Hosting is tricky. With so much food to prepare and tablescaping to do, it’s easy to forget one of the most important elements – what will your guests have to drink? Luckily, we've got three easy cocktail recipes that will win over even the most selective of guests.
When it comes to hosting, first impressions matter. Is this a fun evening? An elegant one? A pull-out-all-the-stops maximalist one? The drink you give your guests when they walk through the door immediately sets the tone. Cocktails, known for their versatility, are a great way to do this.
Luckily, we learnt more than a few things about cocktail making at our House Beautiful Summer Entertaining Masterclass, which took place on 9th June. Pernod Ricard’s portfolio ambassadors Chaz and Abbie gave us a tutorial on how to craft three delicious cocktails.
As part of our event, stylist Emily Henson set up three tables in different themes: botanical, crafted and maximalist. The experts at Pernod Ricard then came up with three delicious drinks (one mocktail, two cocktails and one champagne) corresponding with the different themes.
Now, we've gathered those recipes for you to recreate next time you have people round.
Without further ado, here are the three cocktail recipes (including one mocktail) shared by Pernod Ricard that are sure to impress your guests this summer...
What to Read Next
1) Código 1530
Ingredients
- 50ml Código 1530 Rosa Blanco
- 15ml lime juice
- 5ml agave syrup
- 100ml grapefruit soda
Method
- Salt half the rim of a highball glass
- Build over cubes of ice in the glass and stir gently to combine
- Garnish with a slice of pink grapefruit
Abbie's top tip: 'If some people like a salt rim and some people don't, the best thing to do is do a half and half. It saves you a little bit of time later and you can kind of appeal to everybody.'
2) Malfy Gin
Ingredients
- 35ml Malfy Gin Rosa
- 50ml blood orange soda
- 50ml prosecco
Method
- Build over cubes of ice in a wine glass
- Garnish with an orange wheel, thyme with strawberry slices
Chaz' top tip: 'Just like as you're finishing off any lovely meal, a little dash of salt brings out all of those lovely flavors.'
3) Almave (mocktail)
Ingredients
- 50ml Almave Ámbar
- 15ml lime juice
- 5ml agave syrup
- 100ml grapefruit soda
Method
- Salt half the rim of a highball glass
- Build over cubes of ice in the glass and stir gently to combine
- Garden with a slice of pink grapefruit
Not a cocktail person?
If you're not a big cocktail or mocktail person, Pernod Ricard also brought along champagne as an option for our Summer Entertaining masterclass. Here, guests at our event were offered a refreshing glass of Perrier-Jouët to enjoy.
