Summers Cheers

Chasteen WITH THE Sisters

By Jeweliana Curtis Holly Frazier Photography

Is there anything better than a refreshing, summery cocktail on a warm Florida night? We don’t think so! With summer festivities happening all around, we invite the Chasteen sisters to share some of their favorite summer cocktails with our readers. Abbie and Mary Anne are master entertainers, so check out these beautiful cocktails that are on their shindig menu all summer long!

Lake City natives Abbie Chasteen and Mary Anne Pearson are the daughters of Robert and Emmie Chasteen, locally loved restaurateurs and operators of Chasteen’s Still Truckin’. The ladies’ roots are in the restaurant business, so it should come as no surprise that they enjoy all things entertaining, from creating delicious recipes in the kitchen to crafting beautiful homemade cocktails for their loved ones to enjoy.

Our Simple Syrup Recipe

Need something to sweeten up your cocktail? A bit of simple syrup will do the trick! This is an easy mixture that can be made at home and stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. It’s great for sweetening cocktails, tea, co ee and much more! It is also easily avored. You can steep fresh herbs in the hot mixture for a unique taste, or pop in your favorite extract for an easy athome avored syrup.

Begin by boiling ½ cup of water on the stovetop. Once it is boiling, add in a ½ cup sugar and stir until combined and the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the liquid into a glass jar and seal well. Store in the refrigerator and add to your favorite drinks as desired. Mary Anne has been deemed the cocktail queen as she loves to create fun drinks that are seasonally based and locally sourced.

“Our parents owned and operated a local small business for many years and I always try to support the locals when possible,” Mary Anne shares. “So many times people shy away from recipes because of the ingredients and the process involved. The ingredient list doesn’t have to be complex, but the avors really have to complement each other well.”

When it comes to crafting a tasty cocktail, Mary Anne encourages others to nd fresh, locally sourced ingredients to incorporate. It will really make the avors pop, and you will de nitely taste the di erence! Not sure where to start? Be sure to check out the local vendors that the Chasteen ladies recommend to nd locally made, fresh products for your next gathering!

The second half of the Chasteen sisters duo is Abbie Chasteen. Abbie has a passion for entertaining and creating, so it’s no secret that she loves being in the kitchen—no matter the task at hand. She is in her element when she is entertaining, hosting people in her home and serving others. Abbie is Mary Anne’s right-hand girl when it comes to cocktail creating, and her job is to “make them look pretty.” She has an eye for detail and always likes to add a special little touch to her creations. She even made the beautiful cocktail markers to garnish the drinks through her company, All Things Abbie.

“I love making things pretty, and I believe there is always a reason to celebrate,” says Abbie.

If you know Abbie at all, you know she has an in nite love for owers and believes that no celebration is complete without them. The owers that she arranged were locally grown in Fort White at Full Keel Farms and truly represent the “just picked” vibe that Abbie loves. The orals added the perfect touch of summer to this beautiful evening shoot.

The Chasteen girls come from a family that values spending quality time with one another, enjoying delicious food and sipping on a tasty cocktail or two. Life is short, so we encourage you to nd a beautiful reason to celebrate with your people today, just as the Chasteen sisters have done. We were able to nish o the afternoon with these sisters on the back porch, and it truly was the perfect way to kick o the summer season. Cheers to the summer, y’all!

Abbie’s Favorite Frozen Blueberry Margaritas

Serves 4

Ingredients: • 2 cups fresh frozen blueberries • 1 cup Patron Silver tequila • ½ cup St-Germain Elder ower Liqueur • 1 cup grapefruit juice (fresh or bottled) • ½ cup simple syrup • 2 tablespoons of local honey

Instructions: In a blender, combine all ingredients and ll ¾ of the way full with ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with fresh mint and a fresh blueberry skewer. Sugar or salt rim optional!

To get the most out of your fresh mint, you need to activate it! Simply place the sprig in one hand and give it a slight pop with the other. By doing this, you will activate the herb and it will give o amazing aromatics!

Check out these amazing local vendors that made this shoot possible!

• Locally grown orals and fresh mint by Full Keel Farms in Fort White • Paper pretties by All Things Abbie • Fresh blueberries from Twin Berry Farms in McAlpin • Gallberry Honey from Gaskins Apiairies in Lake City • Fresh Peaches and Limes from KC’s Produce in Lake City

Mary Anne’s Fresh Summer Peach Mule

Ingredients: For the Fresh Peach Puree: 2 medium-size fresh peaches (washed, peeled and cut into chunks) ¼ cup Peach Schnapps 1 ½ teaspoons fresh pureed ginger 2 tablespoons of simple syrup Juice of 1 fresh lime

For the Fresh Summer Peach Mule: ¼ cup of peach puree 1 ½ ounce of vodka of choice Handful of ice cubes

Instructions: For the fresh peach puree, begin by combining all ingredients in a blender and blend until the mixture is pureed and smooth. This makes a great base for the rest of your cocktail. Next, combine ¼ cup of puree, 1 ½ ounces of vodka and a handful of ice cubes in a shaker. Shake well to combine. Pour the mixture into a copper mug lled with ice. Top with ginger beer (our favorite is Refreshingly Light by Fever Tree) and garnish with fresh mint and a fresh peach slice. Enjoy! ■