By Seth Fera-Schanes

The summer cocktail recipe list grows (by 3 fantastic new drinks this time.)  We were looking for ways to incorporate the freshest summer ingredients into one of summer’s longest standing traditions; drinking outside on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Watermelon Champagne Sangria

The first recipe is a Watermelon Champagne Sangria.  Combining a dry champagne with grapes, bananas, orange slices and watermelon this drink would be a perfect complement to a New York City brunch.

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped seedless watermelon
1 piece seedless orange, peeled and broken into sections
2 pieces bananas, peeled and sliced just before making the sangria
1 cup seedless grapes, cut into halves
1 bottle dry champagne of your choice

Full set of directions are here.

The next drink is a Wild Blueberry Baselito.  Grab some fresh basil out of your garden and mix with a light rum, blueberries and lime for a delicious drink to share with your closest friends.

Ingredients:
4 basil leaves
2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sparkling water
1 1/2 ounces frozen Wild Blueberries
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces light rum
1 basil branch garnish: 2 Wild Blueberries and small skewer

Full directions on The Refined Chef.

Rounding out our list is this Watermelon Blackberry Martini.  It is refined, it is hip and it has vodka with crushed fresh fruit.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces watermelon juice
1 ounce vodka
1 serving blackberry
1 serving raspberry
1 wedge lemon

Check out the preparation here.

*Recipes provided by The National Watermelon Promotion Board and The Wild Blueberry Association of North America.