Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

André Miller adds the finishing touch to his Smirnoff Bay Breeze.photos by Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore

This week we continue our series on Summer Coolers. Last week the Montegonians shared their Blue Beat Martini Bar experience with Food readers. The first in our series featured fruit juices as a health Today we look at the flip side - Smirnoff blended drinks - for the responsible drinker.

Summer is all about partying and unwinding. Parties pull heavy crowds and with the added heat, an ideal way to cool down is with a glass of Smirnoff Vodka cocktail.

Smirnoff Vodka is one of the most widely recognised brands and can be used with almost any chaser. For some Smirnoff Vodka mixology tips, Food visited the Acropolis Gaming Suite where resident bartenders, André Miller and Stacie Little, T.G.I. Friday's Bartender Champion of the Year, showed us interesting ways to make vodka cocktails. With a few shakes and a bit of flair, they whipped up five drinks: Mango Sunrise, Sea Breeze, Moscow Mule, Peach Cosmopolitan and Bay Breeze.

Julian Walker, customer service/entertainment manager, said Smirnoff Pink is the drink of choice for ladies. But he cautions, drink responsibly.

Smirnoff Sunrise

1 1/2 oz Smirnoff

1 1/2 cranberry juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1/2 Triple sec

Garnish: Lime wheel and pineapple chunks.

Serve in: Frosted martini glass

Method

1. Place pineapple chunks in the bottom of martini glass.

2. Combine the Smirnoff Vodka, Ocean Spray Cranberry and pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker.

3. Shake well and strain into glass.

4. Garnish with lime wheel.

Smirnoff Sea Breeze

1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Vodka

3 oz grapefruit juice

3 oz cranberry juice

Serve in: Frosted martini glass.

Method

1. Place ice in a glass then pour vodka.

2. Pour grapefruit then cranberry juice to produce a layered effect.

3. Garnish with pineapple and cherry.

Vodka Quencher

30 ml Smirnoff Vodka

5 ml strawberry syrup

4 drops Angostura Bitters

Ocean Spray Cran-Grape Juice

Ice

Method:

1. In a tall glass, add vodka, syrup and bitters together, stir and add ice.

2. Top with juice and garnish with frozen grapes.

Garnish: Frozen grapes

Glassware: Tall glass