healthy summer drinks

Bring 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup pitted cherries to a boil and cook until syrupy; stir into seltzer.

Make half a batch of simple syrup (see No. 17), adding 1/4 cup dried lavender to the hot syrup; let cool. Puree 1/2 cup of the syrup with 1? pounds peaches and 1 cup water; strain. Stir in lemon juice and serve on the rocks.

Shake 3 ounces tequila, 2 ounces lime juice, 1 ounce simple syrup (see No. 17) and ice in a shaker. Strain into an ice filled glass.

Steep 4 bags orange pekoe tea in 4 cups cold water in a sunny spot for several hours. Stir in 2 cups apricot nectar, 1/4 cup simple syrup (see No. 17), the juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup fresh mint; chill.

Sweeten rice milk with sugar; add a pinch of cinnamon. Serve over ice with diced cantaloupe and pecans.

Blend 8 cups frozen cubed watermelon with 8 ounces lemon vodka, 7 ounces simple syrup (see No. 17) and a 17.5 ounce can coconut juice. Serve with watermelon wedges.

Puree 2 cups crushed ice, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 4 ounces light rum, 1 ounce orange liqueur, 2 ounces lime juice and 1 tablespoon superfine sugar. Pour into 2 glasses.

Swap the alcohol in the above recipe for 1/2 cup fresh orange juice.

Shake 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, 1/4 ounce Lillet, 1/2 ounce cherry brandy, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a dash of bitters and ice in a shaker; strain into a martini glass.

Muddle a handful of mint leaves in a shaker with 1 1/2 ounces rum, the juice of 1 lime, 1 ounce simple syrup (see No. 17) and 2 dashes bitters. Shake with ice; strain into a flute and top with champagne.