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Summer quenchers
Ah, summer. Long days, hot nights. Beaches and baseball. If you’re mowing the lawn or grilling a big, thick steak a cold beer might be just the ticket.
But if you’re trying to entertain a more sophisticated crowd, you might want to give one of these summer cocktails a try.
The Mojito
During the summer months Artful Dodger Bar Manager Mike LaRock said he tries to incorporate as many fresh ingredients as possible.
The Mojito, flavored with a big sprig of fresh mint, is one of LaRock’s favorites.
"The mojito’s fantastic," he said. "It’s a classic cocktail."
Back in the pre-embargo days, Americans introduced Cubans to the mint julep, LaRock said. The Cubans started making their version of the drink with rum instead of bourbon, and the mojito was born.
"It’s a little labor intensive but I don’t mind making it because it’s so good," he said.
Havana
The Artful Dodger introduces new drinks every few months to match the season. For summer, the mantra is light, cold and fresh.
"People want to be able to start drinking earlier and go longer," LaRock said. "They want something they can sip all day."
Another drink that fits the Artful Dodger’s summer theme is the Havana, made with spiced rum and pineapple juice. It’s not as light as the mojito, but the spicy rum definitely adds a tropical touch.
Watermelon Martini
The Artful Dodger offers the largest martini menu in town, offering LaRock a lot of latitude when it comes to innovation.
"We try to infuse a certain degree of culinary expertise into our cocktails," he said.
If you’re looking for a summer twist on the traditional cocktail, the Dodger offers a Watermelon Martini.
The drink is on the menu now, but will get an added twist in July or August when watermelons are in season and it’s made with fresh ingredients.
Margarita
Lionel "L Train" Strother, a bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings, has some advice for men who drink margaritas: put ‘em in pint glasses.
"It looks a lot less girlie," he said.
With summer heating up, Strother is about to serve a lot of margaritas.
Bartenders at the restaurant pour three to four times as many glasses of the sour tequila-based concoctions during the summer months, Strother said, mostly to people soaking up rays on the restaurant’s patio.
Sarah Daniels, another bartender, said the drink is particularly popular with women.
"They’re mostly inexperienced drinkers," she said. "They want something that doesn’t taste like booze."
Daniels doesn’t have anything against the classic margarita, but she doesn’t have any love for the frozen, fruit-flavored versions of the drink.
"If you’re going to get a margarita, get it on the rocks, with a little bit of salt and a good tequila and shut up about it," she said.
The Heather
If you just can’t decide what summer drink you want, you might want to try "The Heather."
One of Heather Elston’s fellow bartenders at BW-3 invented the drink for her and she named it after herself.
The Heather is a strawberry daiquiri blended with a pina colada and Malibu mango rum.
"The mango’s the kicker," she said. "It gives a little spice to your drink."
The drink, which isn’t on the menu, is $3.50.
The Greyhound
Elston also recommends a greyhound, a drink she used to serve a lot when she worked at the Staunton County Club.
The greyhound – vodka and grapefruit juice – is bitter but fruity enough to be well suited for summer, she said.
"It’s an old person drink but it’s a good drink," she said.
Recipes
Mojito
1 tsp. of sugar and 10 mint leaves in the bottom of a glass.
Pour 1.5 oz. of light rum and a heavy splash of fruit juice over the muddled mint.
Top off with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig.
Havana
1.5 oz. Captain Morgan’s spiced rum
Splash of sour mix
Splash of lime juice
Dash of sugar
Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Watermelon Martini
1.5 oz. vodka
1.5 oz. Watermelon Pucker (schnapps)
Splash of pineapple juice and a sour
Dash of grenadine
Shake and strain into a martini glass. Top off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a lime wedge
No Frills Margarita
1.5 oz. Sauza Hornitos Tequilla
1 oz. Margarita mix
.5 oz. Triple Sec
Splash of orange juice
Dash of lime juice
Combine ingredients on the rocks and then pour it into a salt-rimmed glass. Sip with a straw.
The Heather
2.5 oz. Strawberry Daiquiri mix
1 oz. Pina Colada mix
2 oz. Malibu mango rum
Put all the ingredients in a blender with ice. Pour into a hurricane glass.
Greyhound
2 oz. vodka
Grapefruit juice to taste
Put the vodka in a highball glass with ice and top off with grapefruit juice.
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