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Limes and lemons are plentiful in the summer months and the tart taste of these fruits makes them great base flavors for summer cocktails.

One of the easiest summer cocktails is Spiked Lemonade. Take a tall glass and fill it with ice. Add 2 ounces of a white liquor, like vodka, gin or rum, a tablespoon of cherry juice or Grenadine and fill the glass with lemonade.

You can make your own lemonade or purchase lemonade in cans or bottles. I've used powdered lemonade in a pinch and it's pretty good too. You don't have to use the cherry juice or Grenadine but the pink glow of this cocktail is so pretty.

My choice for best lemon flavored cocktail is a Lemon Drop Martini. Like most cocktails there are numerous ways to make this drink. The quickest way to go from wanting a Lemon Drop Martini to drinking one is this recipe:

Slice 1/2 lemon into two or three wedges and put into shaker. Pour 4 ounces of a high quality lemon infused vodka into the shaker, and add one scant tablespoon of superfine sugar and shake vigorously. Fill with ice and shake again. Rim a martini glass with sugar and pour.

You can also take this recipe up a notch by adding in one ounce of raspberry liqueur to your shaker. Let the shaker stand for a minute or two to melt some of the ice, then pour into a sugar-rimmed glass. Float a few fresh berries in the glass as a garnish.

If you're all puckered out on lemons, let's move to a delightful lime drink that shouts summer and is both thirst quenching and delicious.

The old-time Lime Rickey is a nostalgic drink but also one that's easy to make and smooth to drink.

Into a tall glass, put the juice of one small lime, one tablespoon of castor or superfine sugar and two ounces of gin or vodka. Stir. Fill the glass to the top with ice and then pour club soda or seltzer up to the rim and stir once more. Garnish with a lime slice and a cherry on a toothpick, or a sprig of garden mint. Now that's what I call a thirst quencher.

When I see a lime I think of margaritas, can't help it. So here's a simple, yet unusual, frozen margarita recipe that everyone loves. Into a large blender, pour ten ounces of quality tequila, and ten ounces of frozen limeade. Add in 4 ounces of Triple Sec. Some people like Grand Marnier but I prefer the Triple Sec.

Be daring and pour in a third of a mild beer like Coors. I don't know what it does to the margarita but a friend made it this way for me and it was fabulous! Fill the blender with ice and blend until frosty and smooth.

You can cut this recipe in half for a smaller blender.

Rim a margarita glass with a lemon or lime and then dip the glass into a combination of both salt and sugar. Pour your frozen margarita into your glass and enjoy.

Remember limes and lemons vary in tartness. It's always wise to take a small taste of your cocktail before serving. If it's too tart you can add more sugar or if too sweet you can use more citrus.

Cheers!

Learn more about this author, Tierney O'Hara.
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