Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Strawberry cocktails can be subtle

Posted by Jonathan Bender on Tue, May 11, 2010 at 3:00 PM


click to enlarge A cocktail is waiting inside every strawberry.
  • A cocktail is waiting inside every strawberry.
I like sweeter drinks in summer -- they tend to work well with grilled dinners and feel more refreshing as the temperature rises. And now that strawberries are readily available and sweet, it's the right time to play around with infusions and modern takes on some classic cocktails.

A rum cocktail -- the mojito -- gets a slightly sweet makeover when you add strawberries. This strawberry basil mojito is candy for your eye and mouth.

Girly, fizzy and delicious no matter what your gender, the strawberry smash is great for cocktail parties. A mix of white rum, sparkling wine, herbs and strawberries, this packs a kick that will sneak up on you.

Strawberries' sweetness also goes well with gin. The Bloodhound Cocktail uses vermouth, gin and crushed strawberries to make a slightly tart, strikingly red cocktail. For a twist on another classic, try adding strawberries to a Pimm's Cup -- a seasonal drink popular in Britain made with Pimms No. 1.

You can make a liqueur out of nearly any fruit, although some lend themselves better to the process than others. Strawberries have a lot of sweetness, both fresh and as a liqueur -- if you're trying to cut the sweetness a bit, consider using a vodka with a slightly higher proof. On my great list of drink experiments is strawberry-infused tequila, which was used to create the Paloma Mi Amante -- tequila combined with grapefruit soda.

Strawberry syrups are a nice base for everything from cocktails to snow cones. Here's a twist on traditional simple syrup: strawberry rhubarb syrup. For those who want a non-alcoholic strawberry cocktail, the Ginger and Strawberry Bubbles could fit the bill. A combination of homemade ginger ale and strawberry consomme that would taste just fine in the backyard, with or without vodka. Substitute lemonade for ginger ale, and you've got another flavor of spritzer.

If your'e not using fresh strawberries, you could always opt for the

classic strawberry

banana daiquiri.

Strawberries don't have to be stuck in frozen, tooth-achingly sweet drinks, so take your highball glass out of the cabinet and find that out. 

[Image via Flickr: muffet]

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