SPIRITED INSPIRATION

Chill Summer Cocktails

Renée K. Quinn Summer flowers and fresh citrus set the stage for a delicious adventure. This month I sipped my favorite margarita, a flowery tea, fruit juice with seltzer and a sinful cocktail dessert. Take on your environment and create your own tasty sensation. Cheers!

HIBISCUS MARGARITA

A Hibiscus Spiced Margarita is an exotically tropical tequila cocktail made with a blend of fresh lemon and lime juices, a house-made hibiscus syrup and fresno pepper infused agave nectar. A chilled glass is filled with pebble ice, shaken, then topped with crushed ice and an edible flower. This cool refreshing sip is balanced with a delightful peppery finish from the juicy red fresno pepper. The perfect cocktail for a South Florida summery day or night. Created by Ervin Machado

HIBISCUS ICED TEA

Tropical floral notes steeped with tea create a bold iced cooler perfect for a spring afternoon. Created by Magnolia Caffee & Green Light Gallery

SPARKLING HIBISCUS SPRITZER

Add your favorite sparkling water to fruit juices for a refreshing spring sipper. Created by Bootleg Greg Cocktail Company.

ELEVATE YOUR EXPERIENCE

Artisanal handmade Ice Spheres are the perfect addition to a martini or a gin and tonic! Our spheres have gold leaf, citrus and floral elements.

THE CHILL FACTOR

Ice. The key component to craft cocktails. It will make or break your experience. I was introduced to Mixology Ice, and the bar has been raised. A balanced cocktail often comes down to ice. Whenever we talk about ice and chilling, it is important to note that there is no chilling without dilution. With ice being at least half of our cocktail, shouldn’t we pay attention to what is put in our glass? Here is a simple guide to selecting the right ice.

• Cube: used for mixing, shaking, stirring and drinks on the rocks. The larger surface area makes a cube melt slowly and causes less dilution. • Ball: a spherical chunk of ice commonly used for serving Whiskey and Bourbon.

Molds are available to create this unique cocktail accessory. • Cracked: smaller than cubes, cracked ice melts faster and adds more water to your cocktail. Two-thirds to one cup of cracked ice is perfect for one frozen concoction.

My favorite, the it element to any cocktail or sparking drink, are the crystal clear Champagne Spheres. I use these in my Negroni and Manhattan cocktails. I’m hooked. Carlos Leal and his Mixology Ice Team work around the clock servicing high- end hotels, bars, and private clients with a need for clear ice. Worth every penny.

Renée Korbel Quinn

Spirited South Florida

cocktailr@spiritedsouthflorida.com SpiritedSouthFlorida.com @SpiritedSFL #getspiritedsouthflorida