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10 Summer Drinks to Cool Down

It's almost always summer in the Virgin Islands but if you're somewhere else in the world waiting to pull out your slippers, sundresses or tank tops, you'll need some go to drink recipes to add some flavor to those summertime BBQ's. Now for those who know me personally, they know I don't really drink alcohol (I know GASP..lol) I am however a really huge fan of "juice-tails" (I don't know if anyone else uses that word but it's mine now so hey...fight me); I LOVE a great juice. Danielle however is the drinker in this duo so while I supply you guys with some great juice-tails she'll give you her awesome cocktail recipes that hopefully won't have your crazy auntie sharing embarrassing stories from your childhood.

Here are 10 of our drink recipes we hope you'll love.

1. Passion Mint Lemonade

Mint

Superfine white sugar

Lemon Slices

Lemonade

Passion fruit juice/syrup

In a pitcher muddle leaves of fresh mint with superfine sugar. Pour passion fruit juice 1/4 of the way over mint and stir to dissolve sugar. Fill the pitcher half way with ice, add lemon slices and pour lemonade over. Stir to combine and enjoy.

**Feel free to spike it with passion fruit Cruzan Rum.**

2. Coconut Lemonade

Coconut Water

Lemonade

Lemon Slices

I know this recipe sounds a bit different but it's delicious! I went to a Reggae concert with my mom in Tampa, tried coconut lemonade for the first time and I was hooked. It's easy, super delicious and refreshing.

In a pitcher pour in coconut water 1/3 of the way and add lemon slices. Fill the pitcher with ice half way and pour lemonade over.

3. Mango Sparkling Spritzer

Mango nectar

Lemon Wedge

Sparkling Water

In a tall glass with ice, pour mango nectar to fill 1/4 of the glass.

Top off with sparkling water and squeeze in the juice of one lemon wedge. Stir and enjoy!

4. Berry Coconut Cooler

Blueberries

Blackberries

Raspberries

Strawberry Simple Syrup

Coconut Water

Pre-make your syrup:

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Mix strawberries into saucepan and bring to a boil; boil for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until strawberries are mushy and sauce becomes thick, about 10 minutes.

Strain liquid into a bottle and allow to cool. Refrigerate remaining syrup.

In a glass muddle berries with and add 2oz. of strawberry syrup.

Fill with ice half way and top off with coconut water. Enjoy!

5. Sparkling Orange Starfruit Cooler

Orange Flavored La Croix

Star fruit Syrup

In a tall glass with ice, fill 1/4 way with star fruit syrup, top off with orange La Croix and enjoy!

If you want to spike it, add in 1oz of Orange Cruzan Rum.

6. The Auntie Dom

1 oz matcha simple syrup

1/2 oz midori

2 oz vodka

1/2 oz lemon juice

2 oz pineapple juice

sprite to fill glass (tall glass)

Pre-make your matcha syrup:

Add 1 c of white sugar to 1.5 c boiling water and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 2 tsp matcha powder to warm simple syrup, stir to combine. Set aside to cool completely.

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour .5 oz Midori 1 oz Matcha syrup Squeeze a wedge of lemon into glass Stir to combine contents so far Add 2.5 oz vodka and 2 oz pineapple juice Top off with sprite and enjoy.

7. Henny-Day Now

Passionfruit Juice

Oranges

Limes

Moscato

Hennessey

Ginger ale

Slice 2 oranges and 2 limes into round and line bottom of a large clear pitcher. Add 3 cups of Hennessy.

Pour one bottle of Moscato into pitcher...please resist urge to stop and drink this; we're not done yet.

Add fresh squeezed juice of two limes Pour in 4 cups of passion fruit juice and top off with two cans of ginger ale, stir to mix.

Chill for at least 30 min. Enjoy!

8.Sorrel Sunrise

Sorrel pods

Ginger

White Sugar

Orange Juice

Tequilla (Blanco)

Grenadine

Simmer sorrel pods and 2 half-inch pieces of ginger root in 4 c of water for 1 hour. Strain pods and ginger out and return to heat, over low heat dissolve 2 cups of sugar in the Sorrel base. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of grenadine and let cool completely. Transfer to carafe/pitcher. Pour 2.5 cups white tequila over ice into a low glass. Slowly add 1 oz of sorrel base, letting it settle to the bottom of the glass. Fill glass with orange juice. Enjoy!

9. Lemongrass Bellini

Honeydew melon

Lemongrass Simple Syrup

Prosecco

Chop melon into uniform cubes (about the size of boba), set in the refrigerator to chill. Brew strong lemongrass tea (fresh grass or tea bags will work, use 2 tea bags for each cocktail you plan to make). Add sugar to hot tea in a 1:1 ratio, stir to dissolve. Let the tea come to room temperature then chill. Scoop 2 tbsp of melon cube into bottom of a champagne flute. Pour in Prosecco to 3/4 fill the glass. Top off with lemongrass syrup. Enjoy!

10. Caribbean Rum Punch

2 cups pineapple juice

2 cups orange juice

1 cup guava juice/nectar

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup grenadine 1 cup Cruzan white rum

1 cup Cruzan mango rum

orange slices for garnish

In a pitcher combine pineapple, orange, lime juice & guava nectar. Add grenadine and rums, stirring to combine.

Pour over ice and garnish with orange slice. Enjoy!!

We hope you love these recipes and they help brighten up or cool off your summer.

Love Always,

Nina & Danielle

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