Ina Garten's New Vodka Cocktail Is Just In Time For Her New Cookbook

Over the weekend, The New York Times reported, sweltering temperatures hit areas from the Pacific Northwest to New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, prompting officials to declare heat emergencies and advisories as residents scrambled to find relief. 

Thankfully, the internet is full of advice on how to feed yourself when it's simply too hot to fire up the grill or stove, let alone fill your living space with residual heat from the oven. For instance, there are compilations of recipes to prepare when it's too hot to cook. And BuzzFeed suggests a variety of tips and tricks, including using appliances like microwaves and slow cookers that won't heat up your kitchen; keeping the shades drawn and oven fan on when using the stove; and meal-prepping in batches portioned to eat throughout the week, ideally making everything early in the morning or late at night.

Celebrity chef Ina Garten, meanwhile, announced on Instagram Monday morning her plans to share no-cook recipes this week, beginning with a cocktail recipe from her brand-new cookbook, "Go-To Dinners."

Ina Garten's thirteenth cookbook, "Go-To Dinners," is available for pre-order with shipping to begin in October 2022, according to her website. Fans who follow the Barefoot Contessa on social media, however, can preview a week's worth of no-cook recipes from the book, perfect for the remainder of the summer months as high temperatures in many places have made cooking an uncomfortably sweaty activity. Garten shared the first recipe, a spritzer, in an Instagram post Monday morning. Made with pomegranate juice, sparkling water, and fresh lime juice, the drink can be enjoyed sans alcohol, though the Barefoot Contessa writes, "a little vodka makes them even better!!" She recommends serving the drink with lime slices and pomegranate seeds.

She Knows reports Garten's forthcoming cookbook – her first in about two years – has already become a bestseller in its category on Amazon. In an interview with People, Garten explains "Go-To Dinners" was inspired by the challenges of cooking during pandemic lockdowns – during which time she found tips and tricks for meals that can be prepared and frozen ahead of time, as well as "two-fers," or dishes whose leftovers can be transformed into something else the next night. As for the other no-cook recipes that fans can expect on Garten's Instagram page this week, her website includes some hints: an Antipasto Board and a Breakfast for Dinner Board, both of which, she boasts, are "fun to assemble and impressive to serve."