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I adore this fragrant and refreshing strawberry-gin drink, created by Shannon Tebay Sidle of New York’s Slowly Shirley and Death & Co. The secret ingredient is a dollop of unsweetened Greek yogurt, which gives the cocktail a tangy flavor and subtly creamy texture. The final result isn’t sweet or smoothie-like; this is definitely still a cocktail. A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper highlights the gin’s herbal character, but I also like this drink with grassy blanco tequila or a full-bodied aged rum. If your fridge doesn’t dispense crushed ice, fill a freezer bag with cubes, wrap them in a dish towel, and go wild with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin.

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You can serve this easy-drinking grapefruit cocktail from Matt Friedlander of New York’s Sweetwater Social in a punch bowl with a big ice block. But I like to prep the mix in advance, stash it in the fridge in a pitcher, then pour it into ice-filled glasses. Be sure to have an ice bucket on the side so people can add more ice to their glasses when they pour a second round.

I love how pisco highlights the honey and grapefruit flavors here—but you can also make this easy, citrusy drink with vodka or blanco tequila. If you have an electric citrus juicer, you can save some time. Otherwise, you’ll want to put some of your guests to work with a squeezer.

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Have you ever met a drink that also provides its own perfect snack accompaniment? This rare treasure, an umami-rich sweet-salty-smoky chipotle number from Matthew McKinley Campbell of Comal in Berkeley and A Mano in San Francisco, balances juicy pineapple with grassy green cilantro. It straddles the line between sweet and savory: a handful of cherry tomatoes tamps down the fruity flavor without pushing the drink into full-on Bloody Mary territory. The mixer is easy to prep in advance for a group, and the solids that you strain off the blended mixture become a fresh, spicy salsa that’s excellent with chips. Vodka lets the drink’s vivid flavors shine, but the mix is also good with reposado tequila.

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