Basil Gimlet Food

BASIL VODKA GIMLETS

Steps:

• Stir together all ingredients in a pitcher until cold, then strain into 8- to 10-ounce glasses (such as Old Fashioned) half filled with ice.

LIVE BASIL GIMLET

Steps:

• Put 4 basil leaves in a cocktail shaker and press them gently with a muddler or a wooden spoon. Add the gin, lime juice and simple syrup. Fill with ice, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled coupe or other small glass. Garnish with the remaining basil leaf.

GARDEN GIMLET

Steps:

• Make the blackberry syrup: Combine the blackberries, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup is dark red, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil sprig; let cool. (Makes 10 ounces; refrigerate up to 1 week.)
• Combine the vodka, lime juice and 1 ounce blackberry syrup in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with blackberries and basil.

BASIL GIMLET FIZZ

Steps:

• Cut watermelon into 1-inch cubes, and freeze in a single layer for at least 1 hour. Muddle basil leaves with sugar in the bottom of a glass; stir in lime juice and vodka. Add watermelon cubes. Top with seltzer; garnish with basil.

BASIL-LEMON GIMLETS

Steps:

• In a cocktail shaker, muddle 8 of the basil leaves with 2 tbls of the simple syrup (simple syrup is equal parts of water and sugar, heated until sugar disolves then chilled).
• Add 5 oz of the vodka, half of the lemon juice and 4 ice cubes and shake well.
• Strain into 2 martini glasses and repeat with the remaining ingredients.