Summer Cocktails

Recipe from the legendary CJ’s Restaurant & Bar, Ocean Beach

• 2 parts Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut • 2 parts 151 Rum • 4 parts Dole Pineapple Juice • 1 part Amaretto

1. Add the Coco Lopez, 151 Rum and pineapple juice to a blender with lots of ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a tall glass (or preferably a large plastic cup…it’s a safer vehicle for this beverage) and float the Amaretto on top. Garnish with a cherry if you’re feeling fancy.

2.Plan to be incapable of doing much the next day.

Recipe from Verde Kitchen & Cocktails

• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary needles • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice • ¼ cup blackberry syrup* • ½ cup vodka • ¼ cup crème de cassis • 8 oz. seltzer or sparkling water • Lemon slice for garnish

*Blackberry syrup: Puree 1 pint of blackberries in a food processor. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer set over a medium bowl; discard solids. Keep syrup refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use (up to 2 days).

1. Muddle the rosemary needles in the bottom of a pitcher. 2.Add a splash of the seltzer and swish it around; remove and discard the needles. 3.Add the lemon juice, blackberry

syrup, vodka, and crème de cassis. Stir gently and chill. 4.When ready to serve, pour over ice-filled glasses and top off with seltzer. Garnish glasses with slice of lemon.

• 1 ½ oz. Spicy Pepper Tequila* (recipe below) • ½ oz. fresh lime juice • ½ oz. organic light Agave nectar • 1 ¼ oz. fresh cucumber juice • Lime, sliced into quarters • Thin cucumber slices • Fresh dehydrated cilantro and kosher or sea salt for rim (optional)

Infuse 2 bottles of 100% Blue Agave Tequila (we like Espolon or Partida) for 3 days using 1 sliced Jalapeno pepper, 1 sliced Habanero pepper, 1 sliced Serrano pepper, and 1 sliced and roasted Poblano pepper. Stir twice daily and taste. It will be much spicier when tasted compared to when mixed with other ingredients…don’t be afraid to let it get spicy, the cucumber juice will cool it off.

1. Rim glass: Dehydrate cilantro by spreading 2 handfuls of washed & dried cilantro (with stems removed) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for about 30 mins. until crisp. Let cool for 10 mins. Add cilantro and about 3 Tbsp. kosher or sea salt to food processor and pulse until granular, not powdery. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl. Cut a notch in a lime slice and run it all around the top of a margarita glass. Dip the top of the glass into the cilantro/salt mixture. Set aside. 2.Combine all liquid ingredients in a pint sized mixing glass filled with ice. Shake well then pour into glass (over ice if preferred) rimmed with cilantro/salt mixture. Garnish with cucumber slice.