Updated February 2021. So, right about the time I thought we wouldn’t get an actual “winter” in Tennessee, Mother Nature was like, “hahaha, made you look,” and sent a nice little cold snap our way. It didn’t get out of the 30s for several days, and now they might be calling for snow? I thought I left snow behind in Pennsylvania. As a coping method, I mixed up a new vodka cocktail that makes me think of warmer, sunnier spring days.
Now that I’ve got a fancy bartender’s kit, I’ve enjoyed experimenting with some new cocktail recipes. I’ve taken a liking to muddling fresh fruit and herbs to get the juice and flavors I want, rather than using store-bought juice. It lightens the cocktails up a bit and doesn’t make them as sugary.
One of my friends worked as a bartender in her college days, and she’s shared a lot of her wisdom, tips, and tricks with me. Recently she was teaching me about infusing my own liquors to create new flavors. I’ve tried infusions before with not a ton of success, but I was willing to try a third time at my friend’s suggestion.
My friend shared a recipe she used to make at her bartending job that used cucumber-basil vodka. To get the desired cucumber-basil flavor, I put half a cucumber (sliced) in 2 cups of vodka (I used local favorite Lass & Lions original vodka) and let that infuse at room temperature for two days. On the third day, I added 8-10 basil leaves and let that infuse again overnight. After that, I strained everything out, and it was a lovely green color and ready for mixing.
I experimented with this vodka cocktail recipe a few times before I felt like I got it “right.” The fresh lime and lemon juice make a huge difference, and I love the layer of herbal flavor the basil adds. It’s light, bright, and earthy, with the perfect touch of sweetness—just like spring, which I wish would hurry up and get here. I’m over winter. Topping with club soda gives it a nice bubbly effervescence that feels even more springlike. This cocktail tastes like an herbal, earthly lemonade, and is equally perfect today and for actual spring days.
Here’s my recipe for a refreshing basil cucumber vodka cocktail that’ll whisk you away to warmer spring days.
I’m calling it, “Is it Spring Yet?” because that’s what I asked myself as I was making it the first time. And sipping it keeps me hopeful that spring is on its way.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 oz. infused cucumber basil vodka
- 4-5 basil leaves
- 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 oz. simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio)
- Soda to top
TO MAKE IT:
- Add juices, infused vodka and simple syrup to a shaker.
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds to combine.
- Strain over ice in a tall Collins glass.
- Top with soda water. Garnish with lime wheel, basil sprig, and/or cucumber slice.
Have you ever made your own infused liquors? What flavor(s) did you make? What’s your spring beverage of choice?
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Cucumber Basil Vodka Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz infused cucumber basil vodka
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Soda water
Instructions
-
Add juices, vodka, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
-
Add ice and shake for 10 seconds to dilute and chill.
-
Strain into a Collins glass over ice.
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Top with soda. Garnish with lime, basil, and/or cucumber.