The Met Office has revealed that temperatures could increase as high as the mid-30s this week, with some areas of the UK expected to be hotter than Jamaica and Portugal.
With Father’s Day taking place this Sunday, there’s no better way to enjoy the British weather than by sitting in your garden, with your dad or fatherly figure, reminiscing over an ice-cool tipple.
So, if you fancy getting your shakers out, greetings card marketplace thortful.com, has compiled six cocktail and mocktail recipes to celebrate with your family this week.
Please note, that for most cocktails, you’ll also need a cocktail shaker and a strainer.
Tequila sunrise:
Originating in sunny California in the 1970s, nothing says retro, cool, and a taste of the tropical like the tequila sunrise.
Ingredients:
50ml of your best tequila
Two teaspoons grenadine
Tablespoon of triple sec
Large orange
Half of a lemon
Handful of ice
Cocktail cherry
Tall glass
Put your grenadine into your tall glass separately. Add all the other ingredients and the juice from your orange and half a lemon into your cocktail shaker. Shake well, double strain your cocktail, and then add it to your tall glass with the grenadine. Finish off with extra ice and your cocktail cherry on a stick.
Aviation:
Dating back to 1916, the classic Aviation gin cocktail was invented by the head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York. It was named the Aviation because the crème de violette turns the cocktail a pale purple sky-blue colour – but if you can’t get your hands on any, this classic gin cocktail is just as nice without.
Ingredients:
45ml gin
15ml lemon juice
15ml maraschino liqueur
One barspoon (5ml) crème de violette
Maraschino cherry
Add everything into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well, then strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry.
Negroni:
One of the classic Italian gin cocktails. This tipple is a perfect pre-dinner aperitif if you’re cooking this Father’s Day.
Ingredients:
25ml gin
25ml sweet vermouth
25ml Campari
Orange slice or peel
Stir the ingredients into a short glass over ice, garnish with a sliver of orange peel or an orange slice and serve.
Old fashioned:
The bar standard and one of the finest whiskey cocktails of all time, with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients:
60ml of whiskey or bourbon
Two teaspoons of sugar syrup or one teaspoon of sugar
One or two dashes of Angostura bitters
Splash of water
Soda water (optional)
One twist of orange peel to garnish
Put the sugar, bitters, and water in a small tumbler. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Fill your glass with ice and stir in the whisky. Add a splash of soda water if you like and mix. Garnish with the orange.
Pina Colada
If you’re all feeling a little fruity, try the classic pina colada recipe for the ultimate Caribbean cruise for your tastebuds.
Ingredients:
100g of caster sugar
60ml of white rum
75ml of pineapple juice
50ml of coconut cream
Pineapple wedge to garnish
Cook the sugar with 100ml water slowly in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until it dissolves, then allow it to cool. Blitz the remaining ingredients, two tablespoons of sugar syrup, and a few handfuls of ice in a blender. Serve up in a pina colada cocktail glass, with more ice if desired, and garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Pomegranate mojito mocktail:
Mocktails can be just as delicious as their alcoholic counterparts. A virgin alternative to the classic mojito, made with mint and lime, is the pomegranate mojito mocktail. A fruity drink guaranteed to quench your thirst.
Ingredients:
One large bottle of lemonade
One litre of pomegranate juice
Large bunch of fresh mint
Two limes
Three tablespoons of pomegranate seeds
The day before your gathering, pop your pomegranate seeds into an ice cube tray before filling it with water and placing it in the freezer. On the day, place half of your mint into a big jug along with your sliced limes, and then bash with a rolling pin to release their juices. Follow this by adding your pomegranate juice and lemonade, and your cocktail is made! To serve, pop your pre-prepared ice cubes into your glasses, strain your cocktail into the glasses, and finish with leftover mint and slices of lime.
