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FOURTH OF JULY POOLSIDE COCKTAILS

6-30-15

When I think of the Fourth of July, I think of coolers full of beer, steaks grilling on the barbecue, and big bowls of pasta salad. Beer, steak, and pasta…not exactly the best things to be putting in your body while you’re traipsing around poolside in a teeny bikini or a pair of swim trunks. No matter how you plan to celebrate the 4th of July, it’s a good excuse to indulge in a cocktail.

Fourth of July themed cocktails are easy: anything that’s red, white or blue, anything that’s perfect for barbecuing, and/or anything that has any kind of American history or theme to it. After searching the World Wide Web and testing and changing some of the drink recipes, I’ve compiled a list of 4 cocktails, which are perfect for all those patriotic pool parties coming your way.

1. The Fourth of July

Yes, there is actually a cocktail called the Fourth of July. It’s a layered drink with red, white and clear layers You can actually use cream in place of the vodka to make the clear layer white, but then two of the layers are non-alcoholic. It looks perfectly festive with the clear vodka layer.

Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4-6 cups ice
• 4 ounces blue raspberry vodka
• 3 ounces cherry vodka

Directions:
1. To make a simple syrup, combine sugar and water and heat in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Cool completely in refrigerator.
2. In a blender add clear vodka, lime juice, 2 ounces simple syrup, and 1½ cups of ice; blend on high until it reaches a “slush like” consistency, adding more ice if necessary. Pour into a container and place in the freezer. Next, in the blender add blue raspberry vodka, 2 ounces simple syrup, and 1½ cups of ice; blend on high until desired consistency is reached, and pour into a container and place in freezer. Then, in the blender add cherry vodka, 2 ounces simple syrup, and 1½ cups of ice; blend until desired consistency is reached and place into a container and place in freezer.
3. Let chill in freezer until ready to use.
4. To “assemble” drink layers, spoon some of the blue in the bottom of a glass, then white, then red on top.

2. The Hurricane

This drink was invented in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and is definitely a little piece of Americana. It comes out a nice cherry red color and makes a wonderful choice for celebrating the Fourth of July. This is also a fun recipe, because the original version is very simple (two rums, a couple of fruit components) and you can add your own twist to make it special.
Ingredients:
• Strawberries
• Simple Syrup
• Cream de Cacao
• Blue Hurricane Mix
• Decorative straw

Directions:
1. Muddle 3 strawberries & simple syrup in a cocktail glass. (Note: start with about 1 tsp. of syrup and add more if needed – it just depends on the sweetness of your strawberries.)
2. Add ice, filling glass all the way to the top.
3. Use the back of a spoon to slowly and carefully add the Cream de Cacao to create the white layer. (the spoon “breaks the fall” to prevent the layers from mixing.
4. Finally, add the blue layer – the hurricane mix. Again, use the back of a spoon to slow down the liquid so it can sit on top of the Cream de Cacao.
5. Carefully add a straw and serve to your super impressed party guests. Happy Birthday, USA!

3. Watermelon Martini

Here is a perfect cocktail for the Fourth of July, with fresh, juicy watermelon. Seedless watermelons are best for making this tasty beverage!
Serves: 2 cocktails

Ingredients
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• 6 oz fresh watermelon juice (I used a seedless watermelon so mixed it in my food processor and then strained it through a metal strainer).
• 2 & ½ oz good vodka
• 2 & ½ oz Limoncello or orange liqueur
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• Ice
• Watermelon wedges for garnish

Directions
1. Chill 2-3 glasses in your fridge or freezer 10 minutes before making the cocktail.
2. Combine the sugar and salt and spread it on a flat bread plate. Dampen the rim of your glass with water or lime juice and dip it in the sugar/salt mixture. (Save the leftover mixture for another occasion).
3. Combine the watermelon juice, vodka, liqueur and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 6-8 times.
4. Strain and pour the mixture into the prepared glasses and garnish with a watermelon wedge.

4. Coconut Blue Hawaiian

It’s actually blue, and it has the name of a state in it. You can’t beat that for a Fourth of July celebration. This is a delicious tropical drink featuring orange, pineapple and coconut.

Ingredients:
• 2 shots rum
• 1 shot coconut rum
• 2 shots Blue Curacao liqueur
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• Juice of a half a lime
• Ice
• Cherries for garnish

Directions:
Pour the rum, coconut rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, lime juice and ice into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously until mixed.
Pour the drinks evenly into two glasses with fresh ice.
Garnish with a cherry if desired and serve cold

Pool Party Tips

Throwing a great 4th of July Pool Party can be easy and fun if you follow some of my simple tips.
• Keep things light and simple with lots of drinks, salads and time in the pool.
• It’s hard to keep the kids hydrated because they never want to stop to drink anything, so I make sport ice pops. Give a kid a frozen pop and they’ll sit and eat it. I freeze some red white and blue sports drinks in plastic cups in the freezer in layers with Popsicle sticks. It works great and they love them.
• As you might guess, keeping adults drinking something is a lot easier, so I keep it super simple with a big-fruited lemonade. Just fill a big serving container with fresh fruit (fresh lemons, limes and berries) some store- bought lemonade mix and serve it up or let them help themselves. Fruit punch also works and you can serve vodka or rum on the side for a kick. (Drink responsibly)
• Ask everyone bring a side dish so I have less work to do.

Pool parties are about everyone getting wet, right? One great way to get everyone in the pool is a game.
Try the “Greased Watermelon” and everyone will be in the pool in no time. Get a large whole watermelon (the bigger the better) and rub a teaspoon of shortening or petroleum jelly all over it and put it in the pool.
Divide your guests into two teams at opposite ends of the pool. Drop the watermelon in the center. The teams have to rush to the watermelon, retrieve it, and bring it to the other team’s side first. Only one rule: you can’t lift it out of the water. The kids will start but the adults will take over in no time. It’s hard to resist.