We love the warmer months when you can lay back on your verandah with a cocktail or mocktail in hand.

Finding a good recipe for a mocktail can be a bit tricky so we have done all the hard work for you and listed some of our favourites here.

1. Pineapple, Coconut, Mint & Lucuma Mocktail

Ingredients:

• Half a Pineapple or 1 cup of unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1 cup coconut water
• 1 tsp Lucuma powder
• A couple of mint leaves (bruised with your hands)

Method:

Place the lucuma into a jug and then pop in your bruised mint leaves.

Juice your pineapple and place into the jug as well as adding the coconut water.

Hand whisk the ingredients until slightly foamy on top.

Alternatively place all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice and shake up.

Serve in two glasses on top of ice.

Decorate with a couple of mint leaves in each glass with a slice of lemon, lime or orange on the side.

Sip, close your eyes and pretend you’re in a tropical paradise.

What is Lucuma? Lucuma (also known as Egg Fruit) is a Peruvian fruit that looks a little like a nashi pear crossed with a mango. It has a delicious creamy citrus flavour with a hint of maple and a dash of sweet potato.  Used as a natural low GI sweetener so great for diabetics, rich in antioxidants, high in calcium and plentiful amounts of beta-carotene (an anti-carcinogen), zinc, iron, vitamin C, niacin (B3), and fibre. It also contains 14 essential trace minerals.

2. Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of water
• 1/2 cup light coloured honey
• 1/3 cup dried lavender
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (strained)

Method:

Bring water and honey to the boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Gently crush lavender with mortal & pestle or in a bowl with a meat tenderiser.

Add the crushed lavender to the pot then remove it from heat.

Cover, refrigerate and steep for 2 hours.

Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve.

Stir in the lemon juice and serve over ice.

Decorate with lavender flower sprig optional.

A calming and relaxing beverage, perfect for sipping out in the garden.

3. Strawberry Chamomile Martini

Ingredients:

• 30ml Elderflower cordial
• 15ml simple syrup
• 15ml ginger beer or ale
• 120ml chamomile
• 1 strawberry
• 5 crushed mint leaves
• Orange wedge
• Lemon wedge

Method:

Muddle strawberry with ginger and simple syrup.

Add elderflower, chamomile, mint leaves and citrus wedges.

Add ice and shake before straining into a cocktail glass.

Famously served at the St. Regis Bahia resort in Puerto Rico.

What is simple syrup?  Simple syrup is 1 part water to 1 part sugar, boiled until sugar dissolves and let cool completely. Can sometimes be found in cake stores pre-made.

4. Raspberry Mojito

Ingredients:

• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 3 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 60ml lemonade
• 60-90ml soda water
• 4-6 fresh raspberries

Method:

Add lemonade, soda water, lime juice, sugar and mint leaves to cocktail shaker and shake well. Stir in raspberries and serve with ice.

Easy and simply irresistible!

5. Tropical Fizz

Ingredients:

• 50ml Passionfruit Purée
• 2 fresh passionfruit
• 100ml Mango Juice
• 400ml Appletiser
• Ice Cubes
• 1 lime

Method:

Muddle the seeds and juice from 1 passion fruit at the bottom of the glasses, add the passion fruit purée and then fill the glasses with ice cubes.

Divide the Mango Juice between the glasses.

Top with the appetiser and a squeeze of lime and stir.

Garnish with the other passionfruit, halved and lime wedges.

Now all you have to do is find the perfect spot, relax and enjoy your refreshing mocktail.