“When I was in Miami a few years ago, they served frosé by the pool and it was divine,” says Andy Clarke, author of House of Gin. That’s essentially a rosé slush puppie, but Clarke has since cranked it up a gear with the addition of sloe gin. He combines five parts rosé, three parts sloe gin and one part cranberry juice, then freezes the lot overnight in a clip-lock container. “Because of the amount of alcohol, it will only freeze to the point of being slushy,” Clarke says, so to serve you simply loosen it with a fork until you get “shards of beautiful, deep pink slush”. Divide between wine glasses and decorate with frozen mixed berries and a sprig of mint for “that sangria-esque holiday feeling, even if you’re at home”. A word to the wise, though: this sloe frosé is quite potent, so Clarke advises maybe topping it up with a bit more cranberry juice: “That will also look beautiful as it filters through.”
Another cocktail you can bung together in advance is Clarke’s blood orange bomb. “I know they aren’t in season,” he says, “but you can buy blood orange juice just about all year round at the supermarket.” Get a pitcher and a handful of ice, then add four parts blood orange juice, two parts gin and one part lime juice. “Have that in the fridge, then, when your friends arrive, add three parts sparkling water and stir slowly.” Strain into glasses filled with ice and decorate with dehydrated orange slices.
Goutham Veeramaneni, bar manager at Crispin in London, also leans towards gin for a summer cooler, either in an elderflower spritz (elderflower cordial, gin, fresh lemon juice and soda) or his latest invention, the amaro rhubarb (mix 10ml rhubarb cordial, 20ml Amaro Santoni and 30ml gin). “The tartness of the rhubarb complements the bittersweet amaro and botanical notes in the gin for a really refreshing drink.”
Then again, it’s always a good idea to embrace the bubbles, especially in that perennial summer favourite, the bellini. Mark Diacono, whose latest book Vegetables is out this month, punts for a twist: peel, stone and chop two white peaches, pop them in a pan with a sprig of lavender and some water, and bring to a simmer. “When the fruit has surrendered, lift out and discard the lavender, then puree the fruit.” (If the fruit is on the firm side, he’ll halve and roast it in a low oven with some chopped lavender and a little water in the pits until soft.) The proportions are up to you, but Diacono says you can’t go far wrong with one part peach puree to three parts fizz.
Of course, you don’t necessarily need booze to hit the happy hour spot, either. For something non-alcoholic, Agostino Perrone, director of mixology at The Connaught in London, “honours the British tea tradition” by putting the kettle on. “Combine 40ml pear juice, 20ml ginger syrup, 20ml fresh lemon juice and 30ml brewed jasmine tea in a shaker filled with ice, and shake vigorously until chilled.” Double strain into a highball glass filled with ice and garnish with a dried pear slice and a sprig of mint, if you’re feeling fancy.
Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@theguardian
