Pitcher Perfect

It's a lot easier to mingle when you're not tethered to 800 watts of roaring machinery. (Leave the blender drinks to the pros, who have tip jars.) These make-ahead summer cocktails from local lounges let you enjoy the party, too.

: Photo by White/Packert.

Ligurian Lemonade
(From Rocca, South End)
Manning a lemonade stand must be loads more fun in Liguria than stateside. Decorate the pitcher with extra lemon wheels for an impressive presentation. Serves 10.

1 c. sugar
2 tbsp. honey
1 c. water
15 oz. citrus vodka
7 oz. Campari
8 oz. limoncello
1 c. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
20 lemon wheels
Soda water

PRE-PARTY: 1. Cook sugar and honey in water in small saucepan over high heat until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. 2. Mix vodka, Campari, limoncello, lemon juice, and 8 ounces honey syrup in 2-quart pitcher, and chill.

ONCE GUESTS ARRIVE: Pour over ice in chilled glasses, each packed with two lemon wheels, until 3/4 full. Top off with soda water.

Pimm's Punch
(From Drink, Fort Point Channel)
England's classic summer refresher features sweetened cucumber purée, which is remarkably similar in flavor to watermelon. Serves 10.

1 c. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 large seedless cucumbers
750-ml. bottle Pimm's No. 1
1 c. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Ginger ale

PRE-PARTY: 1. Stir sugar in warm water until dissolved to make simple syrup. Cool to room temperature.
2. Peel and dice 1 1/2 cucumbers (reserve remaining half for garnish), and purée in blender. Strain through chinoise or fine-mesh sieve. 3. Mix Pimm's, lemon juice, 1 cup cucumber purée, and 1/2 cup simple syrup in 2-quart pitcher, and chill.

ONCE GUESTS ARRIVE: Pour over ice in chilled glasses until 3/4 full. Top off with ginger ale and garnish with cucumber slices.

Purple Passion Punch
(From the Alchemist Lounge, Jamaica Plain)
Fragrant fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice turns this ridiculously simple blend into a crisp, complex libation. But it's not bad with the better bottled stuff, either. Serves eight.

8 oz. vodka
20 oz. fresh-squeezed (or high-end
bottled) grapefruit juice
20 oz. grape juice

PRE-PARTY: Mix all ingredients in 2-quart pitcher, and chill.

ONCE GUESTS ARRIVE: Pour over ice in chilled glasses.

Originally published in Boston magazine, August 2008