Description
Meet the Basil Bee – a bright, herbaceous cocktail crafted with fresh basil, gin, honey syrup, and lemon. This refreshing drink is perfect for summer evenings, brunches, or your next cocktail party.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 10–12 basil leaves, torn
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce honey simple syrup (see notes)
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: sugar for the rim, basil sprig, or flowers like lavender, nasturtium, zinnia, marigold, etc.
Instructions
- Fill a shaker halfway with ice. Add basil leaves, gin and lemon juice.
- Muddle the basil leaves into the ice, muddling for a full minute. Add the honey simple syrup. Place the lid on the shaker and shake for at least 30 seconds.
- Strain into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass and garnish as desired.
- To create the sugar rim, rub the rim of a glass with a halved lemon and dip it in a bowl of sugar. Attach the garnish using mini clothespins or float it on top of the drink.
Notes
To make honey simple syrup, mix one part honey to one part warm water, let cool.
To make for a crowd: Instead of muddling, use a blender. Pulse basil, gin and lemon juice in a blender or mini blender, pulse repeatedly and store this in the fridge until ready to strain into a pitcher. Strain and add simple syrup to the pitcher. For example, mix 2 cups gin, with 1 cup lemon juice and a huge handful of basil. Blend and chill. Strain into a pitcher and stir in 1 cup of honey simple syrup: you can now use this pitcher to shake 2-3 drinks at a time with ice in the shaker! Shaking with ice enhances it and also helps dilute it- it’s a pretty strong drink.
Nutrition
- Calories: 175