Hanging Loose with Chartreuse

Inspired by our story on classic cocktail ingredients and liqueurs coming up in the July/August issue (subscribers, start stalking your mail carrier this week), I brought a bottle of Chartreuse Green to a friend’s barbeque. A sweet, earthy, warming liqueur may not seem like an obvious choice for a casual summer party, but we used it to create a light, thirst-quenching cocktail perfect for a hot day. Mixed with fresh lime juice, simple syrup, fresh mint and club soda, the Chartreuse was less priests-in-a-crypt and more blooming-summer-garden. Look for our liqueurs round-up on page 34 of the new issue. —Shoshanna Cohen

Garden Party
This recipe is for 4 servings. (For a party I like to mix enough to pour a few drinks at once; if you want to make one serving, just divide the ratios by 4.)

6 oz. Chartreuse Green
1 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
15-20 fresh mint leaves
10 oz. club soda
Ice cubes

Tools: muddler or long-handled spoon, cocktail shaker
Glass: highball
Garnish: mint sprig, paper umbrella

Muddle first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice. Pour into ice-filled glasses (don’t strain). Top with club soda. Garnish.