Hello, friends! The weather has been incredible lately, with the exception of a rainy day here and there. I am so ready for this sunshine! It makes me want to grill steaks, eat fresh corn on the cob with chive butter, plant lots of delicious garden herbs, and hang out with the puppies and my fiancé in the yard. And there is nothing more refreshing at the end of a gorgeous sunny day than a delicious, crisp cocktail on a summers evening with the smell of grilling meat wafting across the deck while I type up a new blog post!
My favorite part of this recipe is the fresh strawberries. Which works out perfectly because Costco has their gigantic 64 oz. fresh strawberry containers in stock right now (which has meant a lot of strawberry shortcake!). The strawberries are quartered and muddled with fresh thyme and lemon juice before filling the shaker with the rest of the cocktail ingredients.
The thyme pairs beautifully with the strawberries. Last fall I got on a real big “flavored simple syrup” kick and made all types of herb-flavored simple syrups, my favorite of which has been thyme.
I definitely recommend mixing up your own simple syrups and experimenting with different flavor combinations and your favorite fruits and liquors. It is so simple to make fresh cocktails based on your local market ingredients and whatever herbs you have growing in your garden. Just remember to pair your liquor with something acidic (like lemon juice or lime juice), and something sweet (such as simple syrup or honey) to balance and round out your cocktail.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 oz. gin
- 1 oz. thyme simple syrup (see below)
- For thyme simple syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 bunch thyme sprigs
Instructions
Fill a champagne coupe with ice and water. Set aside to chill while mixing cocktail.
In an empty shaker, muddle strawberries, lemon juice and thyme. Fill shaker with ice. Add gin and thyme simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled champagne coupe.
To make thyme simple syrup:
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until dissolved completely. Turn off heat, stir in the thyme sprigs until submerged, and cover with lid. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs. When syrup has cooled, strain into a jar. Cover jar and store in the refrigerator. Can be used for up 1 month.
