Memorial Day Weekend marks the official start of the summer social season! Whether you are hosting a family BBQ, cocktail party or day-time soiree, delicious drinks are a key aspect of any great warm-weather event! To help you enjoy the summer sunshine and celebrate the long holiday weekend, we wanted to share three easy-to-make Memorial Day cocktails.
MEMORIAL DAY
For a light and fresh drink with citrus flavors and a refreshing basil kick, try the Memorial Margarita! With its festive red color, the Raspberry Remembrance is perfectly patriotic! Celebrate with a large group? The Summer Sunrise Punch is easy to pre-batch and can be served on a buffet table or poolside under an umbrella!
Let’s raise a glass to the new season!
Memorial Margarita
1 ½ ounces Blanco Tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
½ ounce Lemon Juice
½ ounce Lime Juice
3 basil Leaves
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Shake and strain over ice in a rocks glass.
Raspberry Remembrance
1 ½ ounces Cointreau
½ ounce Lime Juice
3-4 Fresh raspberries
1 egg white
Combine all ingredients in mixing glass, dry shake, then add ice and shake for a hard 10 count to emulsify the egg white. Strain over fresh ice into highball glass and top with Club Soda. Garnish with 3 skewered raspberries.
Summer Sunrise Punch
1 bottle of GREY GOOSE Vodka
1 bottle MARTINI Bianco
½ bottle Cointreau
½ liter chilled chamomile tea
½ liter club soda or sparkling mineral water
½ pound sugar
Peel of 10 lemons and 10 oranges
Garnish: Slices of orange, lemon and apple
In a large punch bowl, place the citrus peel and cover with cane sugar. Pour in the vodka and cover with a cloth, leaving for 3 hours (or as little as you need). Add tea, MARTINI Bianco, Cointreau and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add chilled club soda and fresh fruit. Stir well, and serve over ice in smaller tumblers or chilled wine glasses. Makes 20 servings.
As the summer continues, Father’s Day and 4th of July are perfect days to celebrate with a signature cocktail. In preparation for the upcoming holidays, here are some festive and refreshing libations from Cointreau and MARTIN.
FATHER’S DAY
For Father’s Day, nothing says “I appreciate you” like a good cocktail. This year, gift-buyers should skip the gift card, tie or golf balls for something Dads really want: a drink! Check out these traditional and classic libations, all reminiscent of the masculine era of James Bond. These Father’s Day cocktails from Cointreau and MARTINI are tried-and-true, dad-approved drinks sure to make this Father’s Day memorable.
Classic Side Car
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Negroni
1 part Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 part MARTINI Rosso
1 part Campari
Slice of orange
Pour ingredients into an Old-Fashioned glass, mix well with ice and garnish with an orange slice. To lighten it up a touch, swap out the gin with a dry sparkling wine like MARTINI Prosecco and call it a Negroni Sbagliato.
Manhattan
2 ½ parts DEWAR’S 18-Year Old Scotch whiskey
¾ parts MARTINI Rosso
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry
1 twist orange peel
Combine the MARTINI Rosso, DEWAR’S 18, and angostura bitters with 2 or 3 ice cubes in a mixing glass. Stir gently. Place the cherry in a chilled cocktail glass and strain the whiskey mixture over the cherry.
4TH OF JULY SUMMER COCKTAILS
After celebrating with Dad, it’s time to start thinking about summer cocktails and the 4th of July! For this year’s celebrations, Cointreau and MARTINI have Red, White & Blue drinks that are perfect for outdoor BBQs and poolside sipping. See below for the recipes!
2 parts Cointreau
Add the Cointreau and lemon juice to a mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Float the Creme de Mure on top.
Berry Belle Margarita
Muddle raspberries with bell peppers in a mixing glass. Add the remaining ingredients with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish: raspberries
Red, White & Blue Asti Floats
MARTINI Asti
1 scoop raspberry sorbet, lemon sorbet or blueberry sorbet
2 or 3 blueberries
Add sorbet to a chilled champagne flute and fill with MARTINI Asti. Garnish with blueberries.
Red Summer Sangria
1 (750 ml) bottle of MARTINI Bianco vermouth
8 ounces apple juice
4 ounces cranberry juice
4 ounces simple syrup (equal parts sugar & water)
2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
8 ounces MARTINI Prosecco
1 apple, cubed
1 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels
1 orange, thinly sliced into wheels
Combine first five ingredients in a large pitcher, and stir in fruit. Chill until ready to serve (24 hours, if possible). Just prior to serving, stir in Prosecco. Pour over ice in tall glasses. Makes 8-10 servings.
Have Fun and Always Remember to Drink Responsibly!
