Seasonal slurping: Basil-Vodka Gimlet!

I first posted this most wondrous of summer refreshers about three years ago. It was then a revelation in deliciousness (also a perfect use for that neglected bottle of vodka in my liquor cabinet) that I didn't make at all last year in a remarkable few months of not caring about my personal well being. Needless to say, what with my own plants bursting with basil, that oversight was corrected recently. Several times over in fact. This is simply one of the unimaginably delicious summer cocktails you will EVER slurp down. Really and truly. Even my normally moderate wife knocked back two of these in short order last weekend and came at me with a thirsty gleam in her eye looking for more! Plus it has loads of seasonal cred in case that over-used and most tiresome of words has meaning for you. For me I'll just roll with the fact that this lovely libation satisfies on every single level, and leaves me with the most pleasant summer glow I can imagine!
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Basil Vodka Gimlets
makes six drinks

note: the recipe calls for stirring them in a pitcher and serving them in an 8 to 10 ounce highball glass filled with ice. I much prefer them shaken and served up, so the nuanced flavors don't dilute in the melting ice.

ingredients:
1 cup basil lemon syrup (recipe follows)
3/4 to 1 cup vodka
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

method:
Mix together all three ingredients in a pitcher. Fill cocktail shaker 3/4 full of ice. Pour enough mixture to just cover the ice cubes. Shake the hell out of it. Strain into martini glasses. Repeat as necessary!
Garnish with basil sprigs or lemon twists if you want.
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Basil Lemon Syrup
makes about 5 cups
ingredients:
4 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
9 or 10 (3-by 1") strips of lemon peel

method:
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium sauce pan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let stand at room temperature, covered, for one hour, then transfer to refrigerator to chill for one hour. Strain syrup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids.
* Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 5 days.

Real men drink Lemon Drops!

The Lemon Drop is strictly a girly cocktail. What?? Talk about a bad rap. It's like someone calling my beloved Chicago Cubs losers. They're not losers, they're just victory challenged. The point is even though I would certainly never order one out because I keep my shame to myself, a well-made Lemon Drop is a home bar guilty pleasure at my house. It became a cocktail classic (yes, I said it, a "cocktail classic"!) not because it doesn't taste, when perfectly concocted, deliciously and perfectly sweet-tart The problem I think the L.D. has is there are so many sickly sweet versions out there at way too many TGIF's where the bartender seems to have forgotten that the first word in the name is a rather key ingredient rather than a vehicle for Schmoe A to get into Chick B's pants. Follow the recipe below, and even though you'll still never order one at any drinking venue outside of your own house, you'll be able to swill with pride and enjoyment. Heck, you'll be peaking on so much self esteem I promise your masculinity will emerge intact should you offer your friends a pop!

BTW- not to brag, but didn't that Lemon Drop pic turn out fucking great?!
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Lemon Drop Cocktail

ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Cointreau....you could use, in a dire emergency, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier, but you really do want this to be as good as it can be, don't you? I thought so!
1 teaspoon simple syrup...to make simple syrup mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. When cool you are good to go.
1 ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Ice cubes
Superfine (or regular) sugar for dipping the rim
Lemon peel twist for garnish
method:
Mix the vodka, orange liqueur, sugar, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice; shake well for 20 to 30 seconds. Pour strained liquor into sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with lemon twist.
**note: to get a nice sugar rim that sticks to the glass, use the leftover lemon rind from juicing to wet the rim of your martini glass before dipping it into the sugar.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: The importance of cupcakes!