Some more quenching drinks to beat the summer heat … stay cool y’all.

Coconut and ginger go really well together, and this a super fast, super easy and super tasty drink to pull off at home or behind a bar.

¼ lemon
¼ orange
30ml rye whiskey or bourbon
2 tbsp coconut cream
Ginger beer, chilled to serve

Fill a highball glass or half a coconut with ice and squeeze juice from lemon and orange into it.  Add whiskey and coconut cream, top with ginger beer, stir gently and serve (makes one drink).

The Romans are said to have been the original sangria drinkers – only they used to top theirs with olive oil! 

This drink will benefit from being prepared a day in advance, allowing its flavours to mingle and get to know each other. If you don’t have time to prepare this a day ahead, just serve it over ice with extra strawberries.

500ml rosé or white wine
6 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
80ml simple syrup
1 orange, quartered, seeds removed
1 lemon, thinly sliced widthways, seeds removed
Ginger ale or sparkling water, chilled to serve

Throw all ingredients, except ginger ale, into a carafe or pitcher and refrigerate overnight.  Pour into wine glasses and top with ginger ale or sparkling water (serves four).

The spiced rum helps to awaken your senses and the fresh juice make it seem almost good for you!

45ml Sailor Jerry spiced navy rum
15ml Cointreau
1tsp apricot jam
15ml freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice

Add all ingredients to a shaker tin half filled with ice. Shake hard and fast, pour through a fine strainer into chilled cocktail (martini) glass and serve (makes one drink). 

Extra delicious when garnished with Eggs Benedict or French toast!

• Cool cocktails taste better in the shade (Jun. 18/08)
• Out with the old, in with the new, back with the classics (May 20/08)