In creating the drinks for our poolside cocktail party, I considered the flavors in our appetizers. With foods like Caprese Salad and Thai Shrimp Rolls, I picked out two particular tastes to develop: Basil and Lime. Lime is one of the easiest ingredients to use in drinks, but the commonality in Thai food made it a great choice. And basil pairs well with lemon and vanilla, thanks to new favorite cookbook The Flavor Bible, which my mom mentioned on Monday’s blog.
For my first drink, I created a basil-vanilla syrup. It’s important to have a soft touch with the vanilla, because it can quickly become overpowering in this recipe and overshadow the rest of the ingredients. I used six basil leaves, but the basil flavor was subtle enough, that you could use more. In choosing what liquor to use, I quickly discovered that the flavors were too subtle for anything but vodka. I try to use a couple different liquors for a party, since people tend to be picky about what type of alcohol they drink, so this became my vodka drink. It is slightly sweet, complex but not overly complicated in flavor, and my more upscale drink.
For my next drink, I knew I wanted to play with cherry limeade. As a Texan, cherry limeade is a staple on my summer drink list. I can hardly resist a Route 44 from Sonic. But since this was a cocktail party, not some kind of fast food picnic, I tried to dress it up. First, I made granita, an easy and icy Italian dessert that is great for the summertime. It’s delicious by itself, and I flavored mine with pomegranate, cherry, and lime. It takes quite a few hours, but well worth it. The granita must be completely frozen before pouring the alcohol over it or it will melt too quickly; and make sure the alcohol has been shaken over ice, so that it is also cold. This one needs to be made right before drinking but is wonderful for those who like a sweet drink.
Finally, for the tequila lovers, I made a coconut lime margarita. It is simple, clean, and deliciously refreshing. Lizzi kept saying it seems like a cocktail you should be drinking on a cruise ship, while singing “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” She may be right with that one. Anyway, the coconut milk in it makes it creamy and frothy–a great cold drink in this early summer heat.
Lemon Vanilla Basil Cocktail
For the Vanilla Basil Syrup
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract
6 basil leaves
Combine water and sugar in a sauce pan. Over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and add vanilla and basil. Let steep for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep for 20 minutes.
For the drink
2 parts vodka
1 part dry vermouth
1 part fresh lemon juice
1½ parts syrup
ice
Shake together. Pour in a glass over ice.
Granita Cherry Limeade
For the granita
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 limes
2 tbsp pomegranate liqueur
1 tbsp white rum
1 tsp maraschino cherry juice
In a medium saucepan, mix ½ c of the water with the sugar. Grate the zest of 2 limes into the saucepan. Over heat, stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, add the remaining 2 ½ cups of water, and then chill in the refrigerator. Stir the lime juice, rum, pomegranate liqueur, and maraschino cherry juice into the sugar syrup.
Pour mixture into a wide, plastic container, cover and place in the freezer. After an hour, the edges should begin to freeze. Break up ice chunks with a fork, spreading toward the center. Repeat every 30 minutes, until frozen into chunks. It should take several hours.
For the drink
1 part rum
1 part pomegranate liqueur
1 part fresh lime juice
Granita
Scoop granita into a martini glass. Shake rum, liqueur, and lime juice with ice and pour over granita. Garnish with lime and lime zest.
Coconut Lime Margarita
For the drink
1 part tequila
1 part lime juice
1 part powdered sugar
½ part coconut milk
splash of orange juice
ice
Puree all together in a blender, until frothy. Pour in glass and garnish with fresh fruit like pineapple, kiwi, and lime.
What gorgeous and refreshing looking cocktails!
Thank you! They were perfect in this heat
Where did you get those glasses in the 4th picture? (like champagne flutes but shorter and with a squared edge) They are beautiful!
The coconut lime margarita looks to die for. Thanks so much.
Thanks for the comment. I love those glasses too. We actually got them at a thrift shop, so I’m not sure where you could find them.
But try out the margarita! Very tasty.
Those are Ikea glasses, or are at least identical twins to them.
Beware the attachment point between the stem and the main glass- the ones I almost bought seemed pretty poorly constructed, so I passed. But they’re strikingly unique, and definitely worth it if you can get your hands on a higher-quality batch than my Ikea had. I’ve often found that’s the case with their glassware- some shipments are definitely better than others. Best of luck!
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