Patriotic Drinks for a Festive Fourth of July

Are you looking for something a little different to serve your guests on the Fourth of July, something that embodies that patriotic fervor? You don't have to worry. There are plenty of red, white and blue concoctions, both for alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers. There are even a few fun drinks for kids. Below are a few of our favorites:

The best Fourth of July drinks layer red, white and blue beverages for a festive look. It's all about the chemistry. Pick three ingredients that have different weights (usually determined by the sugar content.) The heaviest will sink to the bottom.

Cocktails:

For the drinkers in your crowd, try a festive martini or a smooth, cool lemonade.

July 4th Martini
Start with cherry vodka mixed with a little grenadine for color. Pour into a martini glass. Next, carefully add a layer of blue curacao and top with a little soda, poured gently on the top. The grenadine is heaviest and will sink to the bottom of the glass. The curacao is lighter than the grenadine, but heavier than the soda and will form a middle layer and the soda will sit on top for a tri-layered martini. Garnish with a strawberry on the rim, being careful not to disturb the layers.

Blue Martini
A two-layer variation of the above drink uses HPNOTIQ (a light blue-colored liqueur.) For a blue martini, start with 3/4 inches of grenadine in the bottom of a martini glass. Top carefully with HPNOTIQ. Garnish with a spear of a strawberry slice surrounded by blueberries set gently atop the glass.

Blueberry Lemonade
Start with three ounces of lemon-flavored vodka in a tall, Collins-style glass. Fill with not-too-sweet lemonade. Add ice. Float crushed blueberries in the mix and garnish with a strawberry on the rim of the glass. For a non-alcoholic version, just omit the vodka. The look will be the same.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks:
For the non-drinkers in your group and for the kids, you can use the same layering technique, just with non-alcoholic beverages.

July 4th Fizz
Start with a tall water glass and fill it one-third of the way to the top with cranberry juice. Next, gently add Wild Berry Gatorade (it's blue) and top with a little soda. Sprite or 7up will also work for the top layer if you like a sweeter drink. Garnish with a spear of alternating cranberries and blueberries.

A fun addition, if you can find the trays, is making star-shaped ice cubes for this drink and the blueberry lemonade. Add a little red or blue food coloring to the water before you freeze it to make the ice cubes stand out.


Other Food and Drink Articles by Sandy Mitchell
How to Throw a Bastille Day Party
Pairing Ethnic Foods with Wine
To Chill or Not to Chill: a Wine Serving Guide