This recipe is my attempt at replicating one of my all-time favorite cocktails from Clementine in downtown Harrisonburg, and I think I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself! It's SO fresh and yummy, with fruity, botanical flavors and no refined sweeteners.
In the summertime, I love the taste of fresh basil in pretty much everything, cocktails included. While it isn't quite in season yet, you can still find good basil in grocery stores this time of year.
Grapefruit is the other main component, and I love pretty much any grapefruit cocktail that there is (the pretty in pink being my absolute fave). While grapefruit isn't in peak season during the summer, luckily it's easy to find a good one pretty much year-round.
The most important part of this cocktail on the composition side is the honey simple syrup. I've used plain ole honey in cocktails in the past with variable success. Sometimes it combines with the other ingredients perfectly, and then other times it freezes against the ice and doesn't combine at all.
Enter, honey simple syrup! Simple syrup is a solution of sugar dissolved in water so that it can be easily mixed into cold drinks. Basically hummingbird food for people. In this case, we're using honey instead of sugar to flavor the drink.
Honey Simple Syrup
Take equal parts honey and boiling water (or even just hot from the tap) depending on how much you want to make. Combine in a bowl or glass liquid measuring cup and whisk together until the honey is well dissolved. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Cocktail Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- Juice of 1/2 grapefruit
- 0.5 oz honey simple syrup
- 2 large, or 3 small basil leaves
Directions
- Muddle basil leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add ice.
- Combine vodka, juice, and honey syrup in the cocktail shaker and shake until thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds.
- Strain into martini glass, garnish with another basil leaf.
Cheers, I hope you have an amazing weekend!
xoxx, Laura
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