Cool-You-Off Cocktails

It's the first official week of summer, and although cocktails are always in season, I've collected some recipes that I think make great warm-weather treats!

1. Watermelon Bellini

Recipe and photo via Southern Living 

Ingredients
1 lime
2 to 3 Tbsp. coarse sugar
3 cups frozen seedless watermelon
1 cup sparkling wine, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
Additional sparkling wine
Garnish: watermelon wedges
Preparation
Cut lime in half. Cut 1 half into wedges, and rub on rims of 8 (6-oz.) cocktail glasses; dip rims in coarse sugar to coat. Process frozen watermelon, 1 cup chilled sparkling wine, sugar, salt, and juice from remaining lime half in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared glasses; top off with additional sparkling wine. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

2. Rosé Cucumber Cooler

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Recipe and photo via Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients
1 750 milliliter bottle rose wine
1 cup St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/2 cup lemon juice
Thin lemon slices
English cucumber slices
Ice cubes
Preparation
In a large pitcher combine rose wine, St. Germain, lemon juice, lemon and cucumber slices. Serve over ice.

3. Pink Fizz

Recipe and photo via Punchbowl.com

Ingredients

3 tsp. simple syrup

12 fresh mint leaves

3 ounces fresh lime juice

Crushed ice

8 ounces vodka

Cranberry juice 

Champagne or sparkling wine

Preparation

Muddle syrup, mint and lime together in a shaker. Add ice, vodka, 1/8 cup cranberry juice and shake well. Pour mixture into four champagne glasses, evenly and top off with champagne or wine. Garnish with mint.

4. Strawberry-Basil Rosé Sangria

Photo and recipe via O Magazine/Oprah.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup limoncello

1 cup strawberries, sliced

12 basil leaves

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish

1/4 cup lemonade

2 bottles rosé

Directions

Active time: 10 minutes

Total time: At least 2 hours

Preparation

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, stir together all ingredients except wine and lemon slices. Refrigerate 2 hours or as long as overnight. When ready to serve, stir in the wine. Pour into ice-filled glasses, garnish with lemon slices, and serve.

5. The St. Germain Cocktail

The St. Germain Cocktail I had at Parc in Philadelphia.

Ingredients

2 parts Brut Champagne or dry sparkling wine

1 1/2 parts St. Germain

2 parts club soda

 Preparation

Fill a tall Collins glass with ice. Add Champagne first then St. Germain, then club soda. Stir completely and garnish with a lemon twist.

*A Note about St. Germain: It's a French liquer flavored with elderflowers that debuted in 2007. Since then it's become quite popular, so you've probably seen it in cocktails on many drink menus. It's award-winning and fantastic, so if you haven't tried it, I highly recommend!