Five refreshing summer cocktails to make at home
Long summer evenings call for something cold in a glass, preferably enjoyed outside with a few nibbles and good company. And you don’t need a cupboard full of specialist ingredients or the skills of a professional bartender to make a really good cocktail. Start with a good bottle, add a handful of simple ingredients, plenty of ice and perhaps a sprig of something from the garden. Here are five of our favourite easy summer serves.
1. Limoncello spritz
If you’ve been to Italy, there’s a good chance you’ll have encountered limoncello served ice cold at the end of a meal. But this wonderfully lemony liqueur also makes a very refreshing summer spritz.
We stock Cassarà Solcanto Limoncello, produced in Sicily by the Cassarà family – one of the small independent producers we’ve worked with for many years.
To make one:
50ml limoncello
75ml Prosecco
25ml soda water
Plenty of ice
Lemon slice to garnish
Fill a large wine glass with ice, add the limoncello and Prosecco, top with soda and stir gently.
Serve with olives, salted nuts or a few slices of good Italian charcuterie.
2. Rhubarb and ginger fizz
Edinburgh Gin’s Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur combines two flavours that work brilliantly together – tart rhubarb and warming ginger.
It’s delicious simply served over ice, but adding Prosecco turns it into a very easy summer cocktail.
To make one:
25ml Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Liqueur
100ml Prosecco
A splash of soda water
Plenty of ice
Slice of fresh ginger, a ribbon of rhubarb or a sprig of mint to garnish
Pour the liqueur over ice, add the Prosecco and finish with a little soda.
A lovely one to serve before dinner or alongside a cheeseboard.
3. Seaside gin and tonic
Sometimes there’s no need to reinvent a classic.
Edinburgh Seaside Gin is made with botanicals inspired by the Scottish coastline, including seaweed, scurvy grass and ground ivy, giving it a fresh flavour that feels particularly appropriate for summer.
To make one:
50ml Edinburgh Seaside Gin
Good-quality tonic water
Plenty of ice
Fresh lemon peel
Fill a large glass generously with ice, add the gin and top with tonic. Finish with a twist of lemon peel.
Try it with prawns, smoked salmon or fresh fish – the coastal flavours make it a particularly good match for seafood.
4. Rosé gin spritz
For something light, pink and very summery, try Salcombe Rosé Sainte Marie Gin.
Rather than serving it with tonic, turn it into a longer spritz with Prosecco and soda.
To make one:
25ml Salcombe Rosé Sainte Marie Gin
75ml Prosecco
50ml soda water
Plenty of ice
Fresh strawberry or slice of grapefruit
Add everything to a large wine glass filled with ice and stir gently.
It’s an easy drink for a summer gathering because you can simply line up the glasses and make several at once.
5. Classic Bellini
Finally, one of the simplest summer cocktails of all.
The Bellini was created at Harry’s Bar in Venice and traditionally combines Prosecco with white peach purée.
If you want to make your own, add a spoonful or two of white peach purée to a chilled glass and slowly top with Prosecco.
Perfect when you’d rather spend the evening talking to your guests than making their drinks.
Keep it simple
The best summer drinks don’t need to be complicated. Good ingredients, lots of ice and a simple garnish are usually all you need.
We have a carefully chosen range of gins, liqueurs, Prosecco, sparkling wines and other drinks in the deli, many sourced from smaller independent producers.
And, as ever, if you’re not sure what to choose, come and have a chat with us. We’ll happily help you find something for a summer evening – and something delicious to eat with it.