Muggy afternoons spent poolside, picnics at the beach, parties under a starry sky; summer is all about relaxation and fun.

And when the mercury climbs, there’s no better way to unwind than with an ice-cold cocktail. With more than fifty recipes for stylish martinis and fizzy libations that celebrate summer’s laid-back attitude, The Backyard Bartender brings out your inner mixologist and turns your yard into summer’s coolest hangout. Frozen, on the rocks, or shaken, The Backyard Bartender offers an array of must-try concoctions that celebrate the season. Nicole Aloni includes creative recipes based on summer’s freshest ingredients, refined interpretations of classics like martinis and sidecars, plus nonalcoholic quaffs with plenty of zing.

Why not try a:

Spicy Ginger Blush Martini

Aromatic Lavender Lush

Dessert-inspired Key Lime Pie

Swimming Pool-blue The Deep End

From cocktail lingo to the tools of the trade, you’ll find everything you need to transform your backyard into a summer retreat.

Combining such classic ingredients as fruit juices with creative additions like fresh herbs, this collection of 55 recipes provides extraordinary options for every summer gathering. 40 full-color photographs.

NICOLE ALONI is the author of Cooking for Company and Secrets from a Caterer’s Kitchen. After receiving her culinary training in France, she began a catering career that spanned twenty years of glamorous events. Aloni catered the Academy Awards four times, prepared a state luncheon for Queen Elizabeth II, and produced galas in honor of American presidents, foreign dignitaries, and Julia Child. Aloni makes frequent television and radio appearances and is a contributor to Bon Appétit and Better Homes and Gardens, among other magazines. She teaches cooking and entertaining across the country. Aloni lives in Seattle, Washington.