SO, you're celebrating the arrival of spring with a pre-summer party. Some of your friends, of course, prefer beer and wine. That part is easy enough.

SO, you're celebrating the arrival of spring with a pre-summer party. Some of your friends, of course, prefer beer and wine. That part is easy enough.

But what should you do about the other guests? Here are some colourful cocktail drink recipes that will brighten up the patio and get you shaking and stirring.

WOO WOO

50ml vodka

15ml peach schnapps

lime wedge

cranberry juice

ice cubes

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Squeeze in lime, then add the vodka and schnapps. Shake, then strain into an old-fashioned glass half filled with ice. Add the squeezed lime wedge and top up with cranberry juice.

CAIPIRINHA

50ml cachaça (a clear Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane)

1 whole lime, chopped

1 tablespoon super-fine sugar

15ml sugar syrup

Ice cubes

Mint sprig

Mash up lime, sugar, and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice and the cachaça. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled tumbler. Garnish with mint.

CHAPALA

5 small chunks of watermelon

1 lime, chopped

15ml sugar syrup

45ml gold tequila

apple juice

ice cubes

Mash up watermelon, lime, and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice, then the tequila. Shake vigorously and strain into a tall, chilled glass one inch from the rim. Top with apple juice.

BELLINI

15ml peach liqueur

25ml peach juice or nectar

chilled champagne or sparkling wine

Pour liqueur and juice into a chilled champagne flute. Slowly top up with champagne or sparkling wine.

BAHAMA MAMA

15ml Malibu

15ml Kahlúa

15ml dark and white rum

pineapple juice

pineapple wedge

mint sprig

ice cubes

crushed ice

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the Malibu, Kahlúa, and rum. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass half filled with crushed ice. Top off with juice. Garnish with pineapple wedges and mint.

MOJITO

50ml white rum

8 mint leaves

half a lime, chopped

15ml sugar syrup; club soda

ice cubes

Mash up mint, lime and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice, then the rum. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled tumbler one inch from the rim. Top up with club soda.

CUBA LIBRE

50ml white rum

7 lime wedges

cola

ice cubes

Half fill a highball glass with ice. Add rum and squeeze in six lime wedges, adding the squeezed wedges to the glass. Top up with cola and garnish last lime wedge.

PIÑA COLADA

45ml white rum

15ml coconut cream

15ml Malibu

60ml pineapple juice

15ml sugar syrup

1 cup crushed ice

pineapple leaves

Place all ingredients except the pineapple leaves in a blender and blend until the consistency of shaved ice.

Pour into a large, chilled cocktail glass and garnish with leaves.

SHAMPOO

15ml gin

15ml lemon juice

dash of Pernod

dash of blue curaçao

chilled champagne or sparkling wine

Lemon twist

Pour gin, then lemon juice, Pernod and blue curaçao into a chilled champagne flute.

Slowly top up with champagne or sparkling wine.

Garnish with a twist of lemon.

ALIEN SECRETION

fill a 250ml cocktail glass with ice

add 20ml of melon liqueur

add 20ml of coconut rum

fill with pineapple juice

Garnish with a pineapple slice

COSMOPOLITAN

fill a cocktail shaker with ice

add 35ml of vodka

add a splash of lime juice

add a splash of triple sec

add a splash of cranberry juice

shake

Drain liquid into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime slice

HURRICANE

fill a 500ml cocktail glass with ice

add 35ml of clear rum

add 35ml of spiced rum

add 35ml of almond liqueur

add a splash of orange juice

fill with cranberry juice

stir

Top with a splash of dark rum Garnish with an orange slice. - marieclaire.com