So you've got your line-up  of Strawberry Daiquiris, Piña Coladas and Margaritas.
    Good. You've got a foundation. But what's separating your menu of frozen cocktails from the neighborhood pack? What reason are you giving summer sippers to get excited and return for a delicious cool-me-down?
    Variety has driven expansive cocktail menus on-premise of late, and the frozen ones should be no exception. Adding creative frozens incorporating other flavors such as peach, chocolate and guava and on-trend profiles such as pomegranate, mango and coffee should be the top priority this spring for any operator worth his Margarita rim salt who wants to position his venue as the singular spot for laid back relaxation during the hot months.
    Stephen Cunningham, a professional bartender and restaurant consultant in the Boston area and contributing writer for Nightclub & Bar, possesses a number of ideas for creating much-needed excitement in a frozen drink selection.
    “Try this experiment at the next opportune moment,” says Cunningham, who also is author of “The Bartender's Black Book” (more information at thebartendersblackbook.com). “While your bar or restaurant is filling up, take one of your staff, preferably someone with a great smile, Give them a tray with a tall, fetching, colorful frozen concoction on it and weave by every table, holding the tray a little lower than usual so that all your guests can see. Inevitably, people will ask their servers, 'What was that bright orange drink that went by here,' and the server should know and say, 'That was our newest creation –– a Mango Colada made with fresh mango. May I get you one, perhaps with a floater of dark rum?'
    “They will sell,” Cunningham says. “I have used this method with great results with appetizers and desserts as well. You might even print up business cards with your logo, the drink of the night's name and maybe even the recipe on back. You put those cards in everyone's hands and you are on your way to running out of mangos.”
    To blend new life into your frozen drink menu –– and have visually captivating, mouth-watering drinks to drive orders as Cunningham suggests –– consider some of the following recipes. And have a killer summer!

Mango Colada
3/4 cup of ice
2 ounces rum or mango rum
2 tablespoons of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
1/2 cup of fresh mango
(1 tablespoon of vanilla ice cream optional)
Blend until smooth.
Courtesy of Stephen Cunningham.

Peach Margarita
4 ounces Daily's Peach Daiquiri/Margarita Mix
1 ounce white tequila
1 cup crushed ice
3/4 ounce Daily's Triple Sec
Combine and blend until smooth. Garnish with a fresh peach slice.
Courtesy of Daily's.

Beachcomber
1 ounce Island Oasis Bacardi rum
2 ounces Island Oasis Guava mix
1 ounce Island Oasis Passion Fruit mix
1 ounce Island Oasis Mango mix
Blend until smooth. Add 1/4 ounce Bacardi Select float.
Courtesy of Island Oasis.

Frozen Batida
1 cup ice
2 ounces cachaça
1 dash light cream
4 ounces flavoring (your choice: Soursop, Cupuasu, Cream of Coconut, Mango, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Papaya)
1 tablespoon of super-fine sugar (optional)
Blend until smooth.
Courtesy of Stephen Cunningham.

Tiramisu
1/2 cup of ice
1/2 ounce amaretto
1/2 ounce coffee liqueur
1/2 ounce chocolate liqueur
1/2 ounce Irish Cream
1 shot espresso
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 Scoop of vanilla ice cream
Blend until smooth. Garnish with a ladyfinger cookie.
Courtesty of Stephen Cunningham.

Thunder Bunny
1/2 cup of ice
1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
1/2 ounces cinnamon schnapps
1/2 ounces white crème de cacao
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
1 dash of milk.
Blend until smooth.
Courtesy of Stephen Cunningham.

Tropical Hooter
4 1/2 ounces Maui Piña Colada cocktail
1 ounce cranberry juice cocktail
1 1/2 ounces coconut rum
8 ounces ice
Blend until smooth.
Courtesy of Maui Fruit Blends.

Minted Mocha Medley
4 ounces Tiki Bay Mochaccino
1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream
1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps
1 cup ice
Blend until ice is crushed. Makes a 12-ounce cocktail.
Courtesy of Rich's Tiki Bay.

Mango Margarita
1 part tequila
1 1/2 parts Stirrings Mango Margarita mixer
Combine and add plenty of ice in a blender. Blend for 20 seconds and pour into a salted glass. For a different spin, instead of salt, try Stirrings Mango Rimmer or Margarita Rimmer.
Courtesy of Stirrings.