Cocktails & Beverages

The sun is blazing across the sky, dripping heat. A slight breeze brings only a touch of relief. What could be better now than serving ice cold, thirst-quenching summer cocktails?

Home beer brewing is economical and a creative challenge. With so many types of beers to choose from and starter kits available for less than $100, you'll never grow bored customizing flavors and creating recipes to pair with your favorite meals.

If you think of New Orleans and the French Quarter, then the hurricane cocktail may come to mind. Popular with both tourists and residents who visit the Quarter, Hurricane cocktails can be ordered on a "to go" basis so that you can sip and wander at the same time.

Mulled wine is a perfect cold weather treat to warm the hearts and bodies of those you choose to share it with. It's similar to a hot cider cocktail, but contains mostly citrus, wine, cinnamon and other tasty spices.

My husband and I recently threw our very first wine party and we had such a good time I can't wait to do it again!

Pina colada mixes are available (just add ice and blend), but you'll want to find the best pina colada recipe and try blending one from fresh pina colada ingredients to find out how luscious this sweet treat can be.

For coffee lovers, there's little better than starting the day with a perfect cup of coffee. The act of making coffee may seem simple, but really, brewing your perfect cup of coffee is more of an art. Start by investing in quality equipment, knowing your palate and how to select, store and brew your favorite beans.

If the only iced tea you drink is from a bottle you bought at the grocery store, or worse, a can, you'll be sorry you never learned how to brew iced tea before now. Home brewed iced tea is refreshing, invigorating and best of all, there are so many variations of this classic summertime beverage you can tantalize your taste buds while you're taking in the natural health benefits of the antioxidants that occur naturally in tea.

Although it's been around for centuries, punch hasn't lost its appeal for partygoers and cocktail connoisseurs alike. Whether you want to make iced or hot punch, start by using the freshest ingredients you can find and then let your palate be your guide.

Ginger ale punch-the ginger ale being responsible for putting the punch into most punch drinks-is one of the most popular types of punches. Ginger ale is the zesty effervescence and the zing that keeps the party on a high note from beginning to end.

If you love different types of beer, you'll want to pair it with the right food to bring out the unique flavors in your favorite brew. Check out these types of beer and beer pairings for some ideas on making the perfect food and beer matches.

The classic recipe for how to make sangria calls for red wine, fruit, brandy and club soda, but there are now many other acceptable ingredients for a sangria wine recipe, including white wine, champagne, and various fruits and herbs. To make the best sangria, choose a red wine you enjoy as the base ingredient and build off of that with fruit accents you enjoy.

At your next big party, when grandma and the kids are invited, serve up a scintillating non-alcoholic punch. A nonalcoholic punch looks festive in a crystal bowl and quenches the thirst of a large crowd of people.

Healthy smoothies did not become popular until the mid-60s, when there was a rekindling of macrobiotic vegetarianism. Though there has been resurgence in the popularity of the smoothie in the past few years, smoothies have been around since the 1930s, when health food stores on the west coast began selling pureed fruit drinks.

Milkshakes have been a cool comfort to Americans for generations. Add to the milkshake legacy by learning how to make blender milkshake recipes.

Learn how to make a strawberry daiquiri and you'll never go back to store bought strawberry daiquiri mixes again.

Punch comes in all flavors and colors, but when it comes to a recipe for wedding punch, you need to select the perfect recipe to capture the importance of such a special day.

To fully appreciate wine tasting, you must know what it is that makes an individual wine exemplary. Becoming acquainted with the subtle nuances of the art and language can heighten your wine-tasting experience.

Making cocktails at home is a great way to show off your bartending skills when entertaining. Just invest in a good bartending guide, stock your home bar with quality tools and accessories and be willing to experiment.

An inexpensive and simple alternative to store-bought herbal tea bags is to make your own homemade herbal teas, using herbs grown in your own backyard.