yes friends! we made it to the first day of summer. today is the longest day of the year and the official summer kick off.

our calendar is packed to the gills this week with graduation cakes, food delivery, baby shower, wedding and anniversary cakes. ALL the summer celebrations are going down now.

in additional to sharing all the beautiful cakes this weekend, i’m sharing this summer lunch i planned with my friend lish from lisherbevents and these gorgeous melamine products from juliska.

it got me super excited for summer. summer food, summer fruit, summer drinks and before too long, a summer baby. baby is the size of pineapple this week and coincidentally i’ve been eating a ton of it. it makes me think of tropical vacations and some of my favorite cocktails.

in this weeks edition of delicious cocktails i make and then pass of to my lucky, LUCKY husband, we have a cooling, tropical orange and pineapple drink that tastes like the dreamiest popsicle in a glass. and will have you feeling like you are on vacation.

pineapple + orange rumsicle

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 oz white rum. .5 oz triple sec. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 3 tbs pineapple purée (i blended up about 5 pineapple cubes in a food processor until smooth. if you aren’t into making your own purée, you could always sub pineapple juice) + pineapple wedge for garnish. 1 cup finely crushed ice + a couple cubes for your shaker. shaker.

start by filling your shaker with the couple full ice cubes. pour in the rum, triple sec, orange juice and pineapple purée. shake well till everything is well combined.

fill your serving glass with crushed ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your glass.

garnish with a pineapple wedge. serve and enjoy.

xo, a

pineapple + orange rumsicle

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 oz white rum. .5 oz triple sec. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 3 tbs pineapple purée (i blended up about 5 pineapple cubes in a food processor until smooth. if you aren’t into making your own purée, you could always sub pineapple juice) + pineapple wedge for garnish. 1 cup finely crushed ice + a couple whole ice cubes for your shaker. shaker.

start by filling your shaker with the couple full ice cubes. pour in the rum, triple sec, orange juice and pineapple purée. shake well till everything is well combined. fill your serving glass with crushed ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your glass. garnish with a pineapple wedge. serve and enjoy.

may gray has settled into southern california. but despite the cooler temperatures and lack of sunshine, the great produce is still rolling in to stores. and rhubarb season is upon us.

your traditional mojito has that great sweet and sour vibe brought to you by simple syrup and lime juice. fresh strawberries, rhubarb and my favorite cocktail sweetener, hibiscus syrup, combine to make something really special and summery.

fresh produce makes this drink really bright and dangerously easy drinking. not to mention, it is pretty easy on the eyes.

strawberry + rhubarb mojito

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz white rum. 5 oz club soda. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 4 strawberries, 3 sliced up and 1 reserved for garnish. .25 cup chopped fresh rhubarb. handful of mint leaves + 1 mint sprig for garnish. 1 cup ice. tall serving glass. food processor or blender.

in the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine the sliced strawberry, rhubarb, mint leaves, hibiscus syrup and the rum.

blend until as smooth as you can get it. fill your serving glass with ice. pour in your blended mixture.

top with club soda.

garnish with strawberry and mint sprig. serve and enjoy.

xo, a

strawberry + rhubarb mojito

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 2 oz white rum. 5 oz club soda. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 4 strawberries, 3 sliced up and 1 reserved for garnish. .25 cup chopped fresh rhubarb. handful of mint leaves + 1 mint sprig for garnish. 1 cup ice. tall serving glass. food processor or blender.

in the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine the sliced strawberry, rhubarb, mint leaves, hibiscus syrup and the rum. blend until as smooth as you can get it. fill your serving glass with ice. pour in your blended mixture. top with club soda. garnish with strawberry and mint sprig. serve and enjoy.