Coolers offer picnic or cocktail refreshment

Whether you prefer a simple unadorned glass of lemonade or the addition of a splash of rum or

Proseco in your summer refresher, today’s column should give you some luscious answers. If you’re hosting a barbecue, a dinner party or a gathering for cocktails and snacks in the garden or by the pool, a little drama is possible with unique drinks (and pretty glasses). Herewith, a few ideas: Enjoy!

Watermelon

Lemonade

(Double or triple for a group)

6 cups watermelon cubes, seeded

¼ cup raspberries

1 cup water

1/3 cup pure cane sugar

½ cup lemon juice

Place watermelon, raspberries and water in blender container, cover and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Add sugar and lemon juice, stirring until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve in frosted glasses with mint sprigs.

Note — if you’re making a large amount, use your electric mixer!

When serving this — or most any lemonade, a few sprigs of mint add a welcome tang.

Simply rinse and shake dry sprigs enough for your serving pitcher. Several added to the pitcher while in the refrigerator will provide a light scent or flavor.

Classis Watermelon Mojito

(Makes 1 drink)

1/4 cup lime juice

3 ounces light rum

3 ounces watermelon simple syrup (recipe folos)

2 ounces sparkling water

Garnish: Lime slices and mint leaves

In a shaker or 2-cup liquid measure, combine all ingredients through the sparkling water. Stir gently to mix.

Fill a glass with ice; pour drink over ice. Garnish with lime slices and/or mint sprigs as desired.

Watermelon simple syrup: 3 cups water; 3 cups sugar; 3 cups seeded, cubed watermelon.

In a large saucepan, combine water and sugar over med-high heat; stir till sugar dissolves.

Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat; cool completely. Add watermelon. In a blender, puree mixture, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to get all juice out. Reserve liquid, discard solids. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Our next recipe also calls for simple syrup, but with a different twist.

Basic Simple Syrup

1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup water.

Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until clear. Remove from heat and let cool.

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups, so for single servings, only stir in a teaspoon or to taste. You may also add several mint sprigs to simple syrup when you make it for other recipes.

Sparkling Strawberry

Mint Lemonade

(Makes 2 quarts)

16 ounces fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 quarts sparkling water*

1 1/2 pints strawberries, stemmed, trimmed, quartered

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups simple syrup

2 Tbsp. chopped mint leaves

In a pitcher, combine juice and sparkling water. In a processor, combine strawberries, sugar, simple syrup and mint leaves; puree till well combined, then pour through a fine sieve into the pitcher.

Stir to combine and adjust sweetness, keeping in mind the lemonade will be served over ice cubes.

* Be sure to buy plain, pure sparkling water with no sweetener.

Summer Berry

Lemonade

2 pints blueberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1 quart pure water

Fresh peach slices for garnish

In a processor combine the berries, sugar and lemon juice and puree till smooth. Strain into a pitcher and stir in the spring water. To serve, place ice cubes in a clear glass and top with the lemonade. Garnish with peach slices.

It goes without saying that you can use huckleberries for this lemonade!

All of the previous recipes are delicious as is, and each of them accepts a splash of rum, vodka, or other favorite alcohol, as well as lending themselves to serving as an addition to a glass of white wine.

Brut Champagne or Proseco become party-festive when poured over 1/3 cup of orange juice, or the choice of a cut-up strawberry, peach or mango slice, or a halved ripe, red-fleshed plum — all piled into an ice-filled compote on the ends of pretty toothpicks.

A gorgeous bowl of wine punch replete with stirred-in rose petals was the feature at a long-ago edible-flower-themed garden party that Lois Wythe and I attended. Of course, the roses had never been sprayed, and we all loved the gentle fragrance and texture the edible petals added to the punch.

It was made up of one bottle each of Rose wine, Rose Champagne, white grape juice and sparkling water and a pint of perfectly ripe, cut-up strawberries.

The accompanying salads included such edible blossoms as violets, Johnny jump-ups, pansies, and nasturtiums (flowers and leaves). Feel free to use any of these (unsprayed) flowers in your salads, sandwiches, desserts and of course, as drink garnishes.

A little off the beaten path is this punch-style drink created for a pre-luncheon conference brunch that included both breakfast and luncheon entrees, along with Champagne and orange juice. This recipe is for a blender, and is to be halved for two four-person servings. Have 8 frosty glasses ready.

Brandy Milk Punch

2 1/2 cups very cold milk

1 cup brandy (or rum)

1/2 cup coffee liqueur

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 scant tsp. nutmeg

10 ice cubes

Place half of each ingredient including ice cubes in a blender container. Blend on

High until punch is smooth and frothy; pour into 4 chilled glasses. Repeat process with remaining ingredients and serve.

Whatever your drink of choice, may you enjoy it in good health throughout the summer. Cheers!