Sunshine has started to spill over the walls and furniture in my dorm room, and I finally wore a dress without tights today — spring (and Dillo weekend!) is officially here. Celebrate with some classic drinks, or get adventurous with twists on some warm weather favorites!
The Original: Margarita
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 shot silver (clear) tequila
2/3 shot triple sec
1/3 shot lime juice
Splash of simple syrup (1 part sugar mixed with 1 part water)
Salt (for rim of glass)
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Or stir together vigorously in a cup.
2. Strain into a glass with a salt rim.
Photo by Hannah Lin
The Twist: Grapefruit Margarita
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 1/3 shots silver tequila
2/3 shot triple sec
1/3 shot lime juice
5 1/3 shots grapefruit juice
Salt (for rim of glass)
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Or stir together vigorously in a cup.
2. Strain into a glass with a salt rim.
Photo by Hannah Lin
The Original: Lemonade
Total time: 10 minutes
Serving: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
5 cups water
1 cup lemon juice
Directions:
1. Combine sugar and 1 cup of water in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring it to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar, forming a simple syrup. *To simplify, microwave sugar water mixture for 3-4 minutes, then stir again. Repeat process until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear.*
3. Allow simple syrup to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold.
4. Stir together the chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 4 cups of water in a large pitcher and serve over ice.
Photo by Hannah Lin
The Twist: Lemonade-Mint Iced Tea
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: Makes about 12 cups
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons crushed mint leaves
4 cups boiled water
½ cup instant iced tea powder
1 cup white sugar
8 cups cold water
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
Directions:
1. Combine mint leaves, boiling water, instant tea powder and sugar in a 1-gallon pitcher.
2. Stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Let stand for 15 minutes to cool.
4. Stir in cold water and lemonade concentrate.
5. Serve over ice in tall glasses.
Photo by Hannah Lin
The Original: Unsweetened Iced Tea
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: Makes 8 cups
Ingredients:
8 tea bags
½ cup hot tap water
7 ½ cups cold water
Directions:
1. Place tea bags in a 2-quart (8-cup) pitcher.
2. Add hot water to pitcher.
3. Let the tea steep for 15 minutes.
4. Add the cold water and remove tea bags.
5. Refrigerate and serve over ice.
Photo by Hannah Lin
The Twist: Spiked Boston Iced Tea
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 cups water
1/2 cup white sugar
8 tea bags
1/2 12-ounce can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 cup raspberry vodka
Directions
1. Place water in large pot and heat on high until it boils.
2. Add sugar to water and stir until dissolved.
3. Add tea bags and steep until the tea is as strong as you like — steep longer for stronger tea, or steep shorter for weaker.
4. Stir in cranberry concentrate and allow to cool.
5. Stir in raspberry vodka.
Photo by Hannah Lin