5 Awesome summery cocktails for you to try this weekend!

Cruise into summer on a delicious note with some of Tanzia Haq’s easy-to-mix iced drinks and tropical fruit cocktail/mocktail recipes!

Frozen watermelon margarita

Ingredients: For the rim: 2 tbsp. kosher salt, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, 1 lime wedge

For the margarita mix: 4 large pieces of chopped watermelon, 1/4 cup of lime juice, 1/2 cup of tequila, 1/4 cup of triple sec.

Prep time: Ten minutes (without time to freeze watermelon slices)

Serves: Four

Instructions:

1. Mix the salt, sugar and lime zest on a plate and dip the glass rims (wet with lime juice) in the mixture.
2. Freeze watermelon slices for at least two hours to get the frozen, slushy texture.
3. Use a blender to blend the frozen watermelon, lime juice, tequila, and triple sec until smooth. Pour into glasses and add a lime wedge (if you’re feeling festive). And your drink is ready!

Rum Sunset

Ingredients: 12 oz. orange juice, 3 oz. light rum, 2 tbsp. grenadine, lime slices to garnish

Prep time: Five minutes

Serves: Two

Instructions:

1. To get the gradient effect, mix orange juice and rum in a 1/3 mixture and place in refrigerator.
2. Pour orange juice in 2/3s of glasses
3. Add grenadine to the orange juice and rum mix and pour into glasses containing the orange juice. Add the lime wedges to the rims for effect. Enjoy!

Sangria iced tea

Ingredients: 1 bottle of white wine, 4 cups of tea, 1/4 cup of triple sec, 2 cups of sliced peaches, mint leaves.

Prep time: 5 minutes (not including time to chill)

Serves: Six

Instructions:

1. Pour the wine, tea and triple sec into a pitcher and mix thoroughly. Add in the peach slices and refrigerate for two hours or so.  
2. Pour into glasses and add mint leaves before serving.

If you’re in a summer mood but want something non-alcoholic, try these out:

The Arnold Palmer

Ingredients:

For the lemonade:

3 cups of water, 4 tbsp. of sugar and juice from 6 lemons

For the tea:

4 cups of water, 1/3 cup of honey, 5 tbsp. of black tea (or five tea bags), mint leaves and lemon wedges

Prep time: 45 minutes

Serves: Six

Instructions:

1. Mix lemon juice, sugar and the three cups of water and set aside.
2. Heat the four cups of water to a boil, add honey and stir till dissolved.
3. Add tea to mix and turn off stove. Steep for a few minutes and then set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, add lemonade and tea in a pitcher half filled with ice. Add lemon wedges and mint leaves to the mix.

Fruit infused water

Ingredients: seltzer water and cucumber, peach, watermelon, ginger or lime (as you prefer)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves: Dealer’s choice

Instructions:

1. Add seltzer water and fruits/vegetables in combinations or by themselves (whatever makes you happy) to a pitcher and mix thoroughly.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.