The Patriotic Holidays are coming! The Patriotic Holidays are Coming!

Faced with a series of upcoming long weekends I've been contemplating the drink menu for Memorial Day Weekend, Flag Day and the Fourth. So, if I throw a pool party/cookout on Memorial Day weekend what should I serve?

Pool parties always go well with several pitchers of ice-cold 'Ritas. Ice cold beer is always fun.

NO GLASS,

My favorite warm weather drinks are Mojitos, Malibu & Cranberry and Vodka Lemonades.

I second the mojitos.

Rickies! For those who don't like sweet drinks, a rickie is a perfect summer drink:

alcohol of choice (rum, bourbon, Irish, vodka, gin, whatever)
juice from half a lime
club soda or seltzer to fill

Delightful! Refreshing. Not sweet. Low carb.

Now if it would only warm up here in Oregon! Brrrrrr . . . .

82 F here today, birds singing, blue skies, hmm hmmm hmmm Maybe you need a southern vacation. Think I'll have a drink.

I don't know where you are, varielle, but here in North-east Texas, the birds singing, and blue skies and 28C (82F) will soon be followed by birds falling from the sky with exhaustion, skies taking on that sort of washed out steely white-gray-eggshell blue color that comes with day after day after day of cloudless skies with temps in the high 30's to mid 40'sC (high 90's to mid100'sF). in about a month it's going to be hotter than hell for the next four months. Our situations will be reversed and some of Oregon's cool air and summer rain would be awfully welcome come late July and August.

We will be in the same fix as well with 90% humidity, just wallowing in the moment however brief.

I'm in Phoenix and it's been in the 90's for a couple of weeks now. I dread summers.
But I like making bellinis. I puree the peaches and keep them in a tupperware in the freezer, then use a scoop to a glass of champagne. Doesn't that make it healthy?

I don't know if it's healthy but it sounds delicious.

Not gloating about the weather anymore here, we're under a tornado watch. *Grabbing blender & booze and hiding*

I've often mocked my sister for buying her wine in a box, but I might have to rethink the jug variety for this weekend. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904574244103180757152.html

A great refreshing drink:
1/3 gin
1/3 lemon juice
1/3 cassis
add ice
very tangy and easy to make!
It's French, called a "de Gaulle" after the former French president. Maybe not very American patriotic, but we celebrating July 14 soon, the French National Day.

In Canada, we celebrate Canada Day on July 1 and the receipe is simple: beer!

Here is your drink for the weekend. Have a blast of a 4th!

The Firecracker:

•1 part Hornitos™ Plata Tequila
•¾ part blueberry syrup
•½ part DeKuyper® Pucker® Raspberry Schnapps Imitation Liqueur
•¼ part Campari
•Dash of lime juice
Layer ingredients as listed above in shot glass. Drink and enjoy!