Updated: June 23, 2016
The summer solstice marks the first summer day in the northern hemisphere. The longest day in the annual calendar allowing northern hemisphere residents to enjoy about 17 hours of daylight.
This event occurs when planet earth’s northern axis of rotation is most tilted toward the sun. This year is the first time in 70 years that a full moon coincide with the summer solstice on the same day. The Algonquin tribes purportedly coined the full moon the ‘strawberry moon’ as it signifies the onset of the strawberry season.
Summer means intense heat for most in the northern hemisphere. How to keep cool when the mercury rises? Emore Campbell of New York shares with GlobalEAT a collection of 10 delicious lemon inspired cocktails to refresh you and jazz up your outdoor entertaining this summer.
Her favourite spritz is the Tall Blonde. Campbell says she loves the Tall Blond for its gentle bite – the lemony tart of the perfect margarita, the fizzy taste of the Tom Collins and the sweetness of a fresh glass of lemonade wrapped in one.
Avion Rouge
A signature drink of Baoli Miami, Avion Rouge features Avion Silver Tequila, Aperol, a touch of pink grapefruit and fresh lemon juice, topped off with club soda, served on the rocks with a fresh twist of lemon.
Blueberry Lemon Drop
Sounds like a candy, but it’s actually a creative twist of Stoli Blueberi Vodka, DeKuyper Triple Sec, house-made lemon sour with fresh blueberries – mix and hand-shaken together, a cocktail recipe of Sullivan’s Steakhouse Austin.
Blue Island Lemonade
A Spirit of New York concoction, this refreshing cocktail features Absolut Raspberri, Vodka Blue Curacao Liqueur, and fresh squeezed lemons – along with a cruise, a view of New York’s skyline and iconic landmarks like Beyonce and JayZ’s TriBeCa loft, the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center.
Courtesan Gertie’s Cobbler
A concoction of the Public Belt (Hilton New Orleans Riverside’s piano bar), this spritz is inspired by the legendary Storyville madams of the red light district. It features Belvedere Intense Vodka, maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon and Luxardo cherries.
Lemongrass Drop
Don’t be fooled by the name, it has more than lemongrass. This refreshing concoction of the Living Room Bar at W South Beach is made with a mix American Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, pineapple juice, lemongrass syrup and fresh mint.
Michigan Lemonade
The leading U.S. automotive state can get very warm and muggy in the summer. To keep their guests cool and happy, the JW Marriott Grand Rapids and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel came up with the Golden Sun Lemonade, a blend of Patron Citronage tequila, Lemoncello, simple syrup, 5 basil leaves and a splash of: lemon, lime and grapefruit juice.
Pisco Sour
You don’t have to travel to Peru for a Pisco Sour. The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa’s Contigo Latin Kitchen offers this Latin classic cocktail created with pisco, angostura bitters, egg white and fresh lemon juice.
Queen Bee
As the name says, the bee contributed towards the making of this cocktail, which is a concoction of the exotic W Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island – nestled off the coast of Puerto Rico. The ‘Queen Bee’ cocktail is infused with 10 cane rum, freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey syrup and Torre Oria for a subtly sweet, zesty island flavour.
Spicy Cranberry Lemonade
For a spicy, sweet and tangy spritz, the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino’s Spicy Cranberry Lemonade cocktail is worth a try. The cocktail is made of Aruba’s signature papaya hot sauce (made right on the island!), gin, cranberry juice, fresh squeezed lemon, diced cucumber, and pomegranate syrup.
The Tall Blonde
A flavourful citrus-lemonade concocted with vodka, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Cointeau, Cocchi Americano mix with soda water. The Tall Blonde is a sweet and tangy signature cocktail served to guests at the opening of the Roof Top Garden at New York’s Hotel Giraffe.
For all cocktail recipes, click here.
Photo Credit: QUINN PR
