Try these four knockout ways to cook chicken on the cheap.

Inject loads of flavour into chicken, pork and fish before they hit the grill. Get your brine on with salty-sweet Huli-Huli Chicken or Brine-Smoked Salmon.

This cocktail drinks like a garden party in a glass.

Honey is delicious in a wide range of drinks, but it needs to be thinned first to mix properly. Simply whisk together two parts honey and one part warm water. Swap it for simple syrup in a Whisky Sour, and you’ve got a Gold Rush. Or try it in a classic gin-based sipper called a Bee’s Knees.

A wave of small, local distillers has recently revived the moonshine industry with unique spirits — this time made legally, of course. For a classic unaged whisky that uses locally grown corn, rye and barley, try Reunion 100 Proof Moonshine. It’s terrific mixed with lemonade and served alongside slow-smoked barbecue. Another grill-friendly option is sweet, savoury Top Shelf Distillers Tom Green Maple Bacon Moonshine, which is excellent in a Highball with ginger beer. For dessert, try pouring Murphy’s Law Apple Pie Moonshine over ice, and pair with butter tarts.

Sweet, tart and refreshing, an icy glass of lemonade hits the spot during a heat wave like nothing else. Get started with our Classic Lemonade and then amp things up with any one of our simple, fun twists.

Then you’re in luck. Ontario craft brewers are finally focusing their energy and creativity on easy-drinking lagers. Check out some new additions to the beer shelf, including crisp, refreshing Refined Fool Ontario Craft Lager from Sarnia or citrusy, juniper-scented Flying Monkeys Wonderstar Botanical Lager from Barrie.

Christopher Sealy, wine director at Toronto-based Alo Food Group, suggests three styles of red wine that benefit from chilling. He emphasizes they should be cool but not “too cold as to eliminate the aromas.” Pop a bottle in the fridge for an hour or so.

“Whether it’s Old-World Beaujolais or from our own backyard in Niagara, Gamay is a seriously made wine, yet loads of fun. With red berry flavours and gentle tannins, it’s a wine that keeps you coming back for more” Sealy says.

“Pinot Noirs from Germany, France and, of course, Prince Edward County, are usually bright, fruit-driven wines. A slight chill gives the wine a tone like fresh-picked, sun-ripened strawberries and raspberries.”

Like tequila’s brash cousin, mezcal has become the darling of bartenders due to its smoky complexity and small-scale production.

Try our picks:

Sombra Joven Mezcal

Meteoro Mezcal Joven

Recipe developer Jennifer MacKenzie tosses around some great ideas.

We asked one of our Food & Drink experts to suggest ways to adapt their recipes using simpler techniques or ingredients you likely have on hand for a weekend’s worth of dishes.

Try these easy hacks for spirits, herbs and sweeteners from top cocktail experts.