Now that the days are getting longer and the evenings warmer, it’s time to enjoy the pleasures of a refreshing summer drink. A classic summer cocktail should be light, easy to sip, and capture some of the tastes of the season — and for a bonus, it should be easy to make as well. After all, who wants to be sweating over a busy bar when there’s a balmy summer evening to enjoy?
The go-to summer sipper I’d recommend for a relaxed evening is a Lillet Spritz. If you haven’t tried Lillet, an aromatized wine that’s similar to vermouth, you can drink it neat or over ice. But it’s great for cocktails, too, as it has a blend of sweet grape flavors and herbal bitterness that makes it an interesting and complex ingredient to mix with.
How to make a Lillet Spritz
A Lillet Spritz is just about as simple as a drink can be: equal parts of Lillet Blanc and soda water, for a bubbly, refreshing beverage. What sets this apart, though, is the addition of extras. Some people like to add mint or strawberry, but the thing I can’t get enough of is cucumber. Add thinly sliced cucumber wheels to your spritz — and I mean a lot of cucumber wheels — and it’ll add a lovely savory, green note that goes great with the underlying herbal flavors of the Lillet. I like to serve this in a big copa glass with one large ice cube to keep it cool without watering it down.
The nice thing about this drink is that, as well as being easy to make, it is complex enough to appeal to cocktail enthusiasts who enjoy bitter, savory flavors, but it’s also approachable enough for your casual drinker friends who just want something tasty to sip. Try this one for a lazy summer evening in the park or in your garden to welcome in the summer.
