The Noble Experiment

I was muddling around with a few things from the garden yesterday and ended up with a nice summer cocktail.  Given that it’s strawberry season out here in Annapolis and on the Eastern Shore, that seemed like the most appropriate starting point.  I pulled some basil from the garden, a little lime and all sorts of liquor and got to work.

The first version was a combo of falernum and rum along with my garden muddle.  That was lovely, albeit a bit on the sweet side.  And nothing too complex or interesting.

So I went next with gin.  And in my house, where there is gin there is usually bitters.  The gin/bitters/strawberry/herb combo was a hit.  Check out the recipe below.

Strawberry Gin Muddler

2 Strawberries

3 Basil Leaves, torn

1/4 of a lime, cut in half

1 bar spoon white sugar

1.5 oz London dry gin

1 Dash Angostura Bitters

Throw the strawberries, basil, sugar and lime in a pint glass and muddle until the juice and oils are extracted from the lime and the basil is incorporated.  Add the gin and a dash of Angostura, put over ice, and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.  Take the top off of the shaker and pour the whole thing, pulp and ice included, into an old fashioned glass.  No need for much garnish, as the strawberry and basil muddle makes for a nice looking cocktail.

Enjoy!