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It's your weekly summer cocktail recipe blog! Well, I'm ready to get all boozed up like a true-blue patriot on this long holiday weekend. That means shots and beer, friends. But I'm sure somewhere around Saturday morning I'll want to take a quick break from the Wild Turkey and Old Style (Go Cubbies!) to add some civility with a few good cocktails. Here's what I'll be making!

One of The Mercury's lovely ad execs sent in a fine summer recipe for everyone to enjoy. Thanks Autumn! Not only is she a fine American, but I'm told she makes one hell of a cocktail. Here's her offering for your weekend. Make it early, make it often.

The Strawberry Basil Thing (SBT)

6 strawberries
6 -10 basil leaves
1/4 oz simple syrup, preferably infused with rose geranium
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 1/2 shots vodka

Muddle strawberries, basil leaves and simple syrup. Add lemon juice and vodka with ice.
Shake and pour...oooh la la.

Okay, so it's a kind of an Italian American thing going on with the SBT. But here in America we great everyone equally, especially if they're bringing the booze!

Here's another one for you, from local distillery House Spirits. It won't be long before they open their much anticipated cocktail boutique where you'll be able to purchase bar gear and bottles from their apothecary line, which I discussed here. In the meantime, I swiped this recipe from their website. I'm sure they won't mind as long as you promise to use their booze. You should anyway, it's good stuff.


Pepper Delicious

4 thin red bell pepper rings, seeds discarded
6 to 8 mint leaves
1 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice
2 ounces Aviation gin

In a cocktail shaker, muddle 3 of the bell pepper rings with the mint, lime juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice and the gin and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the remaining pepper ring.

Alright, that should be enough to enhance your weekend's patriotic buzz. Oh wait! I forgot something! Here's the link to the site where you can learn to make flaming jell-o shots! Just, whatever you do, do not try to drink them. They could kill you!

Happy Fourth of July, and as always, send me your summer cocktail recipes and I'll post 'em here! Yeehooo!