lemonade simply mix 2 cups seltzer or lemon-lime soda with 2 cups lemonade.