Summer Cocktails

Hot! Hot! Hot! These summer drinks are an excellent way to cool down.

Raspberry Lemonade

Servings:  1 ½ quarts
Time: prep:10 minutes 
Hardware:  Cutting board and knives, pot, measuring cup, a blender, a strainer/ sieve, a wooden spoon, a 2 quart pitcher, glasses

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup sugar, maybe more
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (6-8 lemons), maybe more
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup lemon flavored vodka
• ½ cup raspberry liqueur
• Ice
• Colored sugar, lemon wedges, and raspberries for garnish

1. Dissolve the sugar in boiling water.  Allow to cool.
2. Rinse the raspberries and liquefy them in the blender.  With the spoon, force the raspberries through the sieve into the pitcher.  Discard the seeds.
3. Mix the syrup, the lemon juice, the vodka, and the liqueur together in the pitcher with the raspberries.
4. Add more sugar or more lemon juice, depending upon your taste.
5. To serve, wet the glasses' rims in water and then in colored sugar.  Drop a few berries into the lemonade and place a lemon wedge on each glass. Serve over ice.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Sangria

Servings:  1 ½ quarts
Time:  prep: 10 minutes,   chill: overnight
Hardware:  Cutting board and knives, measuring cup, a blender, a strainer/ sieve, a wooden spoon, a 2 quart pitcher

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 lemon
• 1 orange
• 1 lime
• 2 peaches
• 1 bottle of red wine
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅛ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup brandy
• sparkling water (optional)
• Fruit for garnish

1. Rinse the raspberries and liquefy them in the blender. With the spoon, force the raspberries through the sieve into the pitcher. Discard the seeds.
2. Squeeze the citrus fruit into the pitcher.  Slice the citrus fruit, remove the seeds, and slice the peaches.  Add the sliced fruit to the pitcher.
3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the water. Chill overnight.
4. Remove the fruit.  Garnish with fresh slices of citris fruit. Add a splash of cold sparkling water if desired.