Two Drinks for the Heat

Summer isn’t the time for complicated drinks. The ice melts too quickly, the air’s too thick, and anything overly mixed starts to feel like a mistake. A good warm-weather cocktail should come together in under a minute, with ingredients you can see through. Something crisp, not clever. These two do the job: one Italian, one more neutral — both clean, unfussy, and well-proportioned.

White Negroni (Simplified)
Bitterness, cut clean — no syrup, no garnish pile.

Ingredients (for 1)

– 1 oz London dry gin
– 1 oz dry white vermouth
– 1 oz Suze (or Salers, if you prefer earth over citrus)
– Ice

Method

Stir all ingredients over ice in a low glass. Add a single large cube if available. No twist, no decoration. Cold, pale, and direct — ideal before dinner, or instead of it.

Cucumber Vodka Highball
Cooling, long, and unremarkable in the best way.

Ingredients (for 2)
– 2 oz vodka (or gin, if preferred)
– 3–4 thin cucumber slices
– Tonic or soda water, to top
– Ice

Method
Muddle cucumber lightly in the bottom of a tall glass — don’t pulverize. Add vodka, ice, then top with soda or tonic depending on your mood. Stir once. No straw. No lime. Serve cold, without commentary.

There’s nothing inventive here — and that’s the point. These drinks are meant to suit the weather, not compete with it. Good bottles, clean lines, and no more than you need. When poured with care and served without fuss, they do exactly what they’re supposed to: cool the glass, clear the air, and leave everything else alone.