Spirits of the Season

L eave the lemonade to the kids. When the summer heat hits, these custom cocktails will cool you off much faster.

Call it a grown-up Slurpee: The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena has put a new spin on the martini, offering a frozen version at its Terrace Restaurant. It comes out of the blender mixed with ice, like a frozen margarita. Request a basic version or opt for one of the Ritz’s exotic variations, including Key lime pie.

Behind the bar at Spago Beverly Hills rests a special bottle of Ketel One holding four cups of rare Persian mulberries (available only from midsummer to mid-fall) in addition to the smooth Swedish vodka. Request the Persian mulberry martini, and the bartender will mix three parts of the rich purple liquid with a dash of Chambord (a French raspberry liqueur) and one part Champagne, garnished with a single vodka-infused berry.

In Spain, hot nights call for cooling Sangria, and Asia de Cuba offers it three ways: with Spanish blanco (white), rojo (red) or sparkling wine. The bartender will pour your selection over a mix of mango, papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe and other fruits soaking in brandy, triple sec and simple syrup, and top it off with a splash of pineapple and orange juice.

“Cool as a cucumber” takes on new meaning at Mako, where the eponymous chef-owner serves sake in hand-carved, chilled cucumber cups. This infuses the sake with the vegetable’s crisp flavors, so it pairs well with dishes like crispy calamari salad or tuna carpaccio.

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Terrace Restaurant, Ritz-Carlton, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena,

(877) 675-9330.

Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 385-0880.

Asia de Cuba, 8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 848-6000.

Mako, 225 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 288-8338.