Four Seasons Book of Cocktails

The small wonder known as the blender transforms fruit into a drink fit for the gods—the smoothie. In these four recipes, experiment with different fruit juices and add milk or yogurt, if you like.

Coconut and strawberry team up with pineapple.

2½ ounces frozen strawberries

1 ounce cream of coconut

2 ounces pineapple juice

1 ounce fresh sour mix

Strawberry for garnish

Process frozen strawberries in blender, then add juice, cream of coconut, and sour mix. Blend until smooth, pour into glass, and garnish.

Fresh blueberries with a bit of pomegranate syrup

½ cup plain yogurt

½ cup blueberries

1 teaspoon pomegranate syrup

½ cup crushed ice

Combine ingredients in blender, blend until smooth, and pour into glass.

As effervescent as you please

½ cup frozen strawberries

½ cup frozen peaches

1 cup orange juice

½ cup crushed ice

Club soda

Fresh strawberry for garnish

Process frozen fruit in blender. Add juice and ice, blend until smooth, and pour into glass. Add club soda to taste and garnish.

Aswirl with fruit

½ cup pineapple chunks

½ cup chopped strawberries

4 ounces orange juice

½ cup crushed ice

Orange slice for garnish

Strawberry for garnish

Process pineapple in blender, then add strawberries, juice, and ice. Blend until smooth, pour into glass, and garnish.

OJ flavored with açaí, the palm berry from the rain forests of Latin America

3 ounces orange juice

1 ounce açaí juice

Sprite or 7UP

Pour juices into ice-filled highball glass, stir, and top with soft drink to taste.

A tropical turn-on

4 ounces mango juice

1 teaspoon lime juice

Club soda

Lime wedge for garnish

Pour juices into ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda to taste and garnish.

Extra refreshing

3 ounces black or green tea, sweetened to taste and cooled

3 ounces coconut water

Mint sprig for garnish

Pour chilled tea and coconut water into ice-filled highball glass, stir, and garnish. Serve with a straw, if desired.

Ginger ale gets fancy.

1½ ounces orange juice

1 ounce lemon juice

1 splash grenadine

Ginger ale

Combine juices and grenadine in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and pour with ice into glass. Top with ginger ale to taste.

Sip while wearing shades.

3 ounces tangerine juice

3 ounces cranberry juice

1 dash lemon juice

6 ounces ginger ale

Orange peel spiral for garnish

Pour juices into ice-filled highball glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish.

For a thicker high-protein drink, freeze the banana first.

1 cup cold soy milk (vanilla or chocolate)

1 medium banana, sliced if frozen

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Combine ingredients in blender, blend until smooth, and pour into glass.

With plenty of fruit

3 ounces pineapple juice

3 ounces orange juice

½ ounce fresh sour mix

½ teaspoon passion fruit syrup

2 ounces club soda

Orange slice for garnish

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine juices, sour mix, and syrup in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and pour with ice into glass. Top with club soda and garnish.

Papaya and lime make beautiful music together.

6 ounces papaya nectar

1 tablespoon lime juice

6 ounces Sprite or 7UP

Lime twist for garnish

Pour nectar and juice into ice-filled highball glass. Top with soft drink, stir, and garnish.

Visions of peach and citrus

3½ ounces peach nectar

2 ounces orange juice

1 splash lemon juice

1 splash grenadine

Club soda

Orange slice for garnish

Combine nectar, juices, and grenadine in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and pour with ice into glass. Add club soda to taste and garnish.

With three tasty juices

2 ounces pomegranate juice

2 ounces cranberry juice

2 ounces apple juice

Orange slice for garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in mixing glass. Add ice and stir to chill. Strain into glass and garnish.

Not just for kids

3 ounces orange juice

¼ teaspoon superfine sugar

9 ounces root beer

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine juice and sugar in highball glass. Stir to dissolve sugar, then add ice. Top with root beer, stir, and garnish.

A coconut and papaya blend

3 ounces papaya puree

3 ounces coconut water

Superfine sugar to taste

2 or 3 dashes allspice or nutmeg

Combine ingredients in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and pour with ice into glass. Serve with a straw, if desired.

A young equestrienne’s favorite

1 ounce cranberry juice

1 ounce grapefruit juice

1 ounce pineapple juice

Sprite or 7UP

Pour juices into ice-filled highball glass, stir, and top with soft drink to taste.

Lime gives this white grape cooler an edge.

8 ounces white grape juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

4 ounces sparkling water

Pour juices into ice-filled highball glass. Top with water and stir.

A variation on the best-known nonalcoholic drink: the Virgin Mary

8 ounces tomato juice

2 drops lemon juice

2 drops Tabasco

Tonic water

Lime slice for garnish

Combine juices and Tabasco in ice-filled glass. Top with tonic water to taste, stir, and garnish.

Sprite makes friends with the small orange fruit.

8 ounces apricot nectar

4 ounces Sprite

Lime wedge for garnish

Pour nectar into ice-filled highball glass. Top with soft drink, stir, and garnish.

Garnished with three fruits

4 ounces grapefruit juice

1 dash lemon juice

8 ounces ginger ale

Lemon slice for garnish

Orange slice for garnish

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Pour grapefruit juice into ice-filled highball glass, then add lemon juice. Top with ginger ale and garnish.

A WORD FROM THE BARTENDERS

We’re no health experts, but that doesn’t mean we can’t relay the nutritional benefits of some of the fruit juices found in this chapter. After all, when you’re enjoying something nonalcoholic, why not get a dose of nature’s medicine to boot?

Açaí berry Bursting with antioxidants, plus vitamins A, B, C, and E

Apricot Provides the antioxidant beta carotene, plus potassium and iron

Blueberry Packed with brain-friendly antioxidants

Cranberry Provides lots of vitamin C and hippuric acid (good for the urinary tract)

Orange Great source of vitamin C; also provides beta carotene, folate, thiamine, and potassium

Peach Serves up a good deal of vitamin A and some vitamin C and potassium

Pineapple Rich in vitamin C, plus vitamin B6, folate, thiamine, iron, and magnesium

Pomegranate Rich in heart-friendly antioxidants, plus vitamin C and potassium

Tomato Good source of the antioxidant lycopene, vitamins A and C, folate, and potassium

Comes into its own at the beach

6 ounces mango juice

6 ounces orange juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

Orange peel spiral for garnish

Combine juices and bitters in mixing glass. Add ice and shake. Pour with ice into glass and garnish.

The chaste Piña Colada

4 ounces pineapple juice

1½ ounces cream of coconut

1 teaspoon lime juice

½ cup crushed ice

Pineapple spear for garnish

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine juices, cream of coconut, and ice in blender. Blend until smooth, pour into glass, and garnish.

This vodka-free version of the Bloody Mary is said to have been conceived in a Nantucket bar at the height of the Roaring Twenties.

4 ounces tomato juice

1 splash lemon juice

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime wedge for garnish

Pour liquid ingredients into ice-filled rocks glass and add salt and pepper. Stir and garnish.

With Ruby Red grapefruit

2 ounces Ruby Red grapefruit juice

1 teaspoon fresh sour mix

4 ounces club soda

Combine juice and sour mix in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and strain into glass. Top with club soda and stir.

Let it pour.

2 ounces guava juice

2 ounces orange juice

2 ounces cranberry juice

Club soda

Orange slice for garnish

Combine juices in mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and pour with ice into glass. Top with club soda and garnish.