The days have been satisfyingly warm and we're loving every minute of it. Since nothing beats the mid-summer heat like a cool drink, we're sharing one of our favourite summer recipes with you!
SummerLuxin' Sangria is tart, sweet and perfect for long nights on your patio. This recipe is made of a number of smaller recipes that can be used alone, but when mixed all together, the finished product is swoon-worthy.
The Quintessential Sour Mix
This sour mix is the perfect addition to any cocktail from Long Island Iced Tea to the classic Margarita. Feel free to experiment with various citrus fruits to create your own perfect flavour. For ours we used a combination of blood oranges, lemons and oranges.
Ingredients
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoons of finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoons of finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of lemon juice (fresh squeezed and strained)
3/4 cup of orange juice (fresh squeezed and strained)
The Simple Steps
1. In a mortar and pestle combine the sugar with the zests of both lemon and orange until well mixed by rubbing the sugar and zests together. This should take about a minute.
2. Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan and cook over a medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Remove the syrup from the stove and let the syrup completely cool.
4. Once it's cooled, stir in the juices and transfer to an airtight container to store for up to a month.
'A Tad Tipsy' Fruit Salad
This fruit salad is so easy to make,and delicious you'll want to add it on top of everything from waffles, to ice-cream, to your next summer salad. You've officially been warned!
Ingredients
1/2 cup Mango
1/2 cup Strawberries
1 package of Blackberries
1/4 cup Grapes
1/4 cup of Honeydew Melon
1/2 cup Pinneapple
4 sprigs of Mint
1/4 cup of Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1/2 tablespoon of Organic Vanilla
The Simple Steps
1. Cut, clean and mix all the fruit into a bowl.
2. Clap the mint between two hands to release the aromatics. Don't tear the mint. Leave the pieces whole.
3. Stir in the sugar, the vanilla and then lightly drizzle with Grand Marnier.
4. Lightly press on the fruit with a fork to release juices.
5. Let the fruit sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving to allow it to marinate.
SummerLuxin' Sangria
Sangria is a seemingly simple drink to make, but with the right prep work and ingredients, this cocktail can be elevated to the star of your next ladies night. Sip this cocktail leisurely and really enjoy the perfect combination of this summer cocktail and these fleeting summer nights.
Ingredients
3/4 cup of Homemade Blood Orange Sour Mix
1/4 cup of Fresh Orange Juice
1 bottle of your Favourite Red Wine
1/4 cup of Cointreau
1/4 cup of Brandy
1 1/2 cups of 'A Tad Tipsy' Fruit Salad
2-3 cups of Chilled Sparkling Water
The Simple Steps
1. Mix your sour mix, orange juice, red wine, cointreau and brandy into a large pitcher.
2. Mix in your fruit salad to the pitcher including the salad juices.
3. Let the punch stew overnight in your fridge or at least for 3 hours so all the juices can blend together.
4. When you're ready to serve, top the punch with the soda water (or try tonic water for a sweeter taste)