Hooray for Adult Beverages!

The way I see it, I'm in my prime drinking years. You know that sweet spot between college and starting a family where not only am I legal to drink but I'm good at it? Years of painstaking practice and dedication to the sport, nay -- art of imbibing have led me to this elite level of libation mastery. Needless to say, as we mature, our taste and preferences mature with us honing what started as a blindfolded slap-boxing contest to a fine-tuned pirouette of specific flavors we love and curtains for those that we decidedly do not. In tribute to my Mad Dog 20/20 days (don't judge, we all did it) and to, what I can only assume will be my Scotch-on-the-Rocks days to come, here is my current favorite summer drink recipe.

Obligatory Disclaimer: Drink responsibly, friends; a DD is a fine accessory to any party outfit.

Lemonade Cooler Recipe Preface

Muddle - verb, "to muddle"

1. To confuse or befuddle (the mind), as with alcohol

2. To stir (or mix) a drink gently

3. To push on to a favorable outcome in a disorganized way

Lemonade Cooler Recipe

Lemonade from concentrate (if you make your own fresh, even better!)
Berries (use what you've got or what you love, if your blackberry bush overfloweth, toss 'em in)
Fresh Mint Leaves (any variety, I used mojito mint for this one recently and it was amazing)
Brown Sugar
Vodka

Simple right? Start with your fresh mint leaves. Pick a handful or so, you don't want the mint flavor to overpower the berries. Place them in the bottom of the pitcher and sprinkle with just a little bit of brown sugar to use as an abrasive. If you're using an aggregate berry, such as blackberries or raspberries, wash them well and add them now. Muddle gently with a wooden spoon or something similar. Add your lemonade concentrate but do not add the full amount of water the instructions recommend. The instructions are wrong. See where it says add so many cans of water? Some of those need to be vodka. You decide how many. If you're using another fruit, such as strawberries, slice them and add them now. Stir well. This drink is tasty from the get-go but the fruit flavor really comes through after it has chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. Pour this through a strainer before serving to avoid the little mint floaties from muddling up the drinkability and presentation of your concoction. Serve in patio-friendly glasses with a piece or two of your fruit of choice in the glass as a tasty little bonus. Muddle with friends for maximum satisfaction.

This recipe is an easy make-ahead for parties (4th of July, anyone?), looks beautiful, and is easily extended or manipulated. Do me a favor and use a decent vodka; nothing that comes in a plastic gallon jug. You're better than that. Now get out there and get your muddle on! Bottoms up!