July 4th Cocktail Recipes To Try
As a summer baby, I am a huge fan of July 4th festivities. I have always looked forward to this day for a variety of reasons: my birthday is in the same month, it's prime pool/beach season and fireworks! All three of these reasons give me a reason to enjoy this day with a friendly July 4th cocktail, so it would only be right to ask you to do the same. July 4th is a day to celebrate our freedom, but it's also a day of friends and family being together, so why not toast the day with a few fun cocktails?
Here are some really great cocktails for this red-white-and-blue day. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade
Courtesy of Dede Wilson, contributing editor, Bon Appétit
Ingredients
1 12-ounce package frozen unsweetened raspberries (about 3 cups)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 bottle (1 liter, or 33.8 ounces) chilled sparkling water or club soda
Ice cubes
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Lemon slices
Preparation:
Combine frozen raspberries, sugar, and water in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and berries thaw. Increase heat and boil 3 minutes. Strain raspberry mixture into bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer. Mix lemon peel into raspberry syrup in bowl. Chill. Stir raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water in large pitcher to blend. Pour raspberry lemonade into glasses filled with ice. Add fresh raspberries to each glass, if desired. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.
Stars & Stripes Sangria
Courtesy of CoolJunkie.com
Ingredients
3 oz. Chambord
1 bottle of Merlot (We used Fetzer Merlot)
3 Tablespoons sugar
Juice of two oranges
Starfruit
Orange and lemon slices (Make zest with a channel knife and cut into 3 inch strips)
Club soda
Preparation:
Add all ingredients into a pitcher filled with ice. Combine thoroughly, and serve over the rocks with a splash of club soda. Garnish with star fruit and orange and lemon zest.
Serrano Firecracker
Courtesy of SheKnows.com
Ingredients:
1 lime, quartered
1/2 serrano chile, seeded
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 ounces tequila
Preparation:
In a mixing glass, muddle lime with chile and sugar until well combined. Add ice and tequila. Shake well and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime slice.
