Raspberry Vodka Lemonade Cooler

Name: Raspberry Vodka Lemonade Cooler
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 5 fresh raspberries, plus a few additional for garnish; 1 once freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 1/2 ounces vodka; 3 ounces raspberry lemonade; 1 teaspoon [raspberry (or regular) simple syrup| https://amzn.to/3Sl9sQi}; Good quality tonic; Sugar, for dusting berries; Sprig of fresh mint, for garnish

Andrea Potischman | Jul 27, 2018

I love Fridays in the summer, and I also love cocktails. To me, nothing says summer like lemonade. Sweet deliciousness. Raspberries are also a sign of warm weather and are glorious right now. In celebration of the carefree summer months I love, I developed this fun raspberry vodka lemonade cooler with fresh summer berries. Sweet yet tart, cool, and refreshing, this may be just what you need to cool off and wind down this weekend.

Lemonade can be traced back to ancient times. Jewish traders in Cairo supposedly sold a drink called “qatarmizat,” which had sweetened lemon juice in it. Lemonade made its way to Europe by the end of the 17th century; street vendors sold the stuff from tanks strapped to their backs. In Paris, these “lemonades,” as they were called, became quite popular, and were required to form an organized guild. By the 1700’s, lemonade had made its way to America.

Here, the classic lemonade stand became a symbol of the American initiative and hard work. I don’t make my lemonade for this recipe because it’s a cocktail recipe-and I like to keep these easy and fast. That said, the real stuff is not hard if you’re willing. If you are interested, check out this link. I also use a touch of good quality raspberry simple syrup, if you are interested in making your own, here is a great recipe to try. I like to think of this fruity cooler as my salute to all of us who have ever popped up a lemonade stand as a kid in the blazing heat of summer. Cheers to all of us!