The Caipirinha is to Cachaça, a Brazilian spirit made from fermented and distilled sugarcane, what the Old Fashioned is to whiskey. I like to think of these simple, spirit-forward cocktails as frames: just a few key ingredients added to temper and highlight the core spirit. In the case of the Caipirinha, sugar and lime bring out the grassy, slightly funky character of the Cachaça, leaving a drink that feels somehow both stripped down and complete. The undissolved sugar granules floating around the drink are a key element here. They add texture and the drink becomes sweeter over time. Adding a little extra sugar right on top of the drink only enhances the experience.

The Caipirinha, sugar and lime bring out the grassy, slightly funky character of the Cachaça, leaving a drink that feels somehow both stripped down and complete.

Caipirinha

Why just eat pickles when you can drink them too? This fried pickle martini from Porchlight bar in West Chelsea, NYC is the ultimate savory martini.

fried pickle martini in a coupe at Porchlight bar in NYC

Why just eat pickles when you can drink them too? This fried pickle martini from Porchlight bar in Chelsea, NYC is the ultimate savory martini.

Fried Pickle Martini from Porchlight

Think of this as the lovechild of a dirty martini and a gin and tonic. It’s briny, bubbly, and just the right amount of savory—basically, your go-to G&T’s more interesting cousin. The olive brine brings that salty kick we crave in a martini, but the splash of tonic keeps things light and refreshing. Whether you go for gin or vodka is totally up to you, but don’t skip the garnish. A few olives make it feel like a real cocktail moment, even if it only took five minutes to make.

This dirty gin and tonic combines gin (or vodka), dry vermouth, and olive brine for a savory, martini-inspired twist on the classic cocktail—topped with tonic and olives.

Dirty Martini Tonic

Berry Gin and Tonic

Weeni Martini 

Frozen Paper Plane

This herbal and smokey riff on a margarita is a perfect springtime sipper, but your largest hurdle to making this might be finding Green Chartreuse. In the last few years, the Carthusian monks that make the liqueur have slowed production. Although their recipe is closely guarded, there are a number of close substitutes now readily available. My preferred is Faccia Bruto Centerbe but keep an eye out for Dolin Génépy le Chamois Liqueur as well. 

Chartreuse Margarita

, we developed a refreshing strawberry and St. Germain spritz perfect for summer. It’s incredibly easy to make and if you want to plan ahead, you can prep the strawberries the night before and let them macerate in the fridge overnight.

Hotter in the Hamptons Strawberry Spritz with Tinx

An all-agave riff on the classic Penicillin cocktail invented in the mid-2000s by Sam Ross at the Milk & Honey bar in New York City. This version, by chef Michael Voltaggio, swaps the original blended scotch for Marcado 28 Reposado Tequila and features a smokey mezcal float. This is just as good served up (in a chilled coupe) or on the rocks.



Penicillin by Michael Voltaggio

This may not resemble the Old Fashioned you're used to, but they do things a little differently in Wisconsin. This is a variation that stems back to the late 1800s, when German immigrants living in the Cheesehead State gravitated towards brandy over whiskey as a base spirit in their cocktails. It’s common in bars and supper clubs across Wisconsin, and bartenders tend to be a little loose with their pours—often free-pouring or letting the jigger overflow. If you want to channel that spirit, feel free to go a little over the standard 2 ounces, adding up to 2.5 ounces of spirit. The traditional brandy of choice for this drink is the California made Korbel, the domestic option that would have been available at the time of its inception. That said, this is going to be just as if not more delicious with another brandy, or secretly a nice cognac.

Wisconsin Old Fashioned

Tiki cocktails are making a comeback, and few embody their sweet, fruity, and boozy balance like the Jungle Bird. Created in the 1970s at the Aviary Bar in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, this modern classic gets its name from the tropical birds housed nearby. Unlike most tiki drinks, the Jungle Bird features a bold twist—Campari—adding a bitter edge that balances the pineapple’s sweetness. The result? A refreshing, complex cocktail that feels both tropical and sophisticated.

Jungle Bird

"This frothy lemony cocktail is a tribute to my mom, whose favorite dessert is a lemon meringue pie. Since I prefer limoncello to lemon meringue, this cocktail is a happy midpoint between our tastes—finally a way for us to enjoy her favorite dessert together. The egg white softens the tartness of the lemon, and the brûléed lemon wheel adds just a touch of that burnt sugar you’d get from browning the meringue topping. This is a great way to use your homemade limoncello (see Homemade Citrus- cello in book) and transport yourself to the Amalfi Coast." —

Lemon Meringue Martini by Julianna McIntosh

"It's been a long journey. You're a bit sticky, perhaps a bit thirsty. But paradise is almost here. Just step into the courtyard and reach for a glass of this vodka-based cocktail—we've kept it simple with pineapple juice and a squeeze of lemon, but we've made it special with a white-tea infused vodka. Admire your glass beaded with moisture, then take a long sip—paradise has arrived." —

The White Lotus Arrival Cocktail

While horror movies like the new Oscar nominee, 

, might not be your thing, here is a recipe for vibrantly green, substance-inspired Midori sour shots to liven up your Oscar’s watch party. They’re no less complicated to make than any other jello shot, but are definitely all there in flavor. Disclosure, the flavor was inspired by the Midori Sour jello shots by 

, a business that takes jello shots to a whole new level.

The Substance-Inspired Midori Sour Jello Shots

The Sazerac is a classic New Orleans cocktail that dates back to the 1800s. It’s so old, in fact, that some claim it’s actually the original cocktail. Nevertheless, it’s enjoyed all across The Big Easy and beyond. Typically served with an absinthe rinse and a lemon twist, the drink strikes  a simple, yet delicate balance. In this version, we’ve figured out how to scale it up for a party—perhaps even a Super Bowl party. It uses just a touch of absinthe in the drink itself to mimic the subtle flavor you also get from rinsing. But if you can’t find absinthe, have no fear. Something with a strong anise flavor, such as Pernod or Herbsainte, will work in its place. 

Freezer Door Sazerac

This recipe is excerpted from "The One-Bottle Cocktail," the November and December 2024 Bonus Book in the Food52 Cookbook Club. Follow us 

 If eggnog is your go-to holiday beverage, I urge you to try this creamy bourbon cocktail from Brandon Presbury, who created it for Lazy Bear in San Francisco. While it’s frothy and egg yolk–enriched like the holiday classic, this drink keeps its maple-sweetened richness in balance, thanks to buttermilk’s tang and the bitter cut of cold-brew coffee. 

Buttermilk Flip by Maggie Hoffman from "The One-Bottle Cocktail" 

A honey deuce–the official cocktail of the US Open–is as Instagram-worthy as it is delicious. It’s made with vodka, fresh lemonade, a raspberry liqueur such as Chambord, and is of course garnished with a spear of honeydew melon balls to mimic tennis balls. 

To put my own fun twist on it, I made a homemade raspberry-ginger lemonade in place of the raspberry liqueur, and topped it off with a little prosecco. The cocktail itself is on the stronger side and is meant to pour over a glass full of ice, but you can always reduce the amount of vodka, or skip the alcohol entirely and mix the lemonade with seltzer.  


Big Batch Honey Deuce Spritz with Raspberry-Ginger Lemonade

Once enjoyed exclusively in its native Italy, the Aperol spritz has become world-famous over the last couple of decades for its powerfully refreshing qualities, bright color, lower alcohol content, and overall simplicity. If you’re hunting for a poolside pour or perfect porch sipper, look no further than this light, colorful summer drink that’s as easy to assemble as it is to swig. 

Aperol is a vibrant orange apéritif or aperitivo with roots in Padua, Italy, originally enjoyed before a meal to stimulate the appetite—though it can also be beneficial as a digestif after a meal. Its signature bitter flavor comes from a combination of aromatic ingredients like burnt orange, rhubarb, and gentian, and it packs in a little more sweetness and slightly less of a boozy punch than its crimson cousin, Campari. In fact, Aperol is made by Gruppo Campari, which produces the ruby-hued star of the Negroni, Boulevardier, and Jungle Bird cocktails.

Aperol’s bitter qualities make it ideal for mixing into drinks and punches, but this liqueur is most popular mixed with prosecco over a few ice cubes in a large wine glass and garnished with an orange slice for a classic Aperol spritz. The prosecco’s sweetness and lively fizz helps temper Aperol’s sharpness for better palatability among those less-accustomed to bitter flavors.  I usually grab a bottle between $10 and $15, since it will be mixed. Adding a splash of soda water before serving is traditional for this lower-alcohol cocktail, but optional. If you’re looking for a stronger sip with a more vibrant orange color, simply omit. 

I like this in a very large wine glass with lots of ice on a hot day (and don't skip the sunscreen!)

Aperol Spritz

I am for the most part a wine and beer guy, but every now and again I reach for something a bit stiffer. In the cold months, that would be a bourbon, and in the summer, it’s a basil vodka gimlet. 

When the gimlet was developed, it called for Rose’s lime juice, a popular cocktail ingredient that was originally sweetened to help preserve it as a source of vitamin C for long ocean voyages. It was often mixed with gin, the spirit of choice for British sailors, as it was thought to have medicinal qualities. Once the danger of scurvy at sea was no longer a concern, Rose’s gained popularity as a way to replace the simple syrup in lime-forward cocktails like rickeys, daiquiris, and of course, gimlets. Nowadays, bartenders lean more towards freshly squeezed lime juice over the bottled variety, but Rose’s still maintains a loyal following among cocktail enthusiasts. We’ll definitely be squeezing our own limes for this one—there’s really no substitute for that vibrant zing.  

Flavored and infused gimlets can include fresh fruit that pairs well with lime, like grapefruit or raspberries. You’ll also find versions that feature herbs like rosemary, lavender, mint, or—in the case of this recipe—fresh, peppery basil. While gin is traditional in this classic cocktail, I’m admittedly not much of a gin drinker in general. When I encountered a basil gimlet at a restaurant years ago, I immediately fell in love, and vowed to come up with a vodka version ASAP. You can use either vodka or gin in this formula and tailor it to your preferred strength, but I find that gin’s botanical complexity can be overshadowed by the sharpness and sweetness of the lime juice and simple syrup. Vodka brings more subtlety to the table, and doesn’t compete with the tangy flavor that makes this drink delicious. 

This refreshing green concoction is the result of that effort launched so many years ago, and is a perfect sip for hot weather entertaining when basil is in peak season. Try different varieties, like purple, lemon, or Thai sweet basil to add different flavor notes to the finished product. 


Basil Vodka Gimlet Cocktail

The Spanish gin and tonic, known simply as 

 in Spain, is a maximalist drink that originated in the Basque region during the early 2000s. Served in a large balloon glass filled with ice and an abundance of herbs and citrus, these aromatics echo and amplify the botanicals of the gin, while also creating a visually striking presentation. One of my favorite combinations includes juniper berries, pink peppercorns, and fresh chamomile flowers, which surprisingly enhance the piney notes of juniper. For other variations, experiment with thyme, tarragon, rosemary, or basil—each lends a unique dimension to the drink.

Spanish Gin Tonic (Gin Tonic Español)

The holidays are back and that means one thing—it's time to bust out the coquito. There are many ways to approach this Puerto Rican holiday drink, but the non-negotiables are Puerto Rican rum and the spices. Here, we mix traditional aromatics and spices such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, and ginger with green cardamom—which is not traditional, but adds a really interesting sweetness and complexity. This spice mix shows up twice, first to infuse the rum and then in a spiced tea, which is then blended with three different coconut milks (coquito translates to “little coconut”). Balanced with salt, this is a really complex (and not sickeningly sweet) coquito, best served really cold. 

Spice-Forward Coquito

Take your favorite shady into the wintry season with just a few simple swaps. All you need is your favorite beer, blood orange juice, and the 

Stanley Adventure Happy Hour Cocktail Shaker Set

. For a shandy that is full-bodied, but still the refreshing cocktail it’s known to be, opt for a heartier pilsner given the season. A blood orange wheel garnish adds an extra-special holiday vibe.

Winter Shandy

Made with fresh juice and aquafaba (in lieu of traditional egg white), this whiskey sour riff is portable, sippable, and a crowd favorite for seasonal festivities. It can be made individually to fit in a Stanley GO Everyday Tumbler or take a batch on the go in the Classic Stay Chill Pitcher.

Wintry Spiced Whiskey Sour

Every holiday season, my husband and I like to pick a “Holiday Cocktail” that we make to enjoy, just the two of us, during our favorite traditions. It becomes our go-to of the season. Whether we are baking hundreds of cookies for our annual cookie box, prepping a holiday meal, staying up late wrapping presents, or getting cozy with our favorite movie, we’ll mix up our chosen cocktail to make things feel extra festive and special. 

Most holiday food and drinks are so rich and filling. This Gin Mule, featuring NOLET'S Silver Gin, is a light restorative and a great alternative to the usual decadence of the season. A riff on the classic Moscow Mule, this refreshing cocktail substitutes NOLET'S Gin for vodka and adds pomegranate juice for an unexpected, extra-sweet-and-tart burst of flavor. The cool aroma of mint melds with the fizzy, spicy ginger beer, pomegranate, and uniquely floral, fruit-forward Nolet’s Gin to create a fun, drinkable cocktail. The Gin Mule is familiar, easy-to-make and energizing—the perfect drink for any holiday activity. Garnish with more mint and pomegranate seeds for a bright and cheerful beverage.  

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