I have a very fond memory of attempting to make fresh squeezed lemonade with my husband and kids one hot summer evening.  Little did I know how many lemons we needed for that pitcher of lemonade.  Two trips to the grocery store later, and a lot of lemons...we had an icy cold pitcher of lemonade.  Years later, indulging on this summer time treat, we decided to add some mint, fruit and my favorite sparkle for this lovely refreshing summer cocktail.  Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Bubbles!

2 oz. Rum
1 oz. Lemonade
Mint
Fresh berries (I love the trifecta of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries)
Champagne

Make ice cubes with berries the night before.  In a small tin shaker add regular ice, a few berries, rum and lemonade. Slap the mint in your hand until you can smell it from about a foot away from your nose.  Add the mint to your tin and shake vigorously until tin is cold to the touch.  Strain and pour onto berry ice cubes.  Top off with more berries and champagne.

Taco Tuesday.  Everyone's coping mechanism for that 'early in the week struggle.'  And who doesn't love their margaritas and sangrias for Taco Tuesday!  Well my Sippin Gypsy Team Gin, here is a way to keep the favors married well to our Tuesday staple but not waver on your steadfast loyalty to the beautiful spirit of gin...Cheers!

2 oz. Gin
1 oz. Fever Tree Tonic
Handful of cilantro leaves
Juice from a lime wedge

In a small tin shaker add gin, lime juice and ice.  Slap the cilantro leaves in your hand to release the oils then add to tin and shake vigorously until tin is very cold to touch.  Pour into short cocktail glass and top with tonic, lime wedge and more ice.

Gin is such a flavorful spirit.  It dances beautifully with all things botanical and herbaceous. To me, lavender is such an elegant addition to this simple yet refreshing cocktail.  Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Gin!

Something to ponder:  The flavor of the gin with vary greatly by the label.  Don't write off gin as a whole just because you tried one or two you didn't like.  It personally took me quite a few tries to find Gins that suited my pallet.  A few of my favorite Gins are: St Augustine Gin, Old St Pete Gin, or St George Gin.

3 oz. Gin
1 oz. San Pellegrino Limonata
Lavender sprig
Ice cubes with lavender

In a small tin shaker add regular ice, lavender sprig and gin.  Shake vigorously until tin is cold to the touch.  Strain and pour into small cocktail glass with lavender ice cubes and top with San Pellegrino Limonata.  

Bartenders cringe when you order this drink, but I still love it.  Perhaps I haven't had to make enough in rapid time to hate creating this cocktail.  To me this is the perfect cocktail for your summer pool party to cool off! Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Rum.

2 oz. Rum
1 oz. Turbinado Simple Syrup
1 lime
Mint (handful of leaves) 
3 drops of Grapefruit Bitters (I like to use Fee Brothers Bitters)
Champagne 

In a small tin shaker add rum. simple syrup and bitters and top off with ice.  Slap the mint in your hand until you can smell it about a foot away from your nose and add to the tin.  Slice the lime, squeeze the juice into the tin then add the slices into the tin and shake vigorously until tin is very cold to the touch.  Pour into your favorite tall glass and top off with champagne.  

I love a refreshing cold sip.  One of my favorite regular spots, Highball and Harvest at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando Florida delighted me with a cocktail with sorbet.  I wanted to dabble in this refreshing idea just in time for those hot Florida summer months!

The following recipe can be interchanged with different flavor profiles.  I've listed some of my favorites, but get creative!

Blood Orange Sorbet/Tequila/Pineapple Juice/Rosemary   (Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Tequila)

Raspberry Sorbet/Gin/Strawberry Lemonade Juice/Sage   (Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Gin)

Peach Sorbet/Vodka/Orange Juice/Basil   (Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Vodka)

Mango Sorbet/Rum/Orange Pineapple Juice/Mint     (Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Rum)


1 scoop of sorbet
Champagne (topped off before serving)
2 oz. spirit
3 oz. juice
1 sprig of an herb

Scoop sorbet into your serving glass and set aside.  In a small tin shaker add spirit, juice and herb to ice and shake until tin is cold to the touch.  Strain and poor over sorbet and top off with Champagne.

I make a non spirited version of this for my kids: 5 oz of juice and soda water to add sparkle!

Please add in comments your favorite flavor combinations!  Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Bubbles! 

Knowing my favorite cocktail is the jalapeno margarita, but having friends on Sippin Gypsy Team Vodka, I wanted to share something that was still feisty and refreshing but celebrating Team Vodka!

2 oz. Vodka (I like to use my homemade jalapeno infused vodka for this recipe)
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. lemon juice (about one lemon)
3/4 oz. lime juice (about one lime)
3/4 oz. simple syrup 
1 diced jalapeno pepper
 
Muddle the jalapeno (seeds too!) in a small tin shaker, then add the lemon, lime and simple syrup. Top off with ice, Vodka and Cointreau and shake vigorously until the tin is cold to the touch.  Strain as you pour into your favorite glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
*this cocktail is spicy!  Too tune it down, do not muddle the the jalapeno, just slice it, remove the seeds and shake it with the ingredients above.
 

Tequila and heat pair so nicely together.  This cocktail was the first sip I had when I landed in New Orleans at 9 in the morning.  Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Tequila!

1 1/2oz. Tequila
4oz. Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix
Hellfire Bitters to taste (I use 3 viles of  Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub)
1 lemon wedge
1 celery stalk
1 slice of cooked thick cut peppered bacon
Himalayan salt (for the rim)


Add Tequila, Zing Zang, Bitters and lemon wedge in a tin on ice and shake until the tin is cold.  Pour into your favorite tall glass rimmed with Himalayan salt and garnish with celery stalk and bacon slice.

My favorite cocktail! I am definitely Team Tequila.  When not enjoying a beautiful anejo on the rocks, this cocktail layered with citrus and heat is my 'go to' (but only if the bartender knows what they are doing and uses fresh ingredients.) Cheers Sippin Gypsy Team Tequila!
 
2 oz. Tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. lemon juice (about one lemon)
3/4 oz. lime juice (about one lime)
3/4 oz. simple syrup 
1 diced jalapeno pepper
 
Muddle the jalapeno (seeds too!) in a small tin shaker, then add the lemon, lime and simple syrup. Top off with ice, Tequila and Cointreau and shake vigorously until the tin is cold to the touch.  Pour into your favorite glass and garnish with a jalapeno slice.
*this cocktail is spicy!  Too tune it down, do not muddle the the jalapeno, just slice it, remove the seeds and shake it with the ingredients above.