Sometimes we drink to help us forget, and sometimes, we forget before we even drink.

So I had the recipe on post-it, and I stuck it to my fridge door, where I looked at it on and off for a couple of months, waiting for the weather to be just so, waiting for grapefruits to be cheap and sweet and delicious, waiting for the right girlfriends to appreciate it with.

And then of course, I forgot what it was actually called. I tried to remember where I found the recipe in the first place. Was it from a magazine? In which case, why hadn’t I ripped out the page and stuck that on the fridge instead? Did someone tell me the recipe? Perhaps Hilary (Lillet fiend), or Jason (lives in Paris)? I really can’t remember. But however I came by it, I’m glad that I did – a more refreshing, summery cocktail you couldn’t hope to find. So until someone sets me right, or I remember, this is a Lillet grapefruit gin cooler.

At least I can take comfort in the fact that I am by no means the only person with memory issues. Bob the costume guy over lunch last week: “My memory is like Brigadoon. Sometimes I the fog clears and there a village. Sometimes the fog clears and there’s no village. Sometimes the fog never clears. That’s what you get for being a couple of hours younger than god.”

1 measure Lillet

½ measure gin

1 measure fresh grapefruit juice

4 mint leaves (plus more for garnish)

Ice

Put the mint into the shaker and bruise to release some of the essential oils

Add the ice, Lillet, gin and grapefruit juice and shake well

Strain into a cocktail glass

Garnish with mint