Homemade drinks: orange blossom and berry orange shrub

These homemade summer-y drinks are the right mix of sweet and refreshing.

For a nonalcoholic version of this festive drink, substitute sparkling water for the gin and add it after shaking the orange juice and sugar. This is a popular cocktail that is easy and inexpensive to make at home.

Makes one serving

• 1 large piece orange zest
• 5 ml (1 tsp) superfine sugar plus small saucer for dipping
• 60 ml (2 oz) gin
• 30 ml (1 oz) orange juice
• 1 orange slice1. Rub the orange zest around the rim of a chilled martini glass. Dip the rim into the saucer of sugar.

  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the remaining superfine sugar, gin and orange juice. Cover and shake until the mixture is well blended. Place a strainer over the glass and pour the mixture through. Garnish with the orange slice.

  Note: To make superfine sugar, just whizz granulated sugar in a food processor.

Wonderfully fizzy and full of taste, this drink can be its own dessert, a soda fountain kind of concoction that would cost a fortune at an ice-cream store.

Makes eight servings

• 1 L (4 c) cran-raspberry juice
• 125 g (1/2 c) sugar
• Zest of 1 orange, cut into thin strips
• 150 ml (2/3 c) orange juice
• 1 L (4 c) club soda
• Orange sherbet1. In a medium, nonreactive pot over low heat, combine the cran-raspberry juice, sugar and orange zest; slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

  2. Stir in the orange juice and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture into a two litre (eight cup) pitcher, cover and refrigerate until the mixture is chilled. This is your shrub mixture.

  3. Before serving, remove and discard the orange zest. Pour 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of the shrub mixture into punch cups or glasses, add 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of the club soda and top with a scoop of the orange sherbet.

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