THE GREAT SUMMER COCKTAILS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

The Best Summer Cocktails You Never Knew

by Kim Krieger

Summer is here and so is happy hour on the patio! This year, cocktail season might look a little different, but that’s no reason to stick with the status quo. Shake (or stir) up your drink menu this season with these lip-smacking libations you’ll love.

New York Sour You wouldn’t think red wine and bourbon would be such a good match, but you’d be wrong. This surprising showstopper is refreshing and delicious. For a twist, try replacing the bourbon with gin for an equally tasty treat.

Ingredients

2 oz rye or bourbon whiskey 1 oz fresh lemon juice 1 oz simple syrup ½ oz fruity red wine (malbec or shiraz)

Method

1. Fill a rocks glass with ice and set aside to chill 2. Combine all ingredients except wine in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice 3. Cover shaker and shake until outside of of shaker is frosty (about 30 seconds) 4. Replace rocks glass with new ice and strain shaker into it 5. Gently pour the wine into the cocktail, over the back of a spoon, so that it floats The Adonis Try ordering this simple yet sophisticated drink at a bar and you could very well get a blank stare from the bartender, despite the fact that it’s a classic from the esteemed Savoy cocktail recipe book. Or, if you’re anything like me, saying “I’ll have an Adonis” will make you blush. Thankfully, you can avoid embarrassment by stirring up this titillating tipple at home.

Ingredients

1 ½ oz fino or manzanilla sherry 1 ½ oz sweet vermouth 2 dashes orange bitters

Method

1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice and set aside to chill 2. Stir ingredients and ice together in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker 3. Discard ice from cocktail glass and pour mixture in, through strainer Elderflower Gimlet Cucumber and elderflower? Yes, absolutely! Just a hint of herbaceous cucumber freshens up a cocktail that would be cloyingly sweet without it. Sip this truly lovely variation of a classic gimlet cocktail at the end of a long, hot summer day. It’s the perfect way to welcome a warm evening.

Ingredients

1 ½ oz gin ¾ oz lime juice ½ oz St. Germain elderflower liquer ½ oz simple syrup ½ round of cucumber, diced

Method

1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice and set aside to chill 2. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake for 20 seconds 3. Discard ice from cocktail glass and pour mixture in, through strainer