13 Celebrity Chef-Approved Summer Cocktail Tips
When summertime comes rolling around, outdoor events are inevitable. Between backyard barbecues, Fourth of July gatherings, and pool parties, plenty of folks find themselves spending more time than ever under the sun. And, while a bit of fresh air can do us wonders, it also can pose some challenges in terms of which cocktails to mix up. Indeed, after a full day of catching rays, heavier drinks — like mocha-style White Russian — just do not seem to sit well. Plus, many poolside classics, like a piña colada or a traditional mojito, get repetitive after the third or fourth party.
The good news is that making the perfect summer cocktail is not as difficult as it may seem. Over the years, several celebrity chefs have come forward to share their simple tips for adding a unique twist to your drink — all while keeping things nice and light. From Alex Guarnaschelli's suggestion to mix your cocktail in a bowl to Elizabeth Heiskell's idea of transforming your drink into a classic summer slushie, these culinary experts are here to ensure that your warm-weather drinks stand out from the rest.
1. Alex Guarnaschelli: Don't forget to salt your rim
When it comes to making summertime cocktails, Alex Guarnaschelli understands the importance of keeping things light. During those hotter months, the celebrity chef is all about using ingredients that won't feel overwhelming when imbibed under the sun. After all, her drink of choice is the classic greyhound cocktail — a mouthwatering combination of light vodka, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and bitter grapefruit juice. In this delightful mixture, the acidity of the citrus mingles with the alcoholic overtones of the vodka to create a drink that is tangy and refreshing.
Interestingly, however, Guarnaschelli has a unique tip to help enhance these light summertime flavors. As she revealed in a guest appearance on Fox Business (via YouTube), the "Iron Chef" winner likes to salt the rim of her cocktail glass. In her view, this is the best way to add a bit of contrast to the cocktail's composition, without adding any unusual ingredients, like "bacon and sausages and jalapeño peppers and stuff like that."
To add this essential ingredient in a way that emphasizes a cocktail's flavors, Guarnaschelli first pours her cocktail into a wide-open bowl. The chef then proceeds to dunk the sides of her cocktail glass into the drink itself, before then rolling it in a plate of salt. She explained, "I mean, no better thing to reinforce the same flavor. You could also use a little bit of grapefruit or lemon zest right in there."
2. Michael Symon: Use an egg to make your summer cocktail lighter
When the temperatures go up, Michael Symon says that he starts craving a lighter drink. And, according to the "Iron Chef" contestant, the best way to make a refreshing summer cocktail is not to simply add a shot of club soda. Instead, Symon suggests taking your mixed drink game up a notch by using egg whites to create a frothy topping. As he told Insider in an interview, "Egg whites are one of those underutilized ingredients that really can make drinks interesting."
From what we can tell, Symon could not be more right. As the culinary expert knows, egg whites are not exactly bursting with flavor. However, when whipped together the right way, they can take on a light and fluffy texture that can totally transform your first sip of a drink. In practice, this means that you can use an egg white topping to elevate the quality of pretty much any summer cocktail, without having to worry about this element interfering with the taste of the rest of the drink.
Of course, Symon seems to believe that this unique topping combines better with some ingredients than others. Because of egg whites' frothy texture, the celebrity chef recommends pairing it with something fizzy. "I also always like to have something with a little fizz, whether that be a ginger beer or a tonic. I think it works very well in most cocktails," he said.
3. Donatella Arpaia: Give your cocktail a refreshing tomato garnish
It's no secret that many Italian cooks love using tomatoes — and Donatella Arpaia is no exception. However, while many foodies would expect to find this succulent ingredient on a pizza or baked into a plate of lasagna, Arpaia actually suggests adding it to your summertime cocktail. After all, sweeter fruits, like mangos or pineapple, are not the only things that can taste good in a drink. And, in Arpaia's view, our palates should also make room for tarter tastes.
In her own signature cocktail, The Donatella, the celebrity chef combines lighter alcoholic elements — like Prosecco, vodka, and vermouth — with savory flavors. Indeed, her drink mixes these stronger liquids with unsweetened elements, like basil, cucumbers, and a cherry tomato. Here, the interesting twist is that, while these ingredients are all savory, none of them is particularly heavy. Thanks to their subtle flavor, cucumbers are light and refreshing. Meanwhile, cherry tomatoes have a tart yet acidic taste that brings a certain freshness to the drink.
Since Arpaia recommends adding a whole cherry tomato to every cup, this ingredient has the added benefit of mixing up the texture of your drink. Ultimately, you can sip your fizzy cocktail and then bite into this crisp yet juicy type of fruit. The resulting explosion of flavor will contribute a bit of essential contrast with the monotony of the rest of the cocktail.
4. Jamie Oliver: Turn your cocktail into popsicles
During the summer months, it is important to keep cool, and Jamie Oliver knows it. The celebrity chef suggests turning down the heat by transforming your summer cocktails into popsicles. This unique format will inevitably add a fun twist to your cocktail hours and maybe even give your guests a nostalgic childhood memory or two. As Oliver noted on his personal blog, "I'm channeling retro summertime vibes with these fruity boozy lollies."
While you can freeze just about any drink and serve it on a stick, Oliver recommends using piña coladas as a base. The reason that this particular cocktail freezes so well is that it uses just five key ingredients — all of which blend together easily. Indeed, Oliver mixes freshly-chopped pineapple, coconut milk, rum, honey, and a dash of lime juice to create a liquid that is fruity, buttery, and even a bit creamy. It is also worth mentioning that the natural sugars in the coconut milk, pineapple, and honey combine to create a mixture that is truly dessert-like.
The best part is that this recipe can easily be altered to suit the needs of different guests. Make a rum-free version of these popsicles for alcohol-free partygoers, or, switch out honey for agave to make this recipe vegan-friendly. Either way, this is truly a treat that most people will be able to enjoy.
5. Laura Sharrad: Switch out club soda for sparkling apple juice
Plenty of summer cocktails rely on club soda or tonic water for a bit of fizz. However, Australian celebrity chef, Laura Sharrad, has a different strategy for giving your drink a touch of effervescence. Instead of adding one of these usual ingredients to your drink, she recommends using sparkling cider or even apple juice as a substitute. The reason that this works so well is that, different from club soda, sparkling apple juice is bursting with naturally fruity flavors. As a result, this ingredient will contribute a golden yet tangy taste to your drink, rather than just diluting it in the way that club soda or tonic water tend to do.
Interestingly, this is an especially effective strategy for folks making mocktails. After all, it is much more difficult to infuse these special alcohol-free drinks with the same degree of flavor as their alcoholic alternatives. Because of this, it can be great to add sparkling apple juice — or even alcohol-free cider — to your mocktail. This will ensure that your drink will have a fun texture, without watering down the flavor of the remaining juices.
6. Alton Brown: Make the drink alcohol-free friendly
Laura Sharrad is not the only celebrity chef that encourages people to enjoy the occasional mocktail during the summer months. Alton Brown also has some amazing recipes for alcohol-free summer cocktails. As he explained on his personal website, mocktails and low-ABV drinks "can deliver complex flavors without inspiring the complex behavior often associated with stronger stuff."
With that goal in mind, one of Brown's favorites is cucumber lemonade gin punch, which can be served with or without the alcoholic component. To whip up a batch of this incredible drink, Brown says to muddle some lemons along with their rinds in a pot of sugar and water. Then, he says to place the mixture in a pitcher along with cucumber slices, allowing the flavors to mingle for at least an hour. This process creates a liquid that is literally overflowing with the lemon's acidic yet tangy flavor. Of course, you will also be able to taste the cucumbers, which add a refreshing touch to the beverage.
The true beauty of this cocktail, though, is that it can be adapted for different tastes. Folks who are looking to imbibe in something stronger can serve themselves a cup of this lemonade and then top it off with a shot or two of gin. Meanwhile, Brown says, people who want to indulge in a low-alcohol drink can add sherry or vermouth to their glasses. Of course, alcohol-free partygoers can simply enjoy the lemonade as is.
7. Giada de Laurentiis: Use herbs to give your Prosecco an extra punch
Italian culinary culture is all about the herbs — and Giada De Laurentiis embraces this fully. When whipping up a summer cocktail, the Italian-American celebrity chef is sure to add plenty of fresh herbs to the mix. One of her favorite poolside beverages includes a combination of basil, elderflower liqueur, and Prosecco.
In this fun drink, the sweet floral element of the elderflower accentuates the apple and pear undertones of the Prosecco. Meanwhile, the basil balances out these fruity flavors by adding a hint of spice to the mix. All in all, these herbs do an excellent job of elevating your classic glass of Italian bubbly, giving it an extra layer of complexity.
Of course, to make this whole combination even more refreshing in the summer heat, you can dilute the cocktail a little. De Laurentiis suggests adding a dash of club soda to the mix if you want to lighten things up a bit. This can prevent the overall drink from being too potent or overwhelming.
8. Junior Merino: Spice things up with habanero-infused tequila
Sometimes, the summertime sun heats things up. And, other times, we need a spicy cocktail to bring the burn. This is true, at least according to Mexican celebrity chef, Junior Merino, who is all about making red-hot summer cocktails. To mix your drink the Merino way, the best thing you can do is make your own spicy tequila infusion. The culinary expert suggests adding a habanero pepper to a tall bottle of tequila in order to create a special, spicy liquor.
Per Merino's advice, home cooks can start out by putting on a strong pair of gloves. The reason for this is that, unlike milder jalapeño peppers, habaneros are so hot that they can actually burn your skin. With this in mind, protect your hands and be careful not to touch your face once you start handling this tricky ingredient.
Once your hands are adequately protected, go ahead and slice open the pepper, removing the seeds as you go. Then, plop it into a bottle of tequila and leave it there until the liquid has absorbed a solid punch of flavor. Keep in mind that, when it comes to making infusions, the longer you let the mixture soak, the more flavorful your liquor will become. According to Merino, the optimal amount of time to make a habanero infusion is anything over four hours.
9. Ina Garten: Refrigerate your sangria overnight
Nothing says "summer" like a glass of refreshing sangria. However, before you rush to make this fabulous summer cocktail, keep in mind that not all sangrias are made equal. As noted by celebrity chef and cocktail hour queen, Ina Garten, the best ones are those that hold the most potent fruity flavors.
Luckily, Garten says that there is an easy way to make sure that your sangria stands out from the rest. Rather than whipping it up right before the party starts, the Barefoot Contessa recommends making it in advance. The reason this strategy works so well is that the longer your fruit soaks in the liquor component of your drink, the more flavorful it will be. Because of this, Garten says to prepare the full sangria recipe, put your creation into a pitcher, and then let it chill in the fridge overnight. The result will be a cocktail that is succulent, juicy, and absolutely bursting with the natural sugars of the fruit.
10. Bobbly Flay: Get retro by making a punchbowl
Sangria may be an awesome summer cocktail, but it's not always Bobby Flay's style. The celebrity chef has gone on the record saying that a bowl of punch can be a great alternative to the Spanish classic. After all, similar to sangria, punch is light, fruity, and boozy. In many respects, it is almost like sangria with a different cultural background. As Flay shared in an Instagram video, "I like making sangrias, but punch is the American version of sangria."
Fascinatingly, though, one of the reasons that Flay seems to find punch bowls so fun has to do with their vintage vibes. The celebrity chef even told his Instagram followers, "If you know me at all, you know I like classic things — sort of old-school-coming-new-again. So, with summer in full swing, my go-to cocktail situation this year is gonna be the punch bowl."
Indeed, punch bowls were super popular in the United States throughout the 70s, with champagne punch being one of the hottest summer drinks at the time. In that sense, you can give your party an old-school theme by serving one of these fantastic drinks. As an added bonus, you only have to make one batch of punch, meaning that you won't end up spending the entire cocktail hour filling up your guests' glasses.
11. Julia Child: Keep things simple with just three ingredients
Sometimes, in life, the simplest things are the best ones. The French-educated American celebrity chef Julia Child knew this all too well. When making a cocktail during summertime, Child avoided complex recipes and hard-to-find ingredients. Instead, she embraced a three-ingredient cocktail recipe that was easy to make and wonderful to enjoy.
Indeed, Child's favorite summer cocktail was an upside-down martini with a twist. While this drink may have a name that sounds complicated, in actuality, it contained just vermouth, gin, and a bit of lemon rind. Because this beverage contains so few ingredients, it provides a clean taste that also allows each of the elements to shine.
Interestingly, unlike a traditional martini, which contains more gin than vermouth, Child's preferred martini was made of five parts vermouth and just one part gin. In practice, this just meant that the drink was not as alcoholic as the original. It also gave it a slightly sweeter taste. Of course, the lemon twist was also essential to the recipe, as this garnish offset the stronger flavors of the liquors with a lighter, citric contrast.
12. Travis London: Don't forget the presentation
They say not to judge a book by its cover, but humans have been known to slip into this pitfall time and time again. When it comes to food and drinks, science shows that party guests care a lot about presentation. In fact, many people tend to think food tastes better if it is presented beautifully. Perhaps as a result of this bias, celebrity chef Travis London advises that you not forget to serve your summer cocktails in an aesthetically-pleasing way.
Speaking to Us Weekly, London divulged that one of his strategies for throwing a good party is to make your drinks match the rest of your decorations. The culinary expert advised, "Take buckets in the color of your theme, fill them with ice, and add flavored beverages to each one, matching them to your party decor." Not only will this make your drinks look better, it might also make your guests think they taste better, as well.
13. Elizabeth Heiskell: Turn your drink into a slushy
Slushies are an American summertime favorite, and for many adults, these drinks rekindle a number of fond memories. To inject a bit of nostalgia into your summertime pool party, serve your guests classic slushies — with a bit of a grown-up twist. According to southern cookbook author, Elizabeth Heiskell, this is one of the best ways to connect with your inner child. As the cocktail expert told People, "This is nothing but an adult slushy. That's all it is ... You know, remember? You used to go grab your bike to go get your icy? This is exactly what it is."
The good news is that this drink is not particularly challenging to make. Just combine some sweet tea with a tube of frozen orange juice concentrate, and a tube of lemonade concentrate, and mix in some bourbon. Then, pour the mixture into a baking tray and place it in the freezer overnight. The best part is that you can enjoy it the next day — or a few weeks after the fact. In Haskell's words, "This can be made ahead, and it freezes beautifully." What else could a home cook ask for?