Here’s a recipe for Grilled Veggie Kabobs with Harissa yogurt that can be made with your choice of protein – tempeh, tofu, or chicken! A delicious summer meal that packs a big punch of flavor! Perfect for weeknight dinners, summer bbqs or …
Here’s a recipe for Grilled Veggie Kabobs with Harissa yogurt that can be made with your choice of protein – tempeh, tofu, or chicken! A delicious summer meal that packs a big punch of flavor! Perfect for weeknight dinners, summer bbqs or gatherings! Vegan-adaptable. Wow, boy did it get hot this week. Sweltering! In the...
Fresh and simple Pico De Gallo is the perfect condiment for hot summer days. Easy to make with just a few ingredients enlivening all your Mexican favorites, delicious on eggs and always a popular appetizer. It truly is the most satisfying salsa! Tak…
Fresh and simple Pico De Gallo is the perfect condiment for hot summer days. Easy to make with just a few ingredients enlivening all your Mexican favorites, delicious on eggs and always a popular appetizer. It truly is the most satisfying salsa! Take notice of what light does- to everything. I can’t get enough of...
Quick and healthy Greek Salad Dressing is delicious, easy to make and so versatile. A tasty perk for vegetable salads, pasta salad, chicken marinade and more! Vegan, keto-friendly, sugar-free, gluten-free, this Greek Salad Dressing is a good staple…
Quick and healthy Greek Salad Dressing is delicious, easy to make and so versatile. A tasty perk for vegetable salads, pasta salad, chicken marinade and more! Vegan, keto-friendly, sugar-free, gluten-free, this Greek Salad Dressing is a good staple to have in the fridge. It takes about 10 minutes to whisk up and keeps in...
Here is a recipe for Greek Pasta Salad that is the perfect make-ahead pasta salad for summertime picnics, bbqs, potlucks and easy summer dinners. A hearty ratio of fresh vine ripe veggies and herbs combined with tender orzo pasta, and chickpeas tosse…
Here is a recipe for Greek Pasta Salad that is the perfect make-ahead pasta salad for summertime picnics, bbqs, potlucks and easy summer dinners. A hearty ratio of fresh vine ripe veggies and herbs combined with tender orzo pasta, and chickpeas tossed in the tastiest Greek Salad Dressing! If you surrender to the wind, you can ride...
A simple, easy recipe for the juiciest, most flavorful, Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken with grilled lemons- that turns out perfect every time. Make this with skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs to pair with salads or veggies. Great for meal prep! T…
A simple, easy recipe for the juiciest, most flavorful, Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken with grilled lemons- that turns out perfect every time. Make this with skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs to pair with salads or veggies. Great for meal prep! This recipe for Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken was one we used often in our catering business...
This Classic Greek Salad is bursting with summertime flavor! Made with vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, kalamata olives and sheep’s milk feta, this salad highlights the best of summer produce and lets the vegetables shine! This Gr…
This Classic Greek Salad is bursting with summertime flavor! Made with vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, kalamata olives and sheep’s milk feta, this salad highlights the best of summer produce and lets the vegetables shine! This Greek Salad is everything you want in a summer salad- refreshing, vibrant, flavorful and healthy. For many of you...
Learn the secret to making perfectly Seared Tuna with a Sesame Seed Crust in just 10 minutes flat. A healthy, delicious ahi tuna recipe that is full of flavor and easy to make. This Seared Tuna happened a lot in our catering days, so much so, I could…
Learn the secret to making perfectly Seared Tuna with a Sesame Seed Crust in just 10 minutes flat. A healthy, delicious ahi tuna recipe that is full of flavor and easy to make. This Seared Tuna happened a lot in our catering days, so much so, I couldn’t bring myself to make it again for...
This Asian Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It’s vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! Here’s a simple recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad, that I think …
This Asian Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It’s vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! Here’s a simple recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad, that I think you will fall in love with. It’s fast and easy and light...
Here’s the perfect summer cocktail for when herbs abound: the Gin Basil Smash! Use your basil plant for this refreshing and herbaceous drink.
Got basil? Love gin? Here’s the ideal drink for you: the Gin Basil Smash! This modern spin on the Whiskey Smash is light and herbaceous, pairing peppery basil with botanical gin. If there’s summer in a cocktail glass, this is it! We love drinking our herbs all season long, and this new addition to our summer cocktails perfectly captures that feeling of fresh cut grass between your toes and sticky melted popsicle fingers. (At least, we think so!)
What’s in a Gin Basil Smash?
The Gin Basil Smash is a cocktail made with gin, basil and fresh lemon juice, a riff on the popular Whiskey Smash. First published as a recipe in 1887, the Whiskey Smash pairs lemon, mint, sugar and crushed ice as a refreshing summer cocktail. Substitute in basil and gin, and you’ve got this drink.
This gin variation was invented in 2008 by a man named Jörg Meyer, owner of the Germany bar Bar Le Lion, who posted the recipe on his website. It became an international success and is now made around the world. (Read more about the origin story.) Here’s what you need to make a Gin Basil Smash:
Gin
Basilleaves
Lemon juice
Simple syrup
How to muddle basil
The best time to make a Gin Basil Smash? The summer, when you have a big pot of bright green basil! You’ll need 8 to 10 basil leaves per drink, so it’s more economical to go the home-grown route. The cocktail skill we’ll use to extract that delicious, peppery flavor is called muddling. Muddling is gently mashing herbs to release their juices, which helps the flavors incorporate into drinks.
When it comes to herbs, you’ll want to have a gentle touch when muddling. Here’s how to muddle herbs, including basil:
Place the basil leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. If you don’t have one, you can use a large metal cup or bowl.
With a wooden cocktail muddler or unfinished wooden spoon, gently mash the mint a few times to release the juices. Do not mash the basil with lots of force! The key to muddling is a light touch.
Any type of gin works for a Gin Basil Smash! Try to find a mid-priced bottle, since price is usually indicative of quality when it comes to spirits. Here are a few tips for buying gin:
Every brand is different. There’s a wide range of botanical flavors in different brands of gin. Experiment to find your favorite!
Malfy gin is a good option: it has a nice balance of flavors.
Steer away from Tanqueray gin: in our opinion, it’s a little too floral.
More basil cocktails & mint cocktails
There are so many ways to use fresh herbs in cocktails in the summer! Here are a few more ideas:
Packed with nutritious ingredients, this Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burger is full of delicious flavor and satisfying texture. Great with a variety of toppings. Vegetarian and Gluten-free, Vegan-adaptable! When I let go of what I am, I become what I migh…
Packed with nutritious ingredients, this Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burger is full of delicious flavor and satisfying texture. Great with a variety of toppings. Vegetarian and Gluten-free, Vegan-adaptable! When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be ~ Lao Tzu I crave a good veggie burger! This is one is close to...