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8 Hors d’Oeuvres and Cocktails to Celebrate the First Aperitif of the Summer

Hit the terrace to make the most of the beautiful weather with your first al fresco aperitif of the season! Invite friends over to play at mixologist and nibble on a few bites. Stretch this lovely moment in good company. Here are 8 recipes to celebrate this first summer event of many, in the sunshine or under the stars.

4 Perfect Cocktails to Say, “Cheers!”

What could be better than a cocktail to toast the terrace season? To mark the occasion, fruits and sweet syrups are just what it takes. With fresh, summery flavours, you can’t go wrong!

1. Blood Orange Mimosa

There’s nothing quite like a bubbly cocktail to ring in the arrival of the warm weather. Give the traditional mimosa a spin by swapping the regular orange juice with blood orange juice. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling wine. A delicate, bright and colourful mix that smells of summer!

2. White Sangria with Mango and Honey

Bring Spain into your glasses with this sangria made with white wine, Cointreau, generous chunks of mango and orange, as well as raspberries and a splash of honey for some additional sweetness. This cocktail will put sunshine in an already radiant aperitif.

3. The Beet Goes On

Beets in a cocktail? Absolutely! What’s more, their beautiful red colour and sweetness make them an ideal candidate for gorgeous cocktails. This is a perfect opportunity to use up the last of the winter veggie lingering in your crisper and make the most of it by transforming it into this zero-waste drink. Combined with St-Germain, lemon and bitters, beets show ittheirs true colours.

4. Orange & Mint Mojito

The mojito is the ultimate cocktail to savour summer fully. Replace the usual lemon with orange juice for a sweeter, slightly tangy side. Mint and lime bring a breath of fresh air to the drink. A wonderful blend of flavours that are more than welcome on a hot, sunny day.

4 Amuse-Bouches to Snack on with a Cocktail

Fresh and delicious seasonal recipes that are easy to make? That’s all we need to go with our cocktails this summer. Here are 4 amuse-bouches that you can put together in a jiffy and serve on a platter. This way, you’ll vary your little delights and make sure to appeal to everybody’s taste.

5. Shrimp à L’Orange Skewers

For canapés that will charm all your guests, this recipe is ideal. Coat shrimp and orange segments with a spicy paprika marinade and thread them onto skewers. Each piece reveals its true flavours when grilled. An oh, so easy recipe, that’s oh, so tasty!

6. Glazed Tofu Bites with Peanuts and Ginger

The key to this recipe? The seasoning, as tofu itself tastes fairly bland. Coat tofu cubes in a mixture of soy sauce, nuoc cham and brown sugar, grill them, then dip them in peanuts. This ensures that the canapés won’t stick to the platter. Serve them with a sesame and ginger mayonnaise.

7. Fava Bean and Ricotta Toast

This hors d’oeuvre is a lovely alternative to classic bruschetta. Grill slices of bread and spread ricotta cheese on them. Top the toasts with a garnish of mint, lemon, celery and fava beans, a legume reminiscent of green peas taste-wise. Mellow and delicately sweet.

8. Mini Chicken Skewers with Pesto, Cranberries and Pistachios

To give a festive touch to your aperitif, serve these beautiful mini skewers that offer the perfect combination of flavours, colours and textures. Tender pieces of chicken are slathered with pesto and honey, then garnished with dried cranberries and crushed pistachios. A starter that will disappear in a flash!

For other aperitif recipe suggestions, check out our summer cocktails and hors d'oeuvres categories.