Let’s Start with a Drink

Whether you’re craving a cocktail infused with a whiff of smoke (hello, grilled satsumas) or something crisp and austere as a neutral backdrop for charred flavors, cooking over a hot fire is more fun with an adult beverage in hand. Here are a few of my favorite backyard libations. If you’re grilling the components of a cocktail like citrus or pineapple, you’ll want to do that first, on a clean oiled grate, so your drink doesn’t taste like your dinner.

French Place 75

The first time I tasted the nectar-like perfume of St-Germain, it was from the lips of an ice luge at a friend’s birthday party, but that’s another story for another time. At our house on French Place (the street we live on), the elderflower liqueur adds the perfect balance to the lightly tart, fizzy classic. To make 1 drink, fill a cocktail shaker with 1½ ounces gin, ½ ounce St-Germain, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, and 2 dashes grapefruit bitters with a scoop of ice. Shake vigorously, strain into a vintage coupe glass, top with a splash of champagne or dry sparkling wine, and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. Good with Creamy Kale Toasts (this page) and Herb-Basted Smoked Salmon (this page).

Sparkling Yuzu Lemongrass Lemonade

This grown-up lemonade will get you through the most sweltering months of summer. To make the lemongrass simple syrup, in a small saucepan combine 1 cup (240ml) water, 1 cup (200g) unrefined cane sugar, and 1 lemongrass stalk (bottom trimmed, outer layers removed, thinly sliced). Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, over medium-high heat; set aside to cool and steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain syrup, discard lemongrass, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. To make 1 cocktail, combine 2 ounces (60ml) vodka, 1 ounce lemongrass simple syrup, 1 ounce fresh tangerine juice, and ½ ounce yuzu juice in a cocktail shaker. Add enough ice to fill the shaker halfway, close the top, and shake vigorously until very cold. Fill a tall glass with ice cubes and slices of tangerine, strain cocktail into glass, and top off with Topo Chico or ginger beer. Good with Salt-Crusted Snapper (this page) and Charred Steak Tips with Asian Herb Salad (this page).

My Perfect G&T

Start with the right glass, a super-thin delicate whiskey glass that makes the botanical notes in gin pop. Trust me, this is an entirely different drink in a chunky glass. To make 1 cocktail, fill the glass three-quarters full with ice cubes, add 1½ ounces Plymouth Gin, a swath of grapefruit peel, a rosemary sprig (thyme or sage are also nice when you want to mix it up), and top with Fever-Tree tonic water. Stir 6 to 8 revolutions, imagine the world as you’d like it to be, and sip. Repeat as needed, but start from scratch (no secondhand ice!). Good as an aperitif with an unfolding fire, Crackly Rosemary Flatbread (this page), and Grilled Branzino with Thai Basil Butter (this page).

The Lower East Side

The smoked salmon and bialy mecca that is Russ & Daughters (on Orchard Street in New York) also serves seriously refined cocktails like this bracing dill-and cucumber-perfumed elixir. To make 1 drink, muddle 3 slices of cucumber in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice, ¾ ounce fresh lime juice, ¾ ounce simple syrup, 2 ounces (60ml) Tanqueray (or another London-dry-style gin), and a pinch of fresh dill fronds, and shake vigorously until very cold. Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe (or martini) glass and garnish with 1 small, feathery dill sprig. Good with Crackly Rosemary Flatbread (this page) and smoked salmon, horseradish cream, and fresh dill; Chicories with Charred Scallion Dressing (this page); and Basic Grilled Fish with Grilled Vegetable Vinaigrette (this page).

Diego’s Paloma

Cuidado: The lip-tingling heat of chile salt, a brazen pour of tequila, and a splash of fizzy grapefruit soda create a potent, wildly refreshing elixir. For 1 cocktail, make chile salt by combining 3 tablespoons pure ground chile pepper (such as New Mexico), 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a shallow bowl. Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of a highball glass and dip the rim in the chile salt to coat. Carefully fill the glass with ice and add 2 ounces (60ml) tequila blanco, ½ ounce fresh lime juice, a splash of grapefruit soda, and a swath of grapefruit peel. Top off the drink with Topo Chico (or another sparkling water with assertive bubbles that makes your eyes water) and stir. Good with Grill-Roasted Chicken with Tomatillo Salsa (this page) and Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde (this page).

Grilled Satsuma Margarita

A kiss of heat adds a caramelized depth to this sultry riff. To make 1 cocktail, halve 2 satsumas (or blood oranges or tangerines) horizontally and grill them cut side down on clean oiled grates over medium heat until nice grill marks appear. Fill a cocktail shaker with 1½ ounces grilled satsuma juice, 2 ounces (60ml) mezcal, ½ ounce Cointreau, and ½ ounce fresh lime juice, shake vigorously, and strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime slice. Good with Grilled Corn Nachos (this page) and Gulf Coast Shrimp Tacos (this page).

Boulevardier

Made with rye whiskey instead of gin and dating back to the 1920s, a Boulevardier is the Negroni’s voluptuous cousin. I like to use a sweet vermouth that leans toward amaro, with stronger bittersweet herbal notes, like Punt e Mes. To make 1 cocktail, chill a coupe or rocks glass in the freezer. Pour 1½ ounces rye whiskey, 1 ounce Punt e Mes, and 1 ounce Campari into a cocktail shaker or mixing glass, add a handful of ice, and stir until chilled. Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with a swath of orange peel. Good with Straight-Up Lamb Burgers (this page) and Rebel Tomahawk (this page).

Chip’s Baltimore Glider

My friend Chip Wass has a wild talent for choosing just the right cocktail for any setting. For instance, the signature drink on his leafy back patio in Baltimore is this exceptionally smooth, amiable blend of American whiskey balanced with the tartness of lemon and the sweetness of black currant liqueur. To make 1 drink, combine 2 ounces (60ml) bourbon, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice, ½ ounce crème de cassis, ½ ounce simple syrup, a few dashes of Angostura bitters, and a scoop of ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and garnish with a lemon slice or, if in season, fresh black currants. Good with State Park Potatoes (this page) and Sweet & Smoky Drumsticks (this page).

Grilled Pineapple Punch

The smoky-sweet notes of grilled pineapple meld dangerously with dark rum. To make about 8 drinks, cut a peeled cored pineapple lengthwise into spears about 1½ inches (4cm) wide. Grill them over medium heat until charred on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes, and set aside. In a large pitcher, combine 2½ cups (590ml) dark rum, 1 cup (240ml) pineapple juice, ½ cup (120ml) ginger liqueur (e.g., Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur), 1½ to 2 ounces (45 to 60ml) fresh lime juice, a cinnamon stick, and a split vanilla bean. Slide the pineapple spears onto pretty bamboo (or other) skewers, place them in the pitcher, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, add ice to the pitcher and place one skewer inside each tall glass. Good with Seafood Paella with Freekeh & Lima Beans (this page) and Party Wings with Cholula Butter (this page).