Here are the summer drinks to serve to friends and family

Use a few bar-tenders’ tricks to serve cooling drinks... no sweat.

• The pros say, 'Always have more glasses than guests.' Allow two glasses for wine or cocktails, per person, and two more for soft drinks.
• OK, plastic glasses aren’t as glam as sparkly crystal, but they’re safer outside when you’re catering for guests of all ages. Buy reusable, dishwasher-safe ones – there are lots that look almost like the real thing. Annoyingly, plastics can get discoloured when you put them through the dishwasher, but if you use New Fairy Ultra Caps, you won’t have a problem. Fairy has been shown to stop red stains better than any other dishwashing detergent, and it’s been voted Product of the Year for its extra cleaning power.
• And here’s a canny professional waiter’s tip if you’re serving something sparkling... About half an hour before guests arrive pour a splash into each glass. Then when you pour at the last moment, they won’t overflow.

• Don’t forget ice, soft drinks, straws, bottle opener and corkscrew.
• You could hire a glass-fronted fridge from a catering-hire company. Schedule delivery the day before, so you have time to get it to temperature.
• Or... half-fill a big terracotta pot with ice, load up with beer and then put more ice on top. ‘Garnish’ with a few bottles or cans. Guests can help themselves, and the melting ice can drain away through the hole in the base.
• Serve fruity cocktails in jugs with mini ladles next to each, so guests can dip for an extra strawberry. Tie on a cute label to explain what’s in each.
• If you have just a few guests, go to town on the details: freeze ice cubes with half a strawberry or a mint leaf. They look great served in sparkling mineral water.

• To make 10 Bellinis take 12 ripe peaches and a bottle of slightly sweet sparkling white wine, chilled. Skin the peaches by dunking them in boiling water for 10 seconds, then into icy water, and slipping off the skins. Remove the stones and whiz in a blender. Strain so you have a gorgeous peach nectar. Chill in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve pour into a jug, add the wine and stir. Heaven in a glass.
• For a tropical non-alcoholic cocktail, mix cloudy apple juice, guava and pineapple juice (a litre of each). Add 4 dessertspoons of caster sugar, the juice of a lime, put in the fridge for a couple of hours, if there’s time, and serve over ice.
• Give sleepy children this before they head home for bed: blend a banana and three tablespoons of summer berries with 150ml of semi-skimmed milk, a tablespoon of natural yoghurt and a teaspoon of honey. (Serves 2.) This also makes a great children’s summer slumber party drink.