Lemon-Basil Spritzer

Here's a fresh spin on cocktail hour. Our Lemon-Basil Spritzer recipe calls for Champagne or dry sparkling wine, but you can just as easily swap in a liter of lemon-flavored seltzer water for a mocktail with major summer appeal. We kept the list of ingredients short and sweet: lemon, fresh basil leaves, our simple syrup, and your bubbly mix-in of choice. What makes it such a winner is that you can easily keep all of the ingredients on hand throughout the summer so that you're always ready to whip up a batch. It is the perfect start to an alfresco dinner or a porch-sitting session. Top each glass with a garnish of basil leaves and lemon peel twists and you'll have a festive, seasonal treat that's bound to dazzle the taste buds every time. When those dog days come around, you won't find a more thirst-quenching and refreshing companion.