One of my favorite new shows of the past few months is Étoile—a comedy written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Gilmore Girls)—about two ballet companies in New York City and Paris who decide to swap major members of their lineups for a season as a gimmick to boost each business. Like most Sherman-Palladino scripts, the dialogue is sharp and brimming with fun pop cultural references, and richly developed characters serving up plenty of nutritious snark. 

Actress/trained dancer Lou de Laâge plays Cheyenne Toussant—the unflappable French lead ballerina (l’étoile) who delivers every line in flawless monotone schtick. At one point someone mentions strawberries and she says: “That’s such a stupid fruit. It goes bad within two days. What’s the point?”

(Ok, that might not be the direct quote, but it was something along those lines.)

Anyway, she’s not wrong about the “goes bad” part. The “stupid” I have issues with, especially this time of year when those cartons of bright red fruit show up at the greenmarkets. There’s a big difference between these beauties and the pink ombre ones sold at the grocery store (or in NYC, the street fruit stand hustles) the rest of the year. 

The problem, as Cheyenne points out, once they’re home, it’s a race against the clock to consume them before they resemble muppets. Sure, you can freeze them, or find other ways to prolong their life (a vinegar rinse, supposedly) or preserve them (a friend on Instagram suggested using a portion for gomme syrup and keeping it in the freezer), but there are always a few designated for my favorite summer cocktails to make at home. 

What I like about these recipes is that the ratios work with most base spirits—gin, rum, tequila, mezcal, vodka, cognac, American brandy, etc.. Pick one you have handy or whatever fits the mood. 

Note that two of these preparations require a little macerating time. You can skip that step if you desire instant gratification, but the job gets done in less than half an hour. It’s an easy multitask: slice a few berries, place in a glass with a little booze, walk away and do something you were going to do anyway, then reward yourself with one of the best-tasting, freshest cocktails you’ll drink all year.