Basil Daiquiris
While we were in the Mission, we wandered into a great little bar called Dalva. We were lured in by the shabby-chic decor and Kubrick's Lolita projecting onto the wall. The bartender was in the middle of preparing some drinks that we assumed were mojitos. We'd seen him grab a handful of leafy green stuff and mix it with some lime and sugar syrup. Upon closer inspection, we discovered the herb he'd been muddling was actually basil! I was skeptical yet intrigued. What sort of cocktail has basil in it? He called it a Basil Daiquiri and it was absolutely delicious. It never would have occurred to me but it totally makes sense. The combination of ingredients is so surprising, yet so simple. It's basically a mojito with basil instead of mint. Here's the version I came up with. Feel free to experiment. This should make 2-3 drinks.
Ingredients:
- handful of basil (maybe 20-30 leaves)
- juice from 2 limes
- 6 T sugar syrup (see instructions)
- a lot of white rum (at least 1 cup, or 5-6 shots)
- a splash of water
Instructions:
Make your syrup. It's so easy and far, far better to use for cocktails. It's a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water. Boil the water and then add the sugar. When it's all dissolved, you've got syrup. It takes minutes and costs way less than buying it pre-made. Put the basil leaves and the lime juice in a shaker and muddle it up. Add the sugar syrup, the rum, the water, and a handful of ice. Shake, shake, shake, Señora, and pour it over ice.
I was going to post a picture of the finished product, but photos of cocktails tend to be really boring. The picture I took didn't at all capture the refreshing, surprising taste of the delightful Basil Daiquiri. It deserves better. How could I do it justice? Maybe if it made a cameo appearance in The Dark Knight?
That's much better.
Or how about if it were summoned from the depths of Mr. Belvedere's subconscious?
We just might live the good life yet, huh, Mr. Belvedere?
Don't let the basil scare you off this drink. It's fantastic. I'm now inspired to experiment with some other herbs I'd never considered for use in cocktails. I think I'm gonna try something with cilantro for my next alcoholic endeavor.
2008-07-28 21:41:58 UTC