I love a nice refreshing cocktail while hanging out by the pool. There’s nothing more relaxing than a good book, a frosty beverage and cool pool to take a dip in. Andrew makes some really delicious mojitos and fresh piña coladas but something that tastes so good can sneak up on you. Two or three frosty piña coladas later and you’re asleep in your pool float just asking for a sunburn. This may or may not have happened to me. In January I started playing around with mocktail recipes, which are non alcoholic cocktails in case you were wondering and I’ve come across some that will be perfect for those days by the pool or relaxing in your backyard.

Spicy Margarita Mocktail

This simple and refreshing margarita is meant to be sipped in the sun!

Ingredients for 2

• 8 slices fresh jalapeno
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• Ice: cubed
• salt to rim

Directions

1. Rub lime slice around rim of glass and dip in salt.
2. Fill glass with ice.
3. Add jalapeños.
4. Pour orange juice and lime juice over ice.
5. Stir.

Seedlip Grove Margarita

I discovered Seedlip back in January and I love it! I love that you can just add a splash to plain old seltzer to make something yummy and I love the fancy mocktails that I’ve created with it. This is from their website.

Ingredients for 1

• Seedlip Grove 42: 2 oz
• Agave Syrup: 1 tbsp
• Fresh Lime Juice ½ oz
• Ice: Cubed
• Salt for rim
• Lime wedge for garnish

Directions

1. Run a lime wedge around the outside of the rim of the glass then roll the rim in salt.
2. Add all the ingredients with ice to a cocktail shaker.
3. Shake & strain over fresh cubes of ice into a tumbler.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Pineapple Mango Refresher

Ingredients for 4

• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
• 2 cups of fresh pineapple
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1-2 tablespoons simple syrup
• Ice: cubed
• optional garnishes- lime wedges and mint sprigs

Directions

1. In a blender combine mango, pineapple, lime juice and 2 cups of water.
2. Blend until smooth, taste for desired sweetness.
3. Add simple syrup and pulse a few times.
4. Serve with limes wedges and mint sprigs.

Note: You can also make this using frozen fruit for a frosty daiquiri mocktail. It’s delicious either way.

Cucumber Mint Limeade

Similar to the Minty Lime Spritz that I shared in January but tweaked a bit.

Ingredients for 4

• 3-4 tablespoons simple syrup
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 cucumber, cut into rounds or ribbons (use your vegetable peeler!)
• 12-16 mint leaves
• Ice: crushed
• 4 cups cucumber seltzer water. (I like Spindrift)

Directions

1. In each of your 4 glasses combine 1 tablespoon (or a little less) of your simple syrup with 1 table spoon of fresh lime juice.
2. Add mint leaves to each glass and “muddle” with the liquid. You want to release the oils from the mint leaves. Use a wooden spoon if you don’t have a muddler.
3. Add a couple of cucumber ribbons and fill your glass with ice.
4. Top with cucumber seltzer and garnish with additional mint sprigs.

Ghia and Tonic

I’m a big Aperol Spritz fan, they transport me to warm afternoons sitting outside at a European cafe. Ghia is a non alcoholic apertif that will do the same thing.

Ingredients for 1

• 2 ounces Ghia
• 2 ounces tonic
• Ice: cubed
• Garnish: rosemary sprig
• Garnish: orange wheel

Directions

1. Fill a wine or rocks glass with ice
2. Add the Ghia and tonic, stir briefly to combine.
3. Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig and orange wheel.

I hope you enjoy these mocktails and they help to refresh you on those warm, sunny days. You can always make your favorite frosty blender beverage without alcohol too. Virgin pina coladas are just as yummy as ones with the rum, although the calories are still quite high. What are your favorite warm weather drinks?

Cheers!