To conclude my series On New England Style, one simply must include the cocktail - a staple in the lives of many New Englanders. There are some classic cocktails that simply scream New England. The Cape Codder, made with cranberry juice and vodka is the first to come to mind, followed by the Madras (add orange juice) and the Sea Breeze (add grapefruit juice.) From these traditional beverages that also saw great popularity in the 1980s with thanks to Lisa Birnbach's The Ultimate Preppy Handbook, you'll find other fun cocktails that are particularly delicious on a warm summer day, in New England... and beyond! 

Chin-Chin Darlings! xo

(Above Image) Martha Stewart infuses some cucumber to give this traditional New England Summer favorite a new twist.

The Cape Codder

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups grated English cucumber (about 1 cucumber), plus cucumber wedges, for garnish
• 9 ounces vodka, chilled
• 12 ounces cranberry juice (no sugar added)
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
• Ice, for serving

Directions

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in grated cucumber, and let cool. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl or large glass measuring cup, and discard solids (you should have 2 cups syrup). Cucumber syrup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Combine cucumber syrup, vodka, and cranberry and lime juices in a 2-quart pitcher. Cocktail can be refrigerated up to 8 hours. Serve over ice, and garnish with cucumber wedges.

For the Madras

2 parts Vodka
3 parts Cranberry Juice
2 parts Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

For the Sea Breeze

2 parts Vodka
3 parts Cranberry Juice
1-1/2 parts Grapefruit Juice
Fresh Lime – optional
Place ice in highball glass. 
Add vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.  Squeeze fresh lime over top and drop in.  Stir.

Now go dust off your copy of The Official Preppy Handbook

The Paloma

A relative newcomer in popularity and taking the country by storm. This recipe comes to us from the folks at GOOP who say "We like to think of them as a cheat’s margarita." They also reccomend Whole Foods and San Pellegrino grapefruit soda

MAKES 8 COCKTAILS

1 ½ cups silver tequila
4 ½ cups grapefruit soda
juice of 6 limes + lime wedges to garnish

1. Combine tequila, grapefruit soda, and lime juice in a pitcher; stir to combine.
2. Pour over ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a wedge of lime.
Can it get any easier?

The Dark and Stormy

The Dark and Stormy is stronger and bolder, made from Rum and Ginger Beer, this drink is popular among the Newport sailing crowd.

Ingredients

2 ounces Gosling's or Myers's dark rum

• 5 ounces ginger beer
• Lime wedge

Preparation

• Pour the rum over ice in highball and fill with ginger beer. Squeeze in the lime wedge.

The Moscow Mule

Perhaps it's the Ginger Beer that makes the Moscow Mule feel like a summer drink. They can be made in a highball, but are traditionally served in copper mugs, which are more fun to drink out of!

Ingredients

• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 2 oz. vodka
• 4-6 oz. ginger beer

Directions

Squeeze lime juice into a Collins glass (or Moscow Mule mug) and drop in the spent shell.

Add 2 or 3 ice cubes, then pour in the vodka and fill with cold ginger beer (not ginger ale, although what the hell).

Recipe courtesy Esquire

The Gin & Tonic

Classic, simple, sophisticated the G+T never fades from style. Add a few blueberries as garnish and it's all New England! With all the wonderful craft gin selections, this is a fun drink to play around and see which gin suits your fancy the most.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 1

• 2 ounces gin
• 1–3 lime wedges
• 3–4 ounces tonic water

Preparation

Add gin to a highball glass filled with ice. Squeeze in lime wedges to taste, then add them to glass. Add tonic water; stir to combine. There are some great new gins out there on the market, with great depth and unique flavors. This is a great recipe to experiment with some of these new flavors. 

The French Gimlet

For those wanting something similar but more sophisticated than a Margarita, the Gimlet, is a great choice on a hot day. An elegant beverage that's a throwback to a different era. Enjoy this in a double old fashioned, a martini or Champagne glass.

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
Cucumber wheel or lime wedge, for garnish

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lime juice and simple syrup. Stir vigorously with a long cocktail spoon until very cold. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass, or strain over a rocks glass filled with ice, depending on preference. Garnish with the cucumber wheel and serve immediately.

A new twist on this old favorite is to add a splash of St. Germaine which seems to make any drink summery.
Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian

Champagne and St. Germaine 

Because Champagne... (or Prosecco)... To add this light floral note simply add a splash of St. Germaine to your Champagne or Prosecco. 
For more St. Germaine cocktails click here. 

The Southside

Another cocktail that has become synonymous with summertime, and a favorite at many Yacht Clubs...

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz triple sec
2 1/2 oz Fresh lime juice
Several large fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
A sprig of lavender for garnish
Soda water
Ice

Directions:

Muddle mint in a pitcher or large vessel, add 1 1/2 oz of vodka, 1/2 oz of Triple Sec,
2 1/2 oz of fresh lime juice and ice. Top off with soda water — this should be the last thing you add so it doesn’t get stirred up. Garnish with mint and lavender.
Recipe via Tory Burch