In the summer-thyme.

Summer is upon us! The temperature went above 90 for multiple days this week in Boston, to everyone's at-first-delight which quickly melted into chagrin. For those of you following the glorious return of Arrested Development, on a recent run I said, "I would give $30,000 for a glass of lemonade."

We've covered lemonade before, but this week I celebrated my first Summer Friday (thank, you employer!) of the year in a slightly more festive way. Adapting a refreshing cocktail from 101 Cookbooks, we toasted to summer with a crisp drink made of a few of my favorite things (a very Bev-"bev"). Try mixing things up with different flavored simple syrups, citrus fruit, and bubbly toppers. It was the perfect companion to a summer salad, bread, and cheese (in an attempt to stave off unnecessary stove heat).

(I squeezed four before giving up in the heat)

(a reused dried thyme jar)

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Grapefruit-Thyme Sparklers

(Test different proportions to taste: we used about 2 oz gin, 3 oz grapefruit juice, 2 t simple syrup, and a splash of cava)

Thyme Simple Syrup:

1 c sugar

1 c water

1 bunch thyme

freshly squeezed and strained grapefruit juice

gin

sparkling wine (I used cava)

Make the simple syrup: bring sugar and water to a gentle boil. Add the thyme, turn off the heat, and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain and let cool.

Fill tall glasses 2/3 of the way with ice. Pour in the gin, juice, simple syrup, and top off with cava. Stir, sip, repeat.