Al Fresco Dinner Party Series: Part 2: Garden-Inspired Cocktails and Mocktails

Your garden is meant to be enjoyed. A well-done landscape or outdoor living space creates an inviting atmosphere for enjoying the fresh air with friends and family. The al fresco Dinner Party Series is all about celebrating your outdoor spaces with tips and tricks to maximize the enjoyment of your outdoor living spaces.

In Part 1 of this series, we recommended some of our favorite snacks that are perfectly suited to an al fresco dinner party so that you can show off your landscape or outdoor living area to your friends and family while enjoying a beautiful Kansas City summer evening together.

In this post, we’ll give you some terrific garden-inspired cocktail and “mocktail” ideas to go along with the food. We all know a patio party just wouldn’t be complete without some cocktails (and mocktails) made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, some from right here in the Kansas City region, and perhaps even from your own garden as part of a new landscaping installment.

There’s something for everyone here; these al fresco dinner party drink recipe ideas cover a wide range of tastes so that everyone at your patio party can have a taste of summer while relaxing in your unique space, admiring the landscaping. Please remember, when drinking alcohol, always enjoy responsibly.

Summer Party Cocktails

Raspberry Limoncello Prosecco- Great for Spring and Summer!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chilled prosecco
• 1 cup chilled limoncello liqueur
• 1 cup frozen raspberries (Fresh in summer!)
• 6 fresh mint leaves

Directions:

1. Whisk together the prosecco and limoncello in a large pitcher.
2. Serve over raspberries and garnish with mint leaves.

Caramel Apple Sangria- Great for Fall!

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of chilled white wine
• 1 bottle of chilled sparkling apple cider
• 1/4 cup caramel syrup
• 4 chopped apples

Directions:

1. Mix together the wine and cider, then add 1/4 cup caramel syrup.
2. Add the chopped apples.
3. Chill until ready to serve.

Adult Root Beer Float- Fun Theme Drink!

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 6 ounces root beer
• 2 ounces whipped cream flavored vodka
• 1 ounce heavy whipping cream
• Whipped cream (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Fill a tall glass half full of ice.
2. Slowly add the root beer, then the whipped cream flavored vodka, then the heavy whipping cream.
3. Use a cocktail spoon to carefully stir until combined, being careful not to over-stir, or the root beer will lose its bubbles.
4. Top with whipping cream and serve immediately.

Blackberry Mint Julep- Pretty and Tasty!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
• 4 ounces Blackberry Mint Simple Syrup
• Crushed ice
• Fresh blackberries
• Fresh mint leaves

Syrup

• • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh blackberries
  • 4 small mint leaves

Directions:

1. Add crushed ice to the glasses.
2. Mix the blackberry mint simple syrup together with the bourbon, and then pour over ice.
3. Garnish with the mint leaves and blackberries.

For blackberry mint simple syrup:

1. Add water, sugar, blackberries, and mint to a saucepan and heat over medium-high.
2. Mash the blackberries and muddle the mint into the mixture.
3. Bring to a boil and let simmer until the sugar dissolves.
4. Let cool slightly, and then chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.
5. Strain the syrup through a fine strainer and keep in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Patio Party Mocktails- All of the Fun, None of the Alcohol

Pineapple Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• Large can of pineapple chunks (Or 2-3 C. Fresh Cut Pineapple + Pineapple Juice)
• 16 tea bags
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Cold water

Directions:

1. Drain the pineapple and reserve the juice.
2. Set out three ice cube trays and put a piece of pineapple in each section.
3. Fill the ice cube trays with water and freeze until solid.
4. In a large heatproof measuring cup, combine the tea bags and two cups of boiling water; steep for 10 minutes.
5. In a large pitcher, mix one cup of water with the reserved pineapple juice.
6. Remove the tea bags from the measuring cup and pour the hot tea into the pitcher, then stir until well combined.
7. Stir in eight cups of cold water.
8. Chill, and when ready to serve, serve over the pineapple ice cubes.

Watermelon Mojito Mocktail

Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 fresh mint leaves
• Crushed ice
• Club soda
• Ginger ale

Directions:

1. Using a blender, blend watermelon with lime juice and one teaspoon of the sugar until well combined.
2. In each glass, muddle two mint leaves and the remaining half-teaspoon of sugar.
3. Add the pureed watermelon, so each glass is half full.
4. Add the crushed ice, a splash of club soda, and then top with ginger ale.
5. Stir then garnish with the mint leaves.

Roasted Peach and Strawberry Fizz

Ingredients:

• 3 fresh peaches
• 21 ounces fresh strawberries (approximate)
• 1-1/2 cups apple juice
• 1-1/2 cups sparkling water
• Crushed ice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits.
3. Cut each of the strawberries in half.
4. Roast the fruit on a lined baking pan for 25 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the fruit to cool for at least 10 minutes.
6. Remove the skin from the peaches then use a blender to combine the peaches and apple juice into a fine puree.
7. Blend the strawberries into a puree.
8. Set out six glasses and divide the strawberry puree into the bottom of each glass.
9. Add crushed ice to each glass.
10. Pour the peach puree over the crushed ice, and then add the sparkling water.
11. Serve immediately.

Your Kansas City Landscape Company

Summer is a time to celebrate the ones you love. What better way to celebrate than with a summer party out in the fresh open air? And who doesn’t love a patio party, especially one with cocktails? An al fresco dinner party is a fun way to get everyone together to enjoy a warm summer evening, and to show off your new landscaping project at the same time!

If you haven’t yet started your landscaping project, but you’re thinking this may be the year, High Prairie Outdoors is your Kansas City destination for all of your landscaping products, services, and advice, and expertise. If you’re looking for a landscape company with a solid reputation and a team that’s fun to work with, contact us today to get started! We’ll help you create a stylish, long-lasting landscape that’s designed just the way you want it.