It is no secret that I love to entertain. I love inviting guests for elaborate meals or for casual get togethers Before I had kids (i.e. back when I had free time) I would start looking through recipe books on Shabbat afternoon to start planning for the following week’s Shabbat menu for guests. I would start cooking on Wednesday so that I could make all kinds of elaborate recipes. Now my life is a bit too busy to dedicate quite that much time to each menu, but I still like to entertain, albeit with slightly less involved recipes.

While the menu is an important factor in the success of a get together, I have realized that having a signature cocktail is something that can take a great event and push it over the top. This past year we started our Passover seders with a “red sea” cocktail and, in spite of an evening full of delicious food, it was the cocktail that people were talking about the next day. Because of that I have been trying to create a signature cocktail to go with the menu each time we entertain, and I have been having so much fun in the process!

When the Kosher Connection decided to have a virtual dinner party to celebrate three years of the group I knew I wanted to make a cocktail to add to the festivities. Since it is summer I wanted to make a cocktail that is summery and light, so I decided a grownup lemonade was the way to go. This drink is made using homemade strawberry mint lemonade concentrate. I have been really into canning this summer, and homemade lemonade concentrates are a great base item to have in the pantry. They are quick to make and having them on hand means that you are always ready with a drink when friends drop by. (If you aren’t into canning the concentrate can be made fresh for this drink, or made in a larger batch and stored in the freezer).

Now depending on the type of get together, I like different types of drinks, so I am providing a couple of different recipes based on the same basic ingredients. For a dinner/evening party I like a stronger drink, more like a martini in style. But on a hot afternoon in the sun, a strong drink is too much. Instead, I like a more sip-able drink that quenches your thirst while still bringing that “grown-up” vibe that makes it feel like a party. For these drinks I chose gin, because I like the depth of flavor it provides, but if gin isn’t your thing they would be great with vodka too. To enjoy it as a non-alcoholic treat mix the concentrate in equal parts with water or seltzer, and then add more water or seltzer to taste.