Coconut water coolers

At last, it’s summer. And it’s hot. When the heat can suck the chill right out of a beer in three minutes flat, you need a refresher that’s a little more durable. So when the heat strikes, nothing is better than a chilled drink made with coconut water. It is not only a good cooling agent but doesn’t give you a hangover the next day.

The Villa 39 Mojito

Ingredients

• Coconut water
• 45 ml vodka
• 2 wedges of lemon
• 1 orange slice, deseeded
• 2 litchis
• 5-6 mint leaves
• 10-15 ml sugar syrup
• Crushed ice
• 2 cherries

Method
In a tall glass, muddle the vodka, wedges of lemon, orange slice, litchi, mint leaves, sugar syrup and crushed ice. Top up with coconut water. Mix and drop cherries into the drink. You can make the drink into a mocktail by removing the vodka.

Coconut Mocktail

Ingredients

• 80 ml coconut water
• 40 ml pineapple juice
• 3-4 dashes of tabasco
• 4 slices of lemon
• 5-6 pieces of mint leaves
• Crushed ice

Method
Muddle the lemon slices, mint leaves and crushed ice. Top with coconut water and pineapple juice. Stir and serve in a tall glass.

(The writer is the founder of the Bacchus Beverage Academy)