One of my favorite warm weather cocktails is the gin and tonic.  It's the perfect blend of sweet and bitter. It's not overly saccharine, and its bubbly quality always makes it feel festive.

Last summer my family and I took a cue from Spain (a country in love with the G&T) and started adding different ingredients to the classic drink to up its yum factor.  The hands-down easiest and most delicious flavor combination is limes and mashed fresh grapes (in the summer we use the ones growing in my parent's backyard).  The taste is everything the warmer months encapsulate: tart fresh fruit, refreshing bubbly, and a long afternoon sitting in the backyard, enjoying a cool breeze. 

For this recipe, I used Moscat grapes, at their peak in the spring, and best known for their role in making sweet Muscato wine.  You can also use green grapes--their tartness brings out the crisp zing of the tonic water.

Ingredients:

1 shots (1 1/2 ounces) gin

3 shots (4 1/2 ounces) tonic water

1 tablespoon lime juice

10 muscato grapes

Ice

Combine grapes, lime juice, and gin in your glass.  Muddle ingredients until grapes are mashed and combined with liquid ingredients.  Add ice.  Top with tonic water.  Stir.  Enjoy!

Serving size: One (so invite a friend over and double the recipe!)