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4 Easy Summer Cocktail Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

Uncategorized May 30th, 2016

Impress your guests with eye-catching seasonal drinks that are as easy to make as they are refreshing

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Photo: The Jewels of New York

To the homeowner with appealing outdoor space: Beware. As temperatures rise, people seem to come out of the woodwork, dropping by for last-minute drinks, arranging impromptu picnics on the patio. The truth is that warm weather makes people thirsty—in the literal sense of dehydration but also in the figurative sense, as friends become significantly less antisocial in the summer months and crave the kind of companionship that can only be enhanced by a few well-considered cocktails. AD has you covered. We tapped Diana Yen of the multidisciplinary creative studio theJewels of New York to come up with four endlessly delicious summer cocktails that are as easy on the eyes as they are to make. The beauty lies in their simplicity: Each cocktail can be prepared with five ingredients or less, not counting the usual pantry and refrigerator items (sugar, for example, or limes) that you likely already have on hand. From a surprisingly refreshing Negroni to a spicy michelada, these will address all of your summer entertaining needs.

Sparkling NegroniThe perfect cocktail for sipping after an alfresco dinner on a summer night, Negronis get their red hue and herbaceous beginning from the Italian apéritif Campari, which is mellowed out by floral gin and sweet vermouth. Top off your drink with some bubbly, and enjoy. Serves 1⅓ oz. Campari ⅓ oz. gin ⅓ oz. sweet vermouthchilled prosecco, or other sparkling wine, for toppingorange peel twist (optional) Combine the first three ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake until cold, then strain the mixture into a glass. Top with prosecco, and garnish with the orange twist.
Photo: The Jewels of New York

Sparkling Negroni

The perfect cocktail for sipping after an alfresco dinner on a summer night, Negronis get their red hue and herbaceous beginning from the Italian apéritif Campari, which is mellowed out by floral gin and sweet vermouth. Top off your drink with some bubbly, and enjoy.Serves 1
⅓ oz. Campari
⅓ oz. gin
⅓ oz. sweet vermouth
chilled prosecco, or other sparkling wine, for topping
orange peel twist (optional)

Combine the first three ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake until cold, then strain the mixture into a glass. Top with prosecco, and garnish with the orange twist.

Pineapple-Jalapeño MargaritaNo margarita is complete without fresh-squeezed lime juice—there’s something about the sour punch of citrus that goes so well with the smokiness of tequila. To stir things up, try adding pineapple juice to the mix and muddling in some jalapeño peppers for a little heat. Serves 1½ oz. fresh lime juice⅓ of a large jalapeño, sliced, plus more for garnish1¾ oz. tequila1½ oz. fresh pineapple juice½ oz. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueurcoarse salt, for rimming glasspineapple wedge and peel, for garnish Pour the lime juice and jalapeños into a shaker and muddle with the back of a wood spoon. Fill with ice. Pour in tequila, pineapple juice, and Grand Marnier. Shake until chilled. Dip the rim of a rocks glass in water, then dip it in coarse salt. Fill the glass with ice, and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge and peel and jalapeño slices.
Photo: The Jewels of New York

Pineapple-Jalapeño Margarita

No margarita is complete without fresh-squeezed lime juice—there’s something about the sour punch of citrus that goes so well with the smokiness of tequila. To stir things up, try adding pineapple juice to the mix and muddling in some jalapeño peppers for a little heat.Serves 1
½ oz. fresh lime juice
⅓ of a large jalapeño, sliced, plus more for garnish
1¾ oz. tequila
1½ oz. fresh pineapple juice
½ oz. Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
coarse salt, for rimming glass
pineapple wedge and peel, for garnish

Pour the lime juice and jalapeños into a shaker and muddle with the back of a wood spoon. Fill with ice. Pour in tequila, pineapple juice, and Grand Marnier. Shake until chilled. Dip the rim of a rocks glass in water, then dip it in coarse salt. Fill the glass with ice, and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge and peel and jalapeño slices.

Basil Blackberry BrambleBlackberries are a treasure in the summertime. Lemon juice helps draw liquid out of them to create a gorgeous dark-purple elixir. Shake the mixture with floral gin, sweet apple brandy, and homemade basil simple syrup for a fruity libation that’s as easy to sip as it is to look at. Serves 1For basil simple syrup:½ cup sugar¼ cup water¼ cup fresh basil leaves For cocktail:3 blackberries¼ oz. fresh lemon juice1 oz. gin1 oz. apple brandycrushed ice Make the basil simple syrup:Combine the sugar, water, and basil in a saucepan. Stir on medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain through a fine sieve and chill until ready to use. Make the cocktail:In a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 blackberries and the lemon juice with the back of a wood spoon. Add ¼ ounce of the basil simple syrup, then the gin and the brandy. Shake until combined. Fill a glass with crushed ice, and pour the bramble into the glass. Garnish with the remaining blackberry.
Photo: The Jewels of New York

Basil Blackberry Bramble

Blackberries are a treasure in the summertime. Lemon juice helps draw liquid out of them to create a gorgeous dark-purple elixir. Shake the mixture with floral gin, sweet apple brandy, and homemade basil simple syrup for a fruity libation that’s as easy to sip as it is to look at.Serves 1
For basil simple syrup:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup fresh basil leaves

For cocktail:
3 blackberries
¼ oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. gin
1 oz. apple brandy
crushed ice

Make the basil simple syrup:
Combine the sugar, water, and basil in a saucepan. Stir on medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain through a fine sieve and chill until ready to use.

Make the cocktail:
In a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 blackberries and the lemon juice with the back of a wood spoon. Add ¼ ounce of the basil simple syrup, then the gin and the brandy. Shake until combined. Fill a glass with crushed ice, and pour the bramble into the glass. Garnish with the remaining blackberry.

Simple MicheladaIt’s always good to have a savory cocktail recipe in your back pocket. For those sensitive to sweetness, try the michelada, a delicious drink that combines Mexican beer with tomato juice, lime juice, and an assortment of pantry sauces and spices. This version is lighter, with less tomato juice and an unexpected dash of fish sauce for an umami kick. Serves 12 T kosher salt½ tsp. chili powder2 lime wedges1 T tomato juice1 oz. fresh lime juice1 tsp. hot sauce¼ tsp. fish sauce1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce1 can or bottle Mexican beer Mix salt and chili powder on a small plate. Rub rim of glass with a lime wedge and dip in salt mixture. Fill glass with ice, add tomato juice, lime juice, hot sauce, fish sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Top with beer and stir to combine. Garnish with remaining lime wedge.
Photo: The Jewels of New York

Simple Michelada

It’s always good to have a savory cocktail recipe in your back pocket. For those sensitive to sweetness, try the michelada, a delicious drink that combines Mexican beer with tomato juice, lime juice, and an assortment of pantry sauces and spices. This version is lighter, with less tomato juice and an unexpected dash of fish sauce for an umami kick.Serves 1
2 T kosher salt
½ tsp. chili powder
2 lime wedges
1 T tomato juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. hot sauce
¼ tsp. fish sauce
1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can or bottle Mexican beer

Mix salt and chili powder on a small plate. Rub rim of glass with a lime wedge and dip in salt mixture. Fill glass with ice, add tomato juice, lime juice, hot sauce, fish sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Top with beer and stir to combine. Garnish with remaining lime wedge.

Source: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/4-easy-entertaining-summer-cocktail-recipes-5-ingredients-or-less

Ken Shaw ToyotaUncategorized4 Easy Summer Cocktail Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less