Food & Drink

Garden to Glass: Fresh Drinks Inspired by Your Summer Bounty

Whether from greenhouse, windowbox, or potager, your hard-earned harvest merits a celebratory cocktail
peachy bourbon cocktail, watermelon-cucumber coolers, beet margarita

Summertime soirées call for refreshing beverages—and what beverage isn’t made better by homegrown ingredients? Whether it’s a floral take on a Manhattan, a citrusy watermelon cocktail, or margaritas embracing produce at their peak, you’re sure to find garden-fresh inspiration in the list below.

strawberry fizz cocktails with a lime
photo: Johnny Autry

Strawberry Fizz Cocktail

A celebratory sipper from Joe Stinchcomb of Saint Leo Lounge in Oxford, Mississippi. Get the recipe.


fig leaf gimlet
photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo

Fig Leaf Gimlet

Even a “failed” fig tree can shine in this garden-fresh drink. Get the recipe.


bell pepper margarita
photo: MKC Photography

Mix Up Your Margarita Game with the Ring My Bell

This unique cocktail from Tuscaloosa brings a savory, pepper-forward flavor without the heat. Get the recipe.


an illustration of figs
illustration: John Burgoyne

Figs for Your Summer Cocktails

Why the fruit’s subtle sweetness and flavorful leaves make them ripe for sipping. Get the recipes.


lemon and basil vodka cocktail
photo: Courtesy of Bar Fontaine

A Different Kind of Catfish

This effervescent vodka, lemon, and basil cocktail comes straight out of the Mississippi Delta. Get the recipe.


whiskey smash
photo: Johnny Autry

How to Make a Whiskey Smash

This cross between a mint julep and a whiskey sour just might be your new favorite cocktail. Get the recipe.


daiquiri with cucumber and mint
photo: COURTESY OF KINDRED

 A Daytime Daiquiri

A lighter take on the classic from an acclaimed North Carolina restaurant. Get the recipe.


pineapple mezcal mule
photo: Kelly Puleio

Mezcal Mule

Passionfruit for sweet, chile for heat, and mezcal for the X factor. Get the recipe.


watermelon cucumber coolers
photo: Johnny Autry

Watermelon-Cucumber Cooler

Cheetie Kumar adds a tangy rim of toasted spices to this refreshing summer cocktail. Get the recipe.


queen bee cocktail
photo: Mia Yakel

A Spring Bourbon Tonic

Shake up your cocktail routine with a Queen Bee from Atlanta’s One Eared Stag. Get the recipe.


full sail cocktail
photo: Jessica Ebelhar

Full Sail

A perfect balance of sweet and spicy that’s ideal for summer gatherings. Get the recipe.


floral manhattan
photo: Michael Pearce

A Floral Manhattan for Front-Porch Sipping

A lighter version of the classic, fresh out of Asheville. Get the recipe.


yuzu honeydew cocktail
photo: Herd Provisions

A “Crushable” Summer Drink Starring Yuzu and Honeydew

Don’t forget the gin. Get the recipe.


dirty dill pickle martinis
photo:  Kelsey Foster

Dirty Dill Martini

Tangy pickle juice takes this classic cocktail to a mouth-puckering new level. Get the recipe.


raspberry margarita
photo: courtesy of Hotel Drover

The Smokin’ Marg

A Fort Worth hotel mixes up a bold margarita perfect for summer. Get the recipe.


mint to be cocktail
photo: Francisco Miranda

How to Turn Your Vegetable Garden’s Bounty into Cocktails

Three mixologist-crafted recipes that transform summer produce into an especially fresh cocktail hour. Get the recipes. 


beet margarita
photo: Kirk Robert

Why a Beet Margarita Will Be Your New Favorite Cocktail

A classic cocktail gets a healthy pink flush courtesy of Charleston’s Basic Kitchen. Get the recipe.


prickly pear  margarita
photo:  Melissa Guerra

What to Do with Prickly Purple Cactus Pears

First: Make a margarita. Get the recipe.


french mint julep
photo: Kelly Puleio

French Julep

Cognac and fig preserves put a tasty twist on the classic Derby-season cocktail. Get the recipe.


bufala negra cocktail
photo: Garnish Photography

Bufala Negra

An Italian Twist on the Mint Julep. Get the recipe.


prairie fire cocktail
photo: Bryn Dunbar

Stocking a Farm-to-Table Bar

Locavorism inspires the cocktail menu at Woodberry Kitchen. Get the recipe.


peach bourbon cocktail
photo: Margaret Houston

A Summery Bourbon Cocktail

Herbs, peaches, and bourbon come together in this riff on an old-fashioned. Get the recipe.


redless snapper cocktail
photo: Stacey Van Berkel

Classic Cocktail: Redless Snapper

A gin-based version of the Bloody Mary. Get the recipe.


green tomato gin and tonic
photo: Jonathan Sharpe

Gin and Tonic Season: Gin and Green Tomato Tonic

A splash of homemade pickling liquid lends a refreshing kick to this South Carolina cocktail. Get the recipe. 


watermelon cocktail
photo: Ron Manville

An End-of-Summer Sipper

Toast the season’s end with this watermelon cocktail from Nashville, Tennessee. Get the recipe.


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