A variation on the classic gin cocktail The Last Word, The Final Say combines Green Chartreuse (an herbal liquor that has been made in France by Carthusian monks since 1605) with rum, Cointreau and lime juice. Serve in tumblers, and in place of a swizzle stick, add a length of celery to each glass.

The Final Say
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Yield: 1 cocktail

1½ ounces white rum
1 ounce Green Chartreuse
¼ ounce orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
Ice
Celery stalk

In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, Chartreuse, orange liqueur, lime juice and ice. Cover, shake and strain into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with the celery stalk and serve.

Click here for the printable recipe.

For this informal gathering, dishes and décor from our partner, West Elm, complemented the brightness of the menu: Think picnic green flatware ($34) and pale, grassy-toned small plates ($32).

Knowing guests dine on a spread of dishes, choose beautifully designed yet neutral-toned serving platters. Then, some color is in order, including a multicolored tea set and a metallic serving tray ($12) for cocktails. With such a colorful, herb-driven menu, flax-colored linens ($28) are a great way to draw your guests' gaze toward the vibrant hues on the table.

Do mix and matched textures, as with this bamboo serving tray and bowl ($16), to keep the table setting from being too uniform. To add visual interest and play off the menu, decorate the space with sprouting fresh herbs, from pots of wheatgrass to jars of fresh tarragon and mint.