Basil Refresher

February 01, 2010 (Day 2) — Basil Refresher

Ahhhh, summer. Scantily clad co-eds. Watermelon. BBQs. Freezing drizzle.

Ooooookay… so it’s not quite the dog days of summer. By any stretch of the imagination, really.

Smarmy bastard keeps hanging around these parts.

But, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a slice of summer with this cocktail. So lock yourself in the bathroom, turn the shower on full-blast and ramp up your space heater. All you’ll be missing is the pool boy.

Gin: Cool. Lime: Standard. Basil? What the hell?

This odd-looking little drink is a personal invention, combining a drink I read about called the Ginger Rogers, crossed with one of Jenn’s favorite honeymoon drinks, the Basil Grape Refresher. If you ever have the chance, have this while indulging in some fresh — and I mean FRESH — seafood on a warm summer evening. It’s a great complimentary drink. Try to be in Portland, Ore. for the full effect. (Editor’s Note: Portland not required to enjoy drink).

• Five or six fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 1/4 fresh lime, sliced
• 2 oz gin
• Ginger ale to top off

Tear the basil leaves into smaller pieces and put at the bottom of a highball glass. Pour the simple syrup over the top of the leaves and muddle with a wooden spoon. It’s important you don’t use too much syrup, or this thing will be overpoweringly sweet. Like, melted gummy bear sweet. Once you can smell the basil’s aroma, you’ll know that the flavors have been infused into the syrup.

Squeeze your lime into the bottom of the glass. Fill with ice. Pour gin over ice cubes. Pour ginger ale over ice. Don’t fill to the top quite yet! You did? Dammit! Go back! Re-do it! You’re going to be making a mess if you over-fill!

Fixed? Great. Now, stir the drink from the bottom up (I like to use a plastic chop stick). This gets the flavors of the basil mixed in with everything else, and gets the “salad” moved to the top of the drink.

Top off with the rest of your ginger ale, insert straw and slap your pool boy on the ass. Now you’re living the life! (P.S. I’m available for pool boy duty once temps top 80! Nominal fees DO apply.)

Voila! Salad in a glass!

Sip, enjoy. But be warned — few things take you out of the moment faster than sucking a soggy leaf through a straw.

Genieße das Leben ständig!
Du bist länger tot als lebendig!

— Mark