Gimlet

Most drinks don’t deserve to be served in a martini glass. (See the Cosmopolitan or anything with “chocolate” in the name.) But the Gimlet is like a freshman backup quarterback, eager and worthy, who subs in for a play of two when it gets hot out. It’s a beautifully simple concoction—if two ingredients can be said to be concocted—whose components can be sourced anywhere: Rose’s is available at any supermarket, and almost any gin will do. Plus, the Gimlet has just a hair more elegance than the more populist gin-and-tonic. It has its tough side, too (Philip Marlowe drank them in The Long Goodbye), so treat it with respect under the summer sun.

Pour Rose’s into a shaker full of cracked ice and let sit for a minute (to take the pucker off a tad). Then add gin, shake, and serve in a martini glass.