These long hot summer days have us wishing we were sitting ocean or poolside sipping on a cool beverage. And for some reason (wink) this drink always tastes even better when served with those bright little umbrellas – go figure. In an effort to get recreate that feeling right in our own backyards, we filled up the kiddie pool and whipped up a batch of our favorite strawberry daiquiris. This super simple, classic cocktail will quickly have all of us feeling cool and relaxed, and a few garnishes will capture that vacation feeling.

A classic daiquiri is the strawberry daiquiri made with fruit, simple syrup, white rum, lime juice, and ice. The first step in any daiquiri preparation is to whip up a quick simple syrup. And “simple” is exactly the right word: just sugar and water heated and cooled, then stored for use in your refrigerator. This will add just the right amount of sweetness to your strawberry daiquiri. The next element is rum, and white rum is what you’ll want to serve. White rum is the traditional way to serve a daiquiri, but we imagine a coconut-flavored rum would also be really delicious.

The amazingly fabulous thing about a daiquiri is that it can be made with a variety of fruits, so instead of strawberries, try frozen peaches or mangoes. And if the rum isn’t your cup of tea, or you’re making this to serve to kiddos, then skip the rum and switch to a lemon-lime soda. Basically, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a daiquiri! A batch of daiquiris served at a backyard barbecue is the perfect way to stay cool and relaxed on a hot summer day.