This kombucha sangria recipe is a perfect sipper on a hot summer day.

This season is perfect for finding fresh berries & rhubarb at the market so I’m taking full advantage of both fresh fruits in this recipe.

Combining my love for kombucha and summer sangria recipes, I created this Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria for all of your summer sipping needs! First, start off by making an easy, homemade rhubarb simple syrup which packs a nice tart and sweet flavour. Then add in berry kombucha and fresh strawberries to kick up that berry flavour. The limes help bring all of the flavours to life in this bright and cheery sangria! And of course a little mint garnish and rhubarb stalk is the perfect finishing touch to this fun drink.

So, what is kombucha? It’s a ‘bubbly fermented drink’ that is full of many probiotics and enzymes that are good for gut health. And, a bottle of kombucha is one of my go-to drinks! I really enjoy sipping on a kombucha in the afternoon or on a hot day.

Why you’ll love this berry rhubarb kombucha sangria

• This Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria is a little tart and a little sweet for the perfect summer sip.
• Easily made into an alcohol-free option by using a non-alcoholic rosé.
• If you love traditional sangria, you’ll love this summery version!
• Make sure you use refreshing, cold kombucha in this sangria recipe.

Ingredients needed for this kombucha sangria

Kombucha: you’ll need two bottles of kombucha, specifically berry kombucha, approximately 3 cups or 24oz total

Rhubarb: rhubarb along with sugar and water is used to make an outstanding simple syrup as the base of this sangria

Strawberries: fresh strawberries are a must in this kombucha sangria

Lime: fresh lime slices add a tartness and brightness to this kombucha sangria

Rosé: I love the addition of rosé to this sangria; a dry rosé works best for a light and refreshing sangria and pairs well with the rhubarb simple syrup.

How to make sangria

Step 1: Make the rhubarb simple syrup by adding 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and 2 cups chopped rhubarb into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer so most of the liquid is in the bowl. *Note: save the rhubarb solids that are strained out as it tastes just like a jam and is delicious on yogurt, oats or toast**

Step 3: In a large pitcher mix kombucha, rosé and rhubarb simple syrup. At this step you could refrigerate and add the fruit (strawberries, rhubarb, limes) just before serving.

Step 4: Pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, garnish the top of each glass with fresh mint and an optional rhubarb slice. Sip & enjoy!

Expert tips

• Make the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• This can be made into a non-alcoholic sangria too! Just substitute the rosé with another bottle of kombucha or non-alcoholic rosé and add some sparkling water to your tastes if desired.
• Kombucha is readily available at your local grocery store or health food stores. It’s a great option to use in sangria instead of fruit juice.
• Freeze the strawberries or use frozen strawberries to keep the kombucha sangria cool for longer!

common questions

Can I use a different flavour of kombucha?
I highly recommend using a kombucha with berry flavours as this goes best with the other ingredients in this fun cocktail recipe. You can use any type of berry flavour you like – mixed berry, raspberry or strawberry!

What type of rosé should I use?
A dry rosé works best for a light and refreshing sangria and pairs well with the rhubarb simple syrup.

Can I make this ahead of time?
I recommend making the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time.  Then just put the rest of the sangria together before serving – if you let the bubbly kombucha sit in the fridge for too long it will loose its fizzy nature.

how to store this kombucha sangria

This kombucha sangria is best enjoyed as soon as it’s made! You can make this ahead of time and then add the kombucha just before serving so that the drink stays fizzy.

more summer cocktails to love from the blog

Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch

The Best Peach Basil Wine Spritzer (White Wine)

The Best Sparkling Blackberry Vodka Drinks Recipe

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Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé)

This Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria is a bright and cheerful sip for the summer! With berries, rhubarb, kombucha & rosé, it's summer in a cup!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword kombucha, rose, sangria

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 people

Author Jess

Ingredients

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb approx. 1 inch pieces

Sangria

• 2 355mL bottles of True Büch Very Berry Kombucha
• 1 bottle rosé
• 2 cups halved strawberries
• 1 cup chopped rhubarb approx. 1 inch pieces
• 1 lime, sliced into rounds
• mint for garnish
• small rhubarb stalks for garnish

Instructions

• Make the rhubarb simple syrup by adding 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water and 2 cups chopped rhubarb into a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Set a strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer so most of the liquid is in the bowl. *Note: save the rhubarb solids that are strained out as it tastes just like a jam and is delicious on yogurt, oats or toast**
  
• In a pitcher mix kombucha, rosé and rhubarb simple syrup. At this step you could refrigerate and add the fruit (strawberries, rhubarb, limes) just before serving.
  
• Pour sangria into ice-filled glasses, garnish with mint and optional rhubarb slice. Sip & enjoy!
  

Notes

• This can be made into a non-alcoholic sangria too! Just substitute the rosé with another bottle of kombucha, non-alcoholic rosé and add some sparkling water to your tastes if desired.
• Make the rhubarb simple syrup ahead of time. The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Freeze the strawberries or use frozen strawberries to keep the kombucha sangria cool for longer!

The post Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé) appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Made simply with cucumber, mint, cider and a pinch of sugar.

These cocktails are light, refreshing and perfect for cooling off on a summer day.

It’s truly is cocktail season in my books! Summertime’s bounty of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables make mixing up cocktails a breeze.

While you may think cider is more of a Fall drink, a crisp cider mixed with fresh mint and cucumber is a summer drink just waiting to be tried.

You don’t need much to stir up this refreshing Cucumber Cider Smash and this is a great way to elevate a traditional cider.

How to make a summer cider cocktail:

Mint: Fresh mint is muddled with cucumber to add some depth of flavour.

Cucumber: Cucumber adds freshness to this summertime sip.

Cider: A dry cider will work best with this recipe but you can truly use your favourite. Two of my fav ciders are: No Boats on Sunday and Brickworks.

Sugar: A pinch of sugar helps release the flavour of the mint and cucumber when muddled together.

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Cucumber Cider Smash

Elevate your summer with this simple summer cider cocktail! This Cucumber Cider Smash is made with just 4 ingredients for a refreshing sip.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword cider cocktail, summer cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 6 mint leaves
• 3 cucumber slices
• 6-8 oz chilled dry cider
• ice cubes
• optional: mint leaves and cucumber slices for garnish

Instructions

• Add a 1/2 tsp sugar to a cocktail glass along with mint leaves and cucumber slices.
• Using a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle / crush the mint and cucumber with the sugar to release the cucumber and mint flavours. Crush for about 20-30 seconds.
• Add a few ice cubes and cider, stir a few times. Garnish with mint leaves and cucumber slices.

I can’t think of a better way to cheers to the summer season.  Plus this summer cider cocktail is made with just 4 ingredients so it’s wonderful for summertime gatherings too!

Enjoy it on any summer day and even into the Fall as a great seasonal transition cocktail.

More summer cocktail recipes to love from the blog:

Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

Minty Cucumber Lime Sangria

Tropical Rum Slushie

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Cucumber Cider Smash appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Think blue skies, sunshine and the perfect, cool cocktail in your hand.

I really don’t need to say much more!

It’s looking like for the foreseeable future we’ll be staying pretty close to home. We’ve sadly had to cancel some vacations and the rest are pretty much up in the air. So, we’re making a conscious effort to enjoy recipes that take us somewhere else, even just for a minute.

The second I took a sip of this slushie I immediately felt like I was on vacation! So for this long weekend and the summer to come I’ll be making these slushies while we enjoy our backyard oasis.

How do you make this easy frozen alcoholic drink?

Fruit: Frozen mango and pineapple are truly tropical flavours to me. They go perfectly with the rum in this boozy slushie.

Lime: Lime juice adds just a bit of tartness and also makes a great garnish.

Rum: When I think of making a tropical drink, rum comes to mind as the spirit of choice. It just goes so well with the fruity flavours!

Honey, maple syrup or agave syrup: Use one of these sweeteners to help tone down the rum just a bit.

Blender & Ice: A blender to blend up this drink with a couple of ice cubes gets you that perfect slushie texture.

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Tropical Rum Slushie

Escape to the tropics with this Tropical Rum Slushie! This easy alcoholic drink has just 5 ingredients and is blended up for the perfect summer sip.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword easy cocktail, slushie, summer cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups

Author Jess

Equipment

• blender

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen mango
• 2 cups frozen pineapple
• 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, honey or agave syrup
• juice of one lime
• 3/4 cup rum
• ice
• lime slices or mint to garnish

Instructions

• Add frozen mango, frozen pineapple, maple syrup, lime juice and rum to a blender. Blend on high until everything is combined. Add in a couple ice cubes and blend to your desired slushie texture.
• If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of water & blend until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with lime or mint & enjoy!

Notes

• Stores well in the fridge for a couple of hours. When ready to serve, blend again with a couple more ice cubes to reach desired slushie consistency.

The best thing about this drink is it’s EASY to customize to your tastes! A couple other delicious fruit combinations you may want to try are:

• Strawberry & Mango
• Pineapple & Banana
• Mangos & Peaches

And, if making this without rum is your thing, you could try substituting with coconut water or coconut milk.

So, let’s sit back, relax and cheers with this Tropical Rum Slushie friends!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Tropical Rum Slushie appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Perfect for summertime BBQ’s, picnics or whenever you want to enjoy something seasonal.

From cocktails to desserts, appetizers and brunch, you’re sure to find something to enjoy.

It’s fruit season friends! Time to add fresh summer fruit to allll of the recipes you make.

During this time of year I’m pretty sure I add fruit to at least one meal a day: berries to my pancakes; peaches to cocktails; and, rhubarb to all of my desserts.

Let’s enjoy all that summer has to offer with 20 summer fruit recipes!

Summer Fruit Appetizers

Berries pair with goat cheese in these summer appetizers; they’re a match made in summer fruit recipe heaven!

Blueberry & Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer

Mixed Summer Berry Goat Cheese Crostini

Brunch

Blueberries, peaches, plums, strawberries and apricots make an appearance in these delicious brunch recipes!

Stone Fruit (Breakfast) Crumble

Summer Brunch Board

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

Summer Berries on Toasted Sourdough

Cocktails

Peaches, strawberries, cherries and rhubarb are all perfect for a summer cocktail!

Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

Peach Basil Wine Spritzer

Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch

Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash

Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria

Summer Fruit Desserts

Rhubarb, raspberries, peaches, strawberries and blueberries make an appearance in the most delectable summer desserts!

Grilled Peaches with Oat Crumble & Vanilla Ice Cream

Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies

Rhubarb Cake

Summer Fruit with Whipped Cream

Strawberry Rhubarb Toasted Oat Sundaes

Raspberry Rosé Popsicles

Summer Fruit Jams

There’s nothing better than jam made with summer fruit; it’s even better when it’s made with just 4 ingredients like the recipes below!

Easy Strawberry Jam

Apricot Jam

Easy Plum Jam

I truly hope you find some new summer recipes to love! It’s the perfect season to head to the market, grab fresh produce and make simple recipes that will delight.

More summer recipes to love from the blog:

Kale & Peach Salad with Feta and Toasted Pepitas

How to Create a Summer Picnic

Summer Cheese & Charcuterie Board

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post 20 Fresh Summer Fruit Recipes to Make this Season appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

Sweet summer strawberries are blended with a crisp rosé for the most refreshing cocktail.

Let’s cheers to a simple summer cocktail!

A wine spritzer is a simple wine-based cocktail that’s lovely for the summer season. Generally a spritzer is made from wine, club soda and ice; thus, it’s one of the easiest drinks to make.

And in this recipe, I’m giving it a boost by adding fresh-blended strawberries!

Not only do you get a lovely, light strawberry flavour but the strawberries create the most beautifully-hued drink.

How to make a rosé wine spritzer

Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add the perfect fruity twist to this spritzer.

Rosé: With the strawberries being sweet, a drier rosé would pair wonderfully but use whichever rosé you love.

Sugar: Blending the strawberries with sugar will enhance the fruit flavour.

Club Soda or Sparkling Water: To top off the spritzer and add some bubbly.

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Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

This Strawberry Rosé Spritzer is a delightfully bright and beautiful drink for the Spring and Summer season! Easy to make with 4 ingredients!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword strawberry cocktail, wine spritzer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Author Jess

Equipment

• blender

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 2-4 tbsp sugar
• 3 oz rosé wine
• sparkling water or club soda
• ice cubes

Instructions

• In a blender combine chopped strawberries and 2 tbsp sugar. Blend until smooth. Taste and add 1-2 more tbsp sugar if needed and you want the strawberry purée sweeter. 
• To make one cocktail combine 2 oz of the strawberry purée with 3 oz Rosé wine and stir. Add ice cubes and top with sparkling water or club soda. Cheers and enjoy!

Notes

*Makes about 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups strawberry purée which will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

*Want to make this a non-alcoholic drink? Try mixing the strawberry purée with a lemon-lime soda.

This cocktail is truly so easy to make. You can make the strawberry purée ahead of time too and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then, simply take out the purée and stir up a rosé spritzer in no time!

Easy variations on this rosé wine spritzer

• Try blending up peaches instead of strawberries. They will go beautifully with rosé too!
• You could also try raspberries, however, you may want to strain the raspberry juice to remove the seeds before using in the spritzer.

More summer cocktails to love from the blog:

Campari Rosé Spritz

Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria

Peach Basil Wine Spritzer

8 Must Make Summer Sangria Recipes

Tropical Rum Slushie

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Strawberry Rosé Spritzer appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

This 3 ingredient cocktail is perfect for the season.

If you love a Negroni or Aperol Spritz, you’re sure to enjoy sipping on this spritz this summer!

Traditionally this is served as a pre-dinner cocktail made with Prosecco and an orange slice, but I’m mixing it up for the summer with Sparkling Rosé and lemon!

This spritz is lovely served in a rocks cocktail glass but you could also try a coupe or wine glass to mix things up.

What’s in a Campari Rosé Spritz

Campari: A herbaceous Liquor with slightly bitter notes that pair well with Rosé

Sparkling Rosé: The sparkling rosé is key to make this cocktail fizzy and bubbly. Try to use a drier rosé if available. If not, that’s ok too!

Club soda: Just to top things off and bring the simple ingredients together.

Garnish: Add a lemon slice or lemon peel twist or you could even add a slice of strawberry to bring out the summer flavours even more.

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Campari Rosé Spritz

Made with just 3 ingredients, this Campari Rosé Spritz is a beautiful, vibrant cocktail made for the summer season.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword summer cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cocktail

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 2 oz campari
• 3 oz dry sparkling rosé
• 1 oz club soda
• lemon slice or lemon peel twist
• ice

Instructions

• Add campari and rosé to a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda and lemon garnish of your choice.

This cocktail is lovely on it’s own but also delightful with a pre-dinner spread of appetizers like charcuterie or these mixed berry goat cheese crostini.

Or make a night out of it! Serve one of these dishes as your main course after enjoying cocktails and appetizers:

Leek and Pancetta Pasta

Easy Healthy Baked Lemon Chicken

Zucchini and Prosciutto Pizza

You’ll find me sipping on this Spritz all summer long!

Looking for more summer cocktail inspiration?

More cocktails from the blog that you might like:

Lavender French 75 Cocktail

Citrus Vodka Crush

Minty Cucumber Lime Sangria

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Campari Rosé Spritz appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

We had so much sunshine for the long weekend that it inspired cooking with many ingredients from our garden and the farmer’s market.

So, come along to see what recipes we’ve made lately along with our Ontario travel adventures and what’s in season for this month; I have A LOT to share with you!

In June we travelled to Prince Edward County in Ontario for my brother’s wedding. The sun was out every day of our trip where we enjoyed delicious food, wine tasting and of course the wedding festivities!

If you ever travel to Ontario I highly recommend the Prince Edward County region; not only for all of the amazing wine, beer, ciders and food but the scenery is gorgeous. Nearby you can find Sandbanks Provincial Park with some of the most beautiful, bright sand; take a paddle on some of the smaller lakes; check out one of the local golf courses or just cruise all of the local shops in Picton, Bloomfield or Wellington. Plus there are so many wonderful AirBnb’s to stay in too!

After our Ontario adventures the rest of the month we spent cooking at home and enjoying some time around Calgary. I’ve made some recipes from the Well & Good cookbook that have been very enjoyable like this Jalapeno Vegan Burrito recipe. We made this Cashew Crunch Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad from Ambitious Kitchen too and I also have this peach salad on my list for the summer.

Also on my list for the summer is using many more herbs to amp up salads, main dishes and cocktails!

I recently made a Peach Basil Wine Spritzer recipe in partnership with Moscow Muled over on Instagram! A very refreshing combination of flavours and extremely easy to make with just peaches, basil, white wine & sparkling water!

I think it will be my patio sip of the summer especially since my Moscow Muled mugs keep it super cool.

We had dinner with friends one weekend; they made this delicious Crispy Bacon Pasta Salad with Fresh Herbs from How Sweet Eats and we brought the ribs and my Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria which was a hit! Here’s to more of those ‘shared dinner’ evenings where you gather with everyone contributing to the meal; sort of like a potluck but a much smaller group and a bit more planned out. And, we finished the evening with bocce ball – LOVED it!

Now that we’ve hit July we are getting all of the wonderful summer fruit I’ve been waiting for in our YYC Growers box. This week we received cherries, blueberries and raspberries; and the raspberries were sooooo good they legit tasted like candy they were so sweet!

So given we’re into an amazing season for fresh produce, here’s What’s In Season for July.

Apricots: Easy Apricot Jam

Berries: Summer Fruit with Whipped Cream

Peaches: Peach Basil Wine Spritzer

Rhubarb: Rhubarb Cake

Strawberries: Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria

Tomatoes: Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Sourdough Bread Board

I hope you’re enjoying the sweet, sweet summertime!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

It’s the ultimate big batch cocktail, perfect for brunches, sunny days on the patio, or casual afternoons outdoors. Made with fresh lemon juice and ripe strawberries, it’s a vibrant, delicious, and easy-to-make strawberry lemonade cocktail that beats store-bought every single time.

Whats in strawberry lemonade cocktail

This Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch recipe blends fresh, flavorful strawberries and bright lemon into a silky homemade lemonade base, then finishes with sparkling water, rosé and a splash of gin. It’s the perfect punch for brunch, backyard parties, or lazy afternoons — and it’s easy to make ahead.

Why you’ll love this cocktail recipe

• Quick: Prep time is just 20 minutes for this strawberry lemonade cocktail.
• Versatile: Use an alcoholic OR non-alcoholic rosé or gin depending on what you like to enjoy.
• Serves a crowd: This is great as a welcome cocktail for 6-8 people at a Summer gathering.

Ingredients needed

Strawberry Lemonade Base

• Fresh strawberries
• Lemons
• Granulated sugar
• Gin (optional), or swap for vodka
• 1 bottle dry or fruity rosé (750 ml), non-alcoholic if desired
• Sparkling water
• Optional: strawberry ice cubes 
• Garnish: lemon slices, fresh strawberries, mint or rosemary

 Strawberry Ice Cubes (strawberry halves frozen in water)

• Strawberries 
• Water

Step-by-Step Preparation Instructions

Make the ice cubes

Optional (but highly recommended): Make the strawberry ice cubes. In an ice cube tray, fill the entire tray with strawberry halves and fill the rest of the tray with water. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid.

Make the strawberry-lemonade base

In a large bowl combine the strawberry halves, sliced lemons and sugar (or simple syrup).

Using a potato-masher (or sturdy wooden spoon), mash the strawberries and lemons for about 5 minutes until really broken down.

Stir in 2 cups of still water and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl, pressing on the strawberries and lemons to get out as much liquid as possible. 

Discard the strawberries and lemons from the sieve and transfer the liquid to a pitcher.

Finish the cocktail

Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in the gin and rosé and sparkling water, stir until blended.

Pour over strawberry ice cubes (if desired) for maximum wow factor – and enjoy!

Tips and tricks to impress

• Make ahead: Make the lemonade base up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Having this on hand is a sure way to impress last-minute summer guests.
• Garnishes: Use fresh mint or rosemary for a bright, unexpected pop, or frozen or fresh sliced strawberries (or blueberries!) and lemon slices for a perfect complement. 

 Make it your own: variations and substitutions

• Rosé choice: use a dry rosé for tartness or a fruity rosé for sweeter results. 
• Make it a mocktail: omit gin or use a non-alcoholic gin and use a non-alcoholic rosé.
• Swap gin: use your favorite vodka if you prefer a neutral spirit.
• For extra fizz and flavor: use lemon-flavored sparkling water.

Pairings for your summer gatherings

Serve this refreshing, homemade strawberry lemonade punch with some light summer bites: 

Crostini and puff pastry bites:

• Blueberry and Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer
• 5-Ingredient Puff Pastry Cheese Twists with Gruyère
• Roasted Plum Crostini Appetizer with Goat Cheese
• Easy Blackberry Jam & Brie Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Quick dips:

• Summer Peach and Tomato Crostini with Goat Cheese
• Lemon and Fresh Basil Burrata Cheese Appetizer
• Whipped Herb & Garlic Goat Cheese Spread Recipe
• Quick and Easy Boursin Bruschetta Dip Appetizer

How to store and make-ahead

Make-ahead: Make the strawberry-lemonade mixture up to 3 days ahead and store in a pitcher in the fridge. Before serving, complete the recipe by adding gin, rosé and sparkling water.

Storage: Do not add the sparkling water to the pitcher until ready to serve. Pour into glasses and store in the fridge until ready to pour another round.

FAQs

More summer cocktails to enjoy

• The Best Peach Basil Wine Spritzer (White Wine)
• Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé)
• Refreshing Watermelon Mojito Cocktail for Summer

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Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch: A Refreshing Summer Cocktail

Sip into summer with this vibrant Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch, a perfectly sweet and tangy cocktail that’s as refreshing as a sunny day.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Canadian

Keyword summer cocktail

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 people

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• 3 lemons, sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup gin
• 1 bottle rosé
• 1 cup sparkling water (or lemon-flavored sparkling water for a more tart flavor)

Strawberry Ice Cubes

• 2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• water

Instructions

• Optional: Make the strawberry ice cubes. In an ice cube tray, fill the entire tray with strawberry halves and fill in the rest of the tray with water. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
• In a pot combine the strawberry halves, sliced lemons and sugar.
• Using a potato-masher (or wooden spoon), mash the strawberries and lemons for about 5 minutes, until well-broken down.
• Stir in 2 cups of water and let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
• Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl, pressing on the strawberries and lemons to get out as much liquid as possible.
• Discard the strawberries and lemons from the sieve and transfer the strawberry-lemonade liquid to a pitcher.
• Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in the gin, rosé and sparkling water.
• Pour over strawberry ice cubes and enjoy!

Notes

• Make ahead: Make the lemonade base up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Having this on hand is a sure way to impress last-minute summer guests.
• Garnishes: Use fresh mint or rosemary for a bright, unexpected pop, or frozen or fresh sliced strawberries and lemon slices for a perfect complement. 
• Rosé choice: use a dry rosé for tartness or a fruity rosé for sweeter results. 
• Make it a mocktail: use non-alcoholic gin and rosé.
• For extra fizz and flavor, use lemon-flavored sparkling water.

The post Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch: A Refreshing Summer Cocktail appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

I can hardly believe it’s the beginning of July but I am in full summer-enjoyment mode!

June went by in a flash; I cooked and photographed a ton of recipes plus planned out my summer recipe calendar. There are SO many recipes coming to the blog that I’m excited to share with you PLUS I’m sharing my favourite recipes to make in July!

We finally setup our vegetable gardens in our backyard and I’m so excited to start to see the vegetables grow. I love being able to pop outside to grab herbs to use when I cook and I can’t wait to see the radishes, beets and carrots grow too! We’re also growing tomatoes, zucchini and kale.

Cooking seasonally is something I try to adhere to so I’m really looking forward to taking a cue from our gardens’ once they start really grow.  For weekly meal planning ideas the FeedFeed has a wicked weekly meal planner which provides wonderful ideas based on the season. Two of our favourite dishes we made this past month were a One Pot Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Oregano and a Classic Greek Salad. Both of the dishes were perfect for weeknights too!

The weather in Calgary was just perfect in June as well so I was able to enjoy lovely walks at the park near our house and on St. Patrick’s Island (one of my FAV spots in Calgary!)

And, we also went for a lovely paddle on Lake Windermere on the Canada Day long weekend; it was the perfect way to celebrate our beautiful country!

So, as we head into the throws of summer here is some recipe inspiration for July:

Blueberries: Summer Berries on Toasted Sourdough

Cucumbers: Minty Cucumber Lime Sangria

Peppers & Zucchini: Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Radishes: Watermelon Mason Jar Salad

Raspberries: Raspberry Rosé Popsicles

Strawberries: Summer Fruit with Whipped Cream

I’m spending time in Ontario this month, enjoying time in the sun and by the lake and many meals with family and friends.

I look forward to sharing my summer adventures with you and stay tuned for a summer cocktail and sharing board recipe, both which are perfect for summer entertaining! In the meantime, enjoy this Peach & Prosciutto Summer Focaccia at your next summer get-together!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s In Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

During the summer months we take part in YYC Grower’s Harvest Boxes where we pick-up a box of fresh, local vegetables and fruits each week.  Lately, the cherries we’ve been receiving are just bursting with flavour!

I love to create cocktails in the summertime with fresh fruits and the combination of bourbon with cherries is a real winner.

Plus, the splash of citrus from the lemonade brings together the cocktail just perfectly with the gentle tones of maple, oak and nutmeg of the bourbon.

And, by smashing the cherries the natural juices come out to give the cocktail a beautiful cherry-coloured hue!

This is a bit of a special post since I recently joined a group of fellow Food Bloggers of Canada members to bring you the Summer Edition of Connecting over Cocktails! Each season a group of us will create a seasonal cocktail and not only will I share my recipe with you, I’ll bring you links to all of the wonderful cocktail posts – just scroll to the bottom to see what other inspired cocktails have been created!

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Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash

It's cherry season and what better way to enjoy their lovely flavour than in a summer cocktail with bourbon and lemonade in a Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword bourbon, bourbon cocktail, cherry cocktail, lemonade, summer cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 12 fresh cherries, pitted
• pinch of sugar
• 8 ice cubes, crushed
• 2/3 cup lemonade
• 2 oz bourbon
• extra cherries for garnish

Instructions

• Using a small knife, pit 12 cherries by slicing around the pit and twisting to remove.
• Add 6 cherries to each glass plus a pinch of sugar.
• Using a muddler or wooden spoon, smash the cherries in each cocktail glass until they start to release some of their juices.
• Add crushed ice into each glass. (You can crush the ice cubes in a blender or crush in a thick ziploc bag using a kitchen mallet to smash the ice.)
• In a cocktail shaker or mason jar, add the lemonade and bourbon and shake a couple times.
• Then, pour the lemonade-bourbon mixture into the glasses, splitting evenly and top with a cherry for garnish.

Now its time to enjoy!

This cocktail is perfect for an after-work drink or on the patio during the weekend – cheers!

Here’s your dose of Summer Cocktail inspiration from my fellow bloggers, Connecting Over Cocktails…

Justine at JustineCelina.com’s Watermelon Frosé Margarita’s

Sean at Diversivore’s The Clock Calm (Currant Gin & Tonic)

Samantha from My Kitchen Love’s Spiked Peach Iced Tea

Dana from Killing Thyme’s Blueberry Lemon Vodka Fizz

Bernice from Dish ‘n’ in the Kitchen’s The Friday Flame

Jen from Mud On Her Boots’ Honeyed Blackcurrant Cordial Smash

What is your favourite summer fruit to make cocktails with? Let me know in the comments below!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.