LJWorld.com

A household blender will help you concoct multi-ingredient drinks like a Margarita Morada, which contains blackberries. See the recipe below.

Juicy watermelon margaritas, creamy piña coladas and elegant peach bellinis: Nothing says "Let's party!" like a frosty cocktail on a hot summer day. They are so festive, sporting mini umbrellas and fresh fruit garnishes. They'll give your big affair or intimate backyard get-together the feel of a "Love Boat" cruise: blenders, full steam ahead!

If they sound complicated, just cheat. Frozen cocktail technology has come a long way. Margarita, piña and other mixes come in bottles and frozen juice cans. Some even contain the booze. So what are you waiting for? You could be sipping yourself silly before you can say "brain freeze!"

Blender splendor rules

1. Make sure you've got a machine that can do the job. It's got to crush ice like Marines crush beer cans. There's no bigger drag than a bunch of thirsty guests waiting for you to get a replacement blender because yours can't hack it. This function has nothing to do with expense. Get a $200 blender from a fancy kitchen shop, or find a cheap plastic one at Target or a garage sale. You've just got to test drive it and make sure it works like a charm. Some of the cheapies perform beautifully, so don't rule them out. And definitely consider getting one as a backup if you've got an outdoor kitchen.

2. Make sure you have plenty of crushed ice. Ice cubes take a lot longer to pulverize. And it really is critical to put liquids in first, then the ice, fresh fruit, ice cream or whatever.

3. Don't dilute your booze. Use a recipe, or follow directions on your bottle of mix. Remember, blender drinks are like iced tea - mostly ice, so everything else has to be concentrated.

Manly vs. girly drinks

When you think of frozen cocktails, do you flash back to Nick Cage in "Leaving Las Vegas"? He's wheeling his cart through the liquor store chasing chicks, "Hey, baby, let's go back to my place and I'll make you a gooey blender drink!"

Most men think of blender drinks as sweet and girly. Lots of them are: mudslides, strawberry margaritas, frozen mai tais. So if you're serving mixed company, have some drinks that appeal to men. Traditional margaritas are great. But also consider the daiquiri. With plenty of rum and lime, it's close kin to a margarita and just happened to be one of macho President JFK's favorite drinks - loved rum, hated Castro.

For the girls in the crowd, go all out with fancy ingredients. Google around and find some yummy blends. I love one from a Martha Stewart magazine called Blue Cloud. It's got vanilla frozen yogurt, lime and blue curacao. Another is called a Key Largo. It's fresh banana, creme de cacao, rum, ice cream and something orange flavored.

Bellinis are also a classic: peach nectar with champagne. And you can give daiquiris and margaritas your own twist by tossing in fresh fruit in season. How about white peach daiquiris? Or blackberry margaritas? They disappear fast on a sunny day. If your crowd isn't so much into the booze, make your own Frappuccinos. There are mixes and powders and all kinds of helpers available at coffeehouses and in grocery stores.

Stemware, straws and garnishes

A sexy drink needs a sexy outfit. Forget the plastic cups and get some of those margarita glasses that look like sundae cups. Or serve them in oversized martini glasses. If you haven't tried them yet, invest in acrylic stemware in hot neon colors. Then set up a garnish bar with cherries, twists, fresh fruit and whipped cream. Let the guests put on their own umbrellas so you can keep the blender going. Make sure there are enough straws, and if the drinks are especially slushy, opt for those little straw spoons that snow cones are often served with; when the frozen treats are this good, you'll want to get every last drop.

MARGARITA MORADA (BLACKBERRY MARGARITA)

3 cups ice

2 cups margarita mix

1/2 cup tequila

1/2 cup cassis

1/4 cup fresh blackberries

Put wet ingredients in blender. Add ice and berries.

Blend until slushy. Garnish with fresh berries.

Yield: One pitcher