The last long weekend of the summer has arrived, and that means making the most of the (hopefully) mild weather and spending time with family and friends.

And what better way to enjoy time together than over a delicious meal?

According to Christina Mouratoglou and Adrien Carré, authors of the new cookbook Mazi: Modern Greek Food, in Greece, every meal begins with a selection of mezedes — a variety of small dishes shared among a group and served with warm, crusty bread and refreshing, ice-cold ouzo.

Considering mazi means “together” in Greek, it’s a fitting title for this new book. It’s also the name of Mouratoglou and Carré’s London restaurant, which has been bringing people together to enjoy Greek food since 2012.

This Saturday, beekeepers and honey lovers across America will be celebrating National Honey Bee Day to bring awareness to the importance of bees and their vital role in sustainable farming.

It’s safe to say we would quickly go hungry without bees. Bees are responsible for pollinating around 30 percent of the world’s crops as well as 90 percent of all wild plants. (Learn how to plant a pollinator-friendly garden here.)

Aside from being vital to our existence and the creators of one of the world’s most delicious natural foods, honey bees are also super cute. Not only do they communicate through dancing, but they also make an adorable “boop” sound when surprised.

Plus they look great on a cake, as expert cake decorator Tracey Mann shows in her book Cake Decorating Skills.

Is there anything more refreshing on the long hot afternoons of a summer weekend than an ice-cold beer? Some might say a summery cocktail gives this classic beverage a run for its money. We say: why choose?

This International Beer Day, we’re inviting you to have the best of both worlds. We’ve looked to the expertise of the leading authority on cocktails, Simon Difford, for delicious and simple recipes for refreshing beer cocktails.

Difford knows a thing or two about great cocktails. As an expert in fine spirits and liqueurs, he is the founder of Difford’s Guide — the largest drinks database and photography library out there.

To help you spend your summer drinking in style, here are three recipes sure to please any and every beer drinker out there. Cheers!