21 June

Every year, on the 21st of July, National Smoothie Day offers the perfect excuse to celebrate one of the world's most versatile mixed drinks. While the cocktails that usually headline this page dominate evening occasions, smoothies make for a more refreshing daytime serve.

The origins of the modern smoothie can be traced back to the health food movement of the 1960s and 1970s, when electric blenders became commonplace in homes and juice bars. Since then, smoothies have evolved from simple fruit-and-yoghurt combinations into an endless array of creative recipes enjoyed around the globe.

What distinguishes a smoothie from a juice is its texture. Rather than extracting liquid and discarding the fibre, smoothies retain the whole fruit or vegetable, resulting in a thicker consistency and a fuller flavour profile. This also makes smoothies particularly adaptable, whether you're seeking a light breakfast, a post-exercise refreshment or an alcohol-free alternative for social occasions.

Popular smoothie ingredients include bananas for creaminess, berries for vibrant colour and natural sweetness, mango for tropical richness, and leafy greens such as spinach or kale for added complexity. Coconut water, yoghurt, milk and plant-based alternatives can all be used as blending liquids, while additions such as oats, seeds and nut butters introduce texture and depth.

National Smoothie Day is an opportunity to experiment and create your own smoothie. Or may we suggest a Banana so Smoothie..

Greenland National Day

Also known as Ullortuneq, meaning "the longest day", Greenlanders chose today as their national day precisely because it is, or close to, the longest and lightest day of the year.

As part of the celebrations, the country is decked out in the Greenlandic flag, which features a red semicircle representing the midnight sun set on a white background for the ice. Islanders dress in their brightly coloured traditional beaded costumes and celebrate with singing, folk dances, kayaking and Greenlandic food.

As night and day are pretty much the same thing in Greenland on this date, we think it's only appropriate to raise a champagne-topped Night & Day.

Now that's out the way perhaps move onto a couple of although, the still apt, cocktails: a refreshing Green Swizzle and then, towards the end of the evening, a Greenpoint.