Summer Entertaining Series: Pink Grapefruit Vieux Mot

This recipe requires making simple syrup, which, luckily, only takes about 30seconds. Just combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and turn off the heat, making sure all the sugar is dissolved. Flavorful, freshly squeezed fruit juices are the crux of this recipe, so look for fruits that feel ripe and heavy for their size. Since fruits vary in terms of sweetness/acidity, don't be afraid to tweak this drink to your taste, adding more lemon or simple syrup if needed. If you only have regular (Eureka) lemons, you can experiment with using less lemon juice and more simple syrup. And if you lack a cocktail shaker, don't fret–you can shake this beverage in a quart-sized mason jar instead.

Ingredients

1½ ounces gin (Hendricks and New Amsterdam are good picks)

1 ounce Elderflower Sparkling Lemonade

3 ounces strained pink grapefruit juice (from half a large pink or ruby grapefruit)

1 ounce strained lemon juice from a large Meyer lemon

¼ounce (1 1/2 teaspoons) simple syrup

ice

grapefruit twist, for garnish

Instructions

Combine the gin, lemonade, juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled partway with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into an 8-ounce glass or tumbler. Garnish with the grapefruit twist