3 Fresh Fruit Summer Cocktails

 

The temperature is soaring! When I step out of the house and feel myself melting rapidly in the heat, I feel like escaping indoors and not go out anymore until summer finishes. Not unless I am dressed to combat the heat with just a bathing suit on me and lukewarm water waiting for me to dip in. And of course, a nice cold fruity cold alcoholic cocktail to keep me cool. Then I'll stay outdoors willingly.

Lately, I had been enjoying alcoholic fruit cocktails late in the afternoon. I like using fresh fruits, not the processed ones (if possible) in my drinks because they taste much better. Sometimes I create new ones and sometimes, I recreate the old recipes. After mixing new combinations and photographing them (I usually make a lot for my husband and I to enjoy), that's the time I get to put up my feet, sit down and watch the sunset in good company. 

I have three cocktail recipes here that my husband and I both love and I think you should try them out too. These 3 Fresh Fruit Summer Cocktails recipes are located in She Knows. It is a great site (if you don't know already!) tackling lots of informative and entertaining topics under the sun. They have a foodie portion too where I regularly create recipes for them. Look me up in my Profile Page there.

Homemade Bellini

One of the very first cocktails I tried when I stepped on Italian soil was Bellini. One sip and I was hooked. If my facial expressions are more overt, you can see the big change. I was really in love with this drink, still is and will always be.

I have yet to try the real thing in Harry's Bar in Venice, where it was invented, but for now I satisfy myself with what I can do at home with white peaches, red berries and a splash of cold good quality prosecco. On a hot day, a cold Bellini is so good to drink (by the buckets!). Because the peach is so intense, you might not even notice that there's a bit of alcohol in it.

Smashed Berries and Grapefruit Cocktail

Frutti di bosco, berries. I can't help buying them everytime I spot them in the shops. They call out to me. I reason that my kids love eating them with lingonberry syrup but the truth is, I also love them more than how my kids love them. They inspire me in creating recipes because of their sweet and tangy flavors.   

I rarely use fresh grapefruit in my recipes because they are usually very sour but I love instead the processed soda drink with its appealing pink hue. Smashing the berries to release their flavors, pouring the cold soda over them then served with a lot of ice is pure magic on a hot day.

Cherry Limoncello Spritz

I like taking advantage of the current season's yields and in summer, one of my favorite fruits is cherries, especially the black cherries from a town called Vignola in Italy. They are truly sweet and succulent and they are perfect for smashing in drinks, cakes and sauces because they give a lot of sweet and tasty red juice. And I forgot, they are also delicious as is, popping one after the other in your mouth like what my kids do. In one sitting, they can finish half a kilo in minutes between themselves. You will love this simple cocktail with just Limoncello to kick up the drink.