Al fresco lunches are my favorite way to entertain at home during the summer.  Serving a refreshing signature drink with a fabulous fruit & cheese platter in my gardens to welcome guests, followed by a farm to table poolside lunch is typically my go-to hostess plan. Here’s three signature cocktail recipes that are always a summer hit! Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend…

Our gardens explode with a sea of hydrangea each summer which makes it so fun and easy to make lots of bountiful arrangements.  A mix of blue and white is the color combo you will usually find as the backdrop to my table top designs.

The Maple Shade Gin Spritz

I named this refreshing spritz after our Hamptons home, Maple Shade.  It’s such a simple recipe anyone can make it with just a few ingredients mixed in equal parts: Mionetto Prosecco DOC Organic Extra Dry and Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin. The Prosecco boasts strong tastes of golden apple, pineapple and orange. The flavoring of the Bombay Sapphire Gin comes from a recipe of ten ingredients: almond, lemon peel, liquorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise.

Simply pour the equal parts of the prosecco and gin in a cocktail shaker of ice and shake. Pour into a tumbler, top off with a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice. Garnish with an orange slice and serve.

The Bali Hai Cocktail:  

2oz Cutwater Baku Hai Tiki Gold Rum
.75oz fresh lime juice
.5oz ginger syrup
2oz fresh orange juice
Angostura Bitters
*Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Strain over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. Finish with 6 dashes of bitters.

Casamigos Lavender Spritzer
2 Parts Casamigos Blanco
1.5 Parts Lavender syrup (see recipe below)
.5 Part Fresh lemon juice
.5 Part Grapefruit juice
2 Dashes lavender bitters
Top off with grapefruit soda water

Method: Add all ingredients into shaker and shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Strain into Collins glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lavender sprig and lemon peel
To create lavender syrup: Dissolve 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a medium pot. Add dried lavender sprigs. Let simmer for 10 min. Cool and preserve lavender syrup.

Setting a Terrific Table Matters: This charming new melamine Trellis & Topiary service for four by theenchantedhome.com  has been on repeat all summer long.

Eggcelent!  I’m in love with this vintage tiered china server I discovered from @highlandsteacupco. They have myriad patterns of china to choose from.

Delivered On a Platter:  I love to cook, but sometimes it’s also fun to just kick back and relax with friends and serve farm fresh prepared Hamptons eats from hamptonsaristocrat.com. Owners Lexi and Louisa do such an incredible job creating  mouthwatering menus with the freshest ingredients all perfectly plated.

My favorite bulbs of summer are all from Van Bloem : The Pink Diamond Calla Lilies, and Asiatic Double Lilies were all planted in early May and bloomed for most of the summer.