Tag: drink

Gin cocktail with cucumber and basil

This is a savory, refreshing summer drink made with gin, basil and cucumbers.

Serves 1 drink

Ingredients

  • 1 shotglass of gin (I used Prairy organic gin)
  • 1/2 – 1 shotglass of simple syrup (Please see recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup spritzer water
  • 5 basil leaves or more to garnish
  • 8 thin cucumber slices
  • pinch of ground black pepper
  • juice of 1/2 lime or more to garnish
  • pinch of salt
  • ice, optional

Methods

  • Make the simple syrup. It is very easy. Slowly cook 1 cup of water with a 1 cup of sugar in a small pot. Be careful not to boil it. When you see a nice thick syrup, it is done. Take off heat and let it cool. You can refrigerate what you don’t use for later use – if not used up in a few days.
  • Preapre the drink in a jar big enough to hold 1 cup of liquid. Add the gin, the simple syrup, spritzer water, lime juice, basil leaves, cucmber slices and salt. I also like to put in the lime peel. Put the top on and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove the plant material before serving.
  • Add ice if you wish.
  • If you don’t have time to put the drink in the refrigerator, you can use a muddler to gently bruise the vegetables with the simple sugar to get the juice out for a few minutes and then procede with the rest of the recipe from above.
  • You can garnish with fresh basil, cucumber slice and lime slice if you wish.

enjoy!

Blueberry lemonade with basil

Are you looking for something more interesting than a simple lemonade? Check out this fabulous drink with its unexpected twist … the sweet berries and the refreshing lemons are mixed with fragrant basil … ahhh just the perfect drink for the summer…

Last summer, when we were on vacation, I ventured into getting a drink called blueberry lemonade with basil. I had never heard of this drink before but it sounded interesting so I ended up ordering it … and it was a pleasant surprise, something I had never had before. So I tried to recreate it at home and here is what I came up with.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • juice and the peel/rind of 1 fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup of fresh blueberries, frozen is fine (blackberries or raspberries would work too)
  • handful of torn fresh basil leaves
  • 1-3 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey (depending on your taste)
  • 3 cups of water, I used carbonated water
  • Ice for serving (0ptional)

Directions

  • In a pitcher, combine all the ingredients together ex the ice and lemon slices for serving.
  • Let it stand overnight or at least for a few hours in the refrigerator.
  • Strain off the large pieces.
  • If you wish, serve with fresh basil leaves, blueberries, lemon slices and ice.

enjoy!

Photo, text and recipe by twincitiesherbs.com

Poached pears and pear autumn drink

You get two for one with this recipe! There are the fabulous poached pears and also you get to enjoy its delicious liquid as a tea. They can be served for the holidays to delight your guests or any time when you need a little boost in the fall. As a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, I like creating individualized teas for people but it is also gratifying to come up with fun seasonal teas as well. This fall drink is no exception.

The sugar is caramelized, the warming spices are gently infused and the sweet pears are added at the end for poaching. The end products are the firm poached pears that can accompany any fall dish and this wonderful light drink that warms your body and soul. You can surprise your guests for Thanksgiving dinner with these delicious treats!

The sweet and juicy pears are also valuable for health. They are cooling and slightly acidic. They help the lungs by moving stagnation and keeping them moist during the dry season. They are high in fiber that is very much needed in the fall. Pears are also good source of antioxidants, minerals like copper, iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium and vitamins A, B, and C.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Qt of water
  • 4 larger firm but ripe pears (Bosc, Bartlett). You can poach more pears in this liquid. Leave the stems on if they have stems.
  • 1/8 -1/4 cup of sugar
  • Mulling spice (please see below)
  • zest of lemon peel
  • 3 orange rings if you have it
  • pinch of salt
  • maple syrup or caramel sauce

Preparation

  • Place 2 Qt water along with the sugar in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil, this will caramelize the sugar.
  • Turn the heat down and simmer the spices for 10 minutes. I chose cinnamon, all spice, orange peel, ginger, cloves, cardamom. It is a good idea to set a timer, time is important here. Please see the recipe below.
  • Meanwhile wash the pears. You can peel them and cut the bottoms of the pears off or just leave them as they are.
  • Turn off heat completly and add the pears into the pot. Keep them in the steam for about 5-10 minutes. The pears will poach in the steam. You want your pears to be soft but not mushy.
  • Serve the poached pears with dinner or own its own as a dessert with maple syrup or caramel sauce. Keep the liquid for a delicious warming drink.

Mulling spice

  • 1 tsp cinnamon chips
  • 1 tsp allspice berries
  • 3 pieces of cloves
  • 1 Tbsp dried orange peel
  • 7  cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 tsp of dried ginger root (cut and sifted) or 1 tsp fresh ginger root

enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.