by Susan Keeping

Created on: May 25, 2008   Last Updated: February 19, 2011

When I think of summer I think of long, hot days, I think of relaxation and I think of finding a nice patio away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd. To me there is nothing more enjoyable than meeting friends on the patio of our favorite local pub or restaurant to have a few cold drinks. I like a long, summer spent lounging under an umbrella, enjoying the heat, and catching up with my friend's lives.

My favorite summer drink is the gin and tonic. I like the fruity taste of the gin and the fizz of the tonic. Of course, it must be topped with either a slice or a wedge of lime.

Here are a few cocktail recipes that should help get you into the summer mood:

Gin and Tonic

The gin and tonic was originally developed as a medicine to help fight malaria. When the British were colonizing India it was discovered that they were very susceptible to the disease. Tonic water was developed in India to disguise the taste of quinine which helped fight the disease; gin was added to make the drink more palatable to the westerners.

2 ounce of gin (I prefer Bombay Sapphire gin but any gin will do)
1/2 ounce of tonic (you can have more to taste, I don't like my tonic to overwhelm the gin)
Lime wedge or slice

Serve in a highball glass filled with ice (as with everything in this recipe, you can add as much or as little ice as you wish. However, the drink must be served ice cold.)

Wine Spritzers

1/2 cup of wine (red or white, although the majority seem to be made with white wine)
1/2 cup of sparkling water or club soda
Lemon slice

Pour the wine in an ice-filled glass, add the sparkling water and add a lemon slice.

Margarita Cocktail

Margarita's remind me of the cruise I took to Mexico years ago; I have a photograph of me with a huge margarita in front of me.

This is a recipe for the traditional margarita.

1 1/2 ounce of tequila
1 ounce triple sec
1 ounce lime juice

Rub the rim of a martini glass with lime juice and dip into salt. Add all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake; strain into the glass.

Pina Colada

The pina colada reminds me of the tropics. It feels like you are drinking dessert.

3 ounces of rum
3 tablespoons of coconut cream
3 tablespoons of crushed pineapple

Add the ingredients to a blender filled with 2 cups of crushed ice. Beat on high for about 30 seconds. Pour into a highball glass.

With these 4 recipes you should be able to find something you like. Share them with your friends and have a great summer on the patio.

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