Summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and family, enjoying long evenings, warm breezes and of course, delicious food and drinks. Whether you're hosting a garden party or a casual get-together, having a few go-to cocktails and light bites can make entertaining effortless and enjoyable.
Here’s how to keep your summer entertaining stylish, refreshing and relaxed.
Sip in Style: Easy Summer Cocktails
Kick off your summer gathering with impressive cocktails that are light, fruity and refreshing - sure to delight your guests!
1. Lemon Gin Rickey
What you will need:
3 ounces Seedlip Gin
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
4 ounces seltzer water
2 wedges of lemon
Method:
Pour the gin, lemon juice and honey over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake!
Strain into two glasses filled with ice.
Top with seltzer.
Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and a slice of lemon.
This elegant mocktail is perfect for impressing guests, especially non-drinkers or designated drivers who still want to enjoy the sophistication of a classic serve.
Pour into our beautiful Tejo Highball Tumblers for an effortlessly elevated look.
2. Hugo Spritz
Ingredients
1/2 ounce St-Germain
1 sprig mint
4 ounces prosecco, chilled
1 ounce soda water, chilled
Garnish: mint sprig and lemon wheel
Method:
Add the St. Germain and mint sprig into a wine glass.
Gently muddle and let sit for 3 minutes.
Add ice, prosecco and soda water and stir briefly and gently to combine.
Garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon wheel.
The Hugo Spritz is the ultimate sunny-day sip - bubbly, botanical and beautifully easy to love.
Want to impress? Serve it up in our Douro Wine Glasses - it’s all in the details.
3. Cherry Martini
What you will need:
90 ml cherry liqueur/cherry brandy
270 ml vodka
270 ml cherry juice
3 tsp lemon juice
Method:
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.
Strain into glasses.
A timeless cocktail with a cherry-kissed twist - perfect for sipping in style.
Best served in our Tejo Cocktail Glasses for a sleek, bar-worthy finish.
4. Dark and Stormy
Ingredients:
2 ounces Goslings Black Seal rum
1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
Ginger beer, to top (about 5 ounces)
Garnish: lime wheel
Method:
Add rum and lime juice to a tall glass filled with ice.
Top with the ginger beer.
Garnish with a lime wheel.
This timeless blend of dark rum and ginger beer is effortlessly cool and endlessly sippable.
Serve over ice in our Tejo Highball Tumblers for a modern twist on this classic cocktail.
Summer Entertaining Recipes
Now that you have the perfect cocktails to serve this summer, all you need now is some delicious food to accompany your drinks.
1. Grazing Board
When assembling the perfect grazing board, it is important to follow the 3-3-3-3 rule - this ensures your board has a good balance of flavours and textures.
3 Cheeses:
Brie
Aged Cheddar
Goat’s Cheese
3 Meats:
Prosciutto
Salami
Chorizo
3 Starches:
Sourdough slices
Rosemary crackers
Mini breadsticks
3 Accompaniments:
Fresh grapes
Almonds or walnuts
Fig jam
Serve on our Vintage Oval Board for a beautifully rustic presentation that brings the whole spread together.
2. Caprese Skewers
Ingredients (makes 20 skewers)
20 cherry tomatoes
20 mini mozzarella balls
20 fresh basil leaves
Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle: Balsamic glaze
20 mini skewers for assembly
Serve your skewers on our Mini Serving Board for a stylish, rustic display. The natural stoneware enhances the vibrant reds, greens and whites of the skewers - perfect for summer entertaining.
3. Strawberry Balsamic Bruschetta
Ingredients:
1 French baguette, sliced into 10 thin rounds
200g fresh strawberries, finely diced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Small handful of fresh basil, finely sliced
125g ricotta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
Balsamic glaze to drizzle
Method:
Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil.
Toast the bread at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 8–10 minutes.
Mix strawberries, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Stir ricotta with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Assemble - Spread cheese onto each toasted baguette slice and spoon on the strawberry mixture.
Serve on our Pearl Oval Platter for a beautifully styled look.
Summer Entertaining with Layered Lounge
With refreshing cocktails, flavourful bites and thoughtfully chosen pieces from Layered Lounge, you don’t need extravagance to host beautifully. Let the charm of summer and the ease of elegant tableware guide your gathering - your guests will remember it long after the season fades.
Ready to elevate your summer hosting? Explore our curated collection of serveware and entertaining essentials at Layered Lounge.