Light, refreshing flavors key to warm-weather drinks

Patricia Richards, mixologist for Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, talks about her favorite grapefruit vodka (Finlandia) and mentions that she created a coconut mojito with equal parts of coconut rum and coconut vodka, and a peach-blossom margarita with peach concentrate imported from Japan.

Martin Garcia, lead bartender at Beso/Eve at Crystals at CityCenter, makes cocktails with watermelon vodka and mango rum. And both he and Richards readily rattle off a whole list of flavored liquors.

"It's like we're artists, in a way, and now we have new palettes to play with," Richards said. "I'm excited about it. Mixology and spirits have exploded in the last three years."

Yes, there's been a flavor revolution in the cocktail world, and it's reflected by the summer cocktails being created by local bartender/alchemists.

When they're in creative mode, mixologists look at flavors the same way chefs do, as a reflection of the season. Richards said she saves heavy flavors for winter. In summer, she's looking at lighter, refreshing seasonal tastes such as berries and melon.

She cites the strawberry and grapefruit collins, served on the resort's Northshore Terrace, and the Fresca served at SW Steakhouse at Wynn, which contains Hangar One orange-blossom vodka, Canton ginger liqueur, housemade lemongrass-ginger simple syrup, fresh lemon and ginger beer.

"It's crisp, refreshing, but the ginger doesn't kill you," she said of the latter.

Will Primavera, general manager of Hachi at Red Rock Resort, said flavors that represent summer include cucumbers, blueberries, raspberries and exotic fruits.

"Our cocktails change as the seasons go," he said.

Cocktails, Primavera said, should be balanced and have layers of flavor.

"You keep peeling the layers," he said. "That's what separates a good cocktail -- or wine, or cake -- from the rest."

Garcia said his No. 1-selling drink, the Pink Kiss, is a perfect summer cocktail because it's refreshing. Inspired by the mojito, it contains fresh watermelon juice, watermelon vodka, lime and mint.

In fact, Garcia said, the mojito -- which has been enjoying a resurgence in the past few years -- is a "very summery drink."

Another, Richards said, is the Pimm's Cup, although "nowadays we do our own little twists on that. To me, that would be the ideal delicious cocktail for a golfer."

The MGM Grand has put even more of a spin on its summer cocktails by creating four skinny versions with fewer than 150 calories each.

Jeffery Metcalf, general manager of food and beverage pool operations, said the cocktails -- the Berry Skinny, Coconut Mojito, Drunken Palmer and Pool Paloma -- were inspired in part by the lighter menu items available at the resort's Cabana Grill. They are "something that's nice and fruity -- go down nice and smooth on a hot summer day," he said.

And that, it seems, is the secret.

"When I think of a summer cocktail," Garcia said, "I think of a drink that's going to be light, crisp, refreshing. Something that's going to cool me off in the summertime."

CUCUMBER PASSION

2 ounces Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka

2 ounces passion fruit juice

3 ounces (housemade) cucumber-water mix

3 cucumber slices, for garnish

Shake all ingredients except cucumber slices together and strain into a martini glass. Garnish.

-- Recipe from Japonais at The Mirage

VELVET REVOLVER

2 slices cucumber (with skin)

½ fresh lime, squeezed

3 drops Sriracha

1 ounce vodka (they use Belvedere)

1 ounce Haiku melon-based sake liqueur

½ ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur

½ ounce rock-candy syrup

Additional cucumber slice, for garnish

Hand-press the cucumber slices, squeezing the lime over them to help break them down. Add remaining ingredients except garnish; shake and serve in a martini glass.

-- Recipe from Hachi, Red Rock Resort

PINK KISS

1½ ounces Zone melon vodka

¾ ounce Marie Brizard watermelon liqueur

2 ounces fresh watermelon juice

Juice of ½ lime

3 to 4 mint leafs

Shake all ingredients together and strain into a martini glass with a sugared rim.

-- Recipe from Martin Garcia, Beso/Eve

PINEAPPLE SURPRISE

1½ ounces Cruzan pineapple rum

Juice of ½ lime

¾ ounce simple syrup

5 to 6 mint leaves

1 ounce strawberry puree

Shake all ingredients together, strain over a collins glass full of ice and top off with soda water.

-- Recipe from Martin Garcia, Beso/Eve

PIMM'S CUP

2 ounces Pimm's No. 1

3 ounces ginger ale or lemon-lime soda

Slice of lemon and cucumber, for garnish

Pour Pimm's into pint glass; fill with ice. Top with chilled ginger ale. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a slice of cucumber.

-- Recipe from the Mr. Boston All-New Official Bartender's and Party Guide

MOSCOW MULE

1½ ounces vodka

½ ounce lime juice

Ginger beer

Lime wedge, for garnish

Pour vodka and lime juice into coffee mug (preferably copper). Add ice cubes and fill with ginger beer. Drop lime wedge in mug for garnish.

-- Recipe adapted from the Mr. Boston All-New Official Bartender's and Party Guide

MOCKTAILS REFRESHING, TOO

When James Boyer thinks of nonalcoholic summer drinks, he thinks of lemonade -- with a twist.

"The best thing for the summer is you take a basic lemonade or limeade -- make it fresh -- and add anything other than citrus," said Boyer, executive chef and food and beverage director at the Canyon Ranch Grill at the Palazzo and The Venetian. That would be "melons, if you've got a great seasonal melon, all the berries. And work it in, muddle it into your lemonade and let it sit maybe for a day. It's beautiful."

Boyer said some classic cocktails can be converted to mocktails. Most frozen drinks and fruity blended drinks, he said, usually can be converted.

"If you have three ingredients that are nonalcoholic, then you can Shirley Temple it," he said.

Exceptions would be cocktails that get most of their flavor from the alcohol, such as Long Island iced tea.

HIBISCUS COOLER

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 gallon water

7 ounces raspberries

1 orange, sliced into rounds

1 lime, sliced into rounds

1 ounce dried hibiscus flower

Mix sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients, turn off heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain, cool and serve over ice.

Makes 10 servings.