by Susan Hibberd

Created on: May 27, 2008   Last Updated: December 08, 2011

Here are some great cocktail recipes using standard ingredients that you probably have in your drinks cabinet already. Each one is based on a different spirit, so you can choose your favorite!

SEA BREEZE

50ml vodka
50ml cranberry juice
70ml grapefruit juice

As with all great cocktails this is a really simple one. Mix everything together and serve in a highball glass with loads of ice and a wedge of lime.

APPLE TREE

25ml whisky
fizzy apple juice
squeeze of fresh lime juice

Fill a glass with ice, and pour over a measure of whisky. Add the lime juice and top up with fizzy apple juice. Stir and serve.

GIN AND TONIC

35 ml gin
tonic water

Try this with some of the favored gins available for a variety of cocktail tastes. For the basic drink, simple mix the gin with however much tonic water you like. Test, and add more to taste. Add as much ice as you like, but remember that as it melts it will weaken the drink!

COCO COOLER

35ml coconut rum
cranberry juice
pineapple juice
squeeze of fresh lime juice

Pour the rum and lime juice into a glass and top up with ice. Pour in equal amounts of cranberry and pineapple juice. This is a great cocktail, because you can alter the amount of juice and get a different taste each time! Add ice to serve.

MOJITO

12 mint leaves
15ml lime juice
2 heaped teaspoon castor sugar
50ml rum
soda water

Tear the mint and drop it into a highball glass.Pour in the lime, sugar and rum. Stir. Till with ice and soda water. Stir again and serve.

PIMMS

50ml Pimms No1
orange
strawberries
apple
chopped cucumber
lemonade
a handful of fresh mint leaves

Chop the mint leaves. Pour the Pimms into a highball glass. Add chopped fruit until it comes half-way up the glass. Add a few ice cubes. Top up with lemonade and the shredded mint leaves. Stir gently to serve. This is a popular party drink, and can easily be made in jugs rather than in individual glasses. Great for afternoon cocktails before dinner. Get out the picnic rugs and sit on the lawn for this one!

These should keep you happy over the summer! Invite some friends around and sit in the sun to drink. Make sure you have enough glasses and ice to go round. You wont' feel like washing up in the middle of a party! Make sure you have about 1lb of ice for every guest - and add some more for people who turn up unexpectedly!

Make some flavored ice cubes by freezing sprigs of mint, slices of lime or slices of lemon into ice cubes.

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