5 Summer Cocktails You Must Try Soon

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer with the sugar and stir over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute; let the sugar syrup cool.
2. In a blender, puree the watermelon until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the watermelon juice, pressing gently on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the pulp.
3. In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the lime juice, blueberries and mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, lightly muddle the blueberries and mint. Add the watermelon juice and tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
4. Pour the cocktail into tall ice-filled glasses. Garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

Spiked Melon Seed Agua Fresca

• 1 1/2 cups cantaloupe or honeydew seeds (from about 2 melons), with pulp from just around the seeds (no need to wash them!)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup your favorite vodka (I suggest Melon flavor)
• Ice, for serving

In a blender, purée 3 cups water with 1 cup of your favorite vodka, cantaloupe seeds, honey, ginger and vanilla. Work in batches, if necessary. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl or pitcher and strain contents of the blender, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the remaining solids. Taste agua fresca and stir in more honey if desired. Serve over ice.

Spiced Iced Tea Punch 

• 10 whole cloves
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 8 cups apple juice
• 8 blueberry or blackberry tea bags
• 1 Navel orange, cut crosswise into rounds
• Fireball Cinnamon Liquor

Wrap cloves and cinnamon sticks in a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter and secure with kitchen twine. Bring apple juice and spices just to the boiling point. Remove from heat and add tea bags. Steep for 4 to 6 minutes then remove tea bags. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, remove spices. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with orange slices. Add Fireball to taste.

Sangria Coolers 

• 1 (1-liter) bottle Gran Vina Sangria
• 2 plums, pitted and sliced, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 pound cherries, stemmed and pitted
• 2 (12-ounce) cans ginger ale
• Ice for glasses

Working in 2 batches, purée Sangria, plums and cherries until smooth. (Strain through a fine sieve and discard any solids, if you like.) Pour over ice in tall glasses, top off with ginger ale, garnish with additional sliced plums and serve.

Cuban Mojitos 

• 1teaspoon superfine sugar or 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• 2sprigs of fresh mint
• 6tablespoons lime juice
• 2ounces light rum

1. Place sugar and mint in a tall glass and using a muddler or back of a spoon mash mint leaves into the sugar.
2. Add rum, lime juice and finish with a splash of club soda. Add ice and serve.

Alright my drinking friends, make sure you try all of these and let us know how they come out!  As always, cheers!