It’s summer and it’s holidays; time to kick back, put your feet up and relax. So cocktails or mocktails—what’s your favourite? Here at LFW we’re sort of into healthy eating (and drinking) so in the interest of keeping healthy we cut out the creamy cocktails and added fruit and fruit juice—well, it’s fruit right … so it must be good!

Classic Cocktails

Here’s our pick for some classic cocktails  to celebrate the season or welcome 2017! So get your shaker and little parasols ready and read on! Cheers!

Bellini Cocktail—although this was invented in Venice, Italy in the 1930s, it’s a great Aussie cocktail using fresh Australian summer peaches. Get a couple of nice soft’ish peaches and peel and chop. Place in a blender and whiz until pureed. Pour into a champagne flute and top with chilled Prosecco.

Classic Champagne Cocktail (serves 6)—place a sugar cube in each champagne glass and drizzle with four drops of Angostura Bitters. Cover the sugar cube with brandy, and top with chilled champagne or sparkling wine.

Daiquiri—this is super easy and you can whiz up in a blender. Start with 50ml of white rum (Ron Bacardi is a good choice), then add 10ml of freshly squeezed lime juice, 5 ripe strawberries, and sugar syrup to taste. Whiz it up with 4 ice cubes and pour into a Margarita glass. You can find sugar syrup at any good wine shop.

 

Mai Tai—this is one of our all-time fave cocktails!  What you need: 30ml white rum, 30ml dark rum, 30ml orange juice, 30ml pineapple juice,15ml Triple Sec. What you do: pop a few ice cubes into a cocktail shaker, and add all ingredients. Shake well and pour into a tall glass.

Margarita (serves 4)—in a large jug combine ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup fresh lime juice (between 4 and 6 limes), ½ cup Triple Sec or Cointreau, ½ cup water. Dip the rims of four Margarita glasses in lime juice then into salt to coat the rims. Add a couple of ice cubes to the glasses and pour over the Margarita. Garnish with lime slices.

 

 

Mojito—another of our all-times faves, this is nice and light and summery, and super easy to make. What you need: 1 fresh lime cut into pieces, 10ml sugar syrup, 2 tablesp fresh mint leaves, 50ml white rum, soda water, and 1 sprig of mint. What you do: place the lime, sugar, and mint into a cocktail shaker and muddle (mash) with a muddler or wooden spoon. Add the rum and stir well, then pour into a tall glass and add soda water until the glass is full. Garnish with the sprig of mint.

Magic Mocktails

Mocktails are non-alcoholic cocktails and are great if you’re the designated driver and don’t want to look like a wimp sipping on a mineral water.

Blueberry Smash—a handful of blueberries, 10ml sugar syrup, 25ml fresh lemon juice, 100ml sparkling mineral water. Gently muddle the blueberries and syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add lemon juice and ice and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. Strain into a tall glass, top with sparkling mineral water and stir to combine.

Lemon Island Iced Tea—make the tea beforehand and chill in the fridge. When cold place in a cocktail shaker with 50ml lychee juice, 10ml sugar syrup, 10ml fresh lemon juice. Pour over crushed ice into a tall glass and decorate with a stick of lemon grass.

Mockito Cooler—looks just like a Mojito! Combine together 4 cups of coconut water, 2 cucumbers (thinly sliced), ½ cup lime juice, ¼ cup sugar (optional if you like your drinks sweet), and ¼ cup chopped mint leaves. Chill for up to 2 hours before serving.

Pineapple Cobbler—this is a really neat non-alcoholic drink and looks great if you dress it up with a little umbrella or some small pieces of fruit on a toothpick and placed across the glass. Shake together 10ml of lime juice and 75ml of pineapple juice, and pour over ice into a tall glass. Add soda water to about ¾ of the way up the glass, and gently pour the strawberry juice on the top so it floats.