Our motto is to keep it simple, said the editors of the Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2009: An Entire Year of Recipes (Food & Wine Books). When it comes to summer drinks, that means using a few, fresh ingredients that can be mixed in large batches. These two cocktails are ideal for big parties. Both were created by star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. In his mojito variation, he “keeps things interesting” by replacing lime juice with tart kumquats and kalamansi concentrate, the frozen juice of the sour Asian citrus fruit.

Kumquat Mojitos

20 kumquats (½ lb), halved lengthwise

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

In large pitcher, combine halved kumquats and mint leaves. Using large wooden spoon, vigorously muddle mixture. Pour in juice concentrate, rum, and club soda, and squeeze in lime wedges. Fill pitcher with ice and serve.

Sour Cherry-Yuzu Bellinis

½ lb pitted fresh or frozen sour cherries (2 cups)

½ cup sugar

4 tbsp fresh yuzu juice or 2 tbsp each of fresh tangerine and lime juices

One 750-ml bottle plus 2 cups chilled brut Champagne

Ice

Purée cherries in food processor. Pass purée through fine strainer set over small saucepan, pressing on solids; you should have ½ cup juice. Stir in sugar, bring to simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Transfer to small bowl, refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes. In large pitcher, combine sweetened cherry juice with yuzu juice. Slowly pour in Champagne. Serve Bellinis over ice.