Usually when one goes on vacation, especially when she visits old friends with whom there is a history of knocking back a cocktail or two during said visit, the creation of a new drink seems inevitable.  In years past when my family and I have gone out to Southern California to spend time with our many dear friends, I have been the self-designated bartender and have poured some wicked Mai Tais, Bloody Marys, gin and tonics, you name it.  This year I assumed I would fashion a fairly impressive cocktail, since, after all, I started my blog this past year and have been experimenting with many more concoctions than ever before.  But for some reason I found myself stuck with no inspiration whatsoever.  Maybe my brain shut off when I checked in for my outbound flight.  Maybe I needed a break from not only my full-time corporate job, but from cocktail mixing as well.  I just know that the only drinks I found myself preparing during our vacation were the old standbys, not some unique masterpiece.  I even lost the popular vote for my Bloody Mary to a mere novice, my friend Xochitl’s son Dan (although the people voting were also young and not exactly Bloody Mary connoisseurs.   And you know I still love you, Danny!).

Alas, there is no happy ending to this story.  I didn’t find my spark and conjure up the most amazing drink to share with you.  What inspired me this week was the unrelenting heat out West-  the temps reached a scorching 114 degrees on our last full day in Southern California.

When the wind blew, it felt like an assault by a blast furnace.  It was a bit cooler back in Pennsylvania, but I imagined a nice refreshing summer cocktail on our flight home.  This raspberry rum limeade can be as strong or as light as you decide, but either way it will be a cool breezy drink to enjoy on those sweltering summer days.

Here’s the recipe-

Raspberry Rum Limeade

1 ½- 2 oz raspberry rum (I used Bacardi)

1 ½- 2 oz Deep Eddy’s lemon vodka

2-3 oz Simply Limeade

Club soda

Pour the first three ingredients in a tall glass with ice, then top with a few ounces of club soda.  Garnish with a handful of fresh raspberries and a wedge of lime.

Now that I’m back home and back in the groove, I am hoping the heat doesn’t warp the part of my cranium that holds the cocktail ideas.  We’ll all be better off with more drinks to choose from this summer.