I’m not a stickler for traditional cocktail recipes. Don’t get me wrong, I love tasting a well-mixed concoction from another time but when I’m behind the bar I enjoy a more creative approach to stirring and shaking.

This week we celebrate the Fourth of July and no festive gathering is complete without a popping party drink to toast with and summer produce picked at its peak makes the perfect start.
I knew I wanted to take advantage of the wonderfully juicy blueberries that are so readily available right now and I crave the tartness of fresh lemon juice that pairs so well with them. I added a few basil leaves to the mix for a depth of surprising flavor. For me, I prefer a quality vodka for drinks with a blend of flavors from the other ingredients but in developing this recipe in the ‘Nosh and ‘Tail test kitchen I will say the gin version made an incredibly complex potion.

Blueberry Basil Cocktail~Serves 1
Ingredients-

• 12 fresh blueberries
• Lemon wedge
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves, plus more for optional garnish
• 2oz Gin or Vodka
• Ice
• Seltzer water

Combine 9 fresh blueberries, a lemon wedge, 3-4 fresh picked basil leaves and 2 ounces of gin or vodka in a cocktail shaker.

Muddle until the berries and lemon are crushed and the basil is bruised.

Add a couple cubes of ice and shake to chill.

Strain muddled mixture into a flute glass, add a few cubes of ice and top with seltzer water to fill.

Garnish with additional blueberries and fresh basil.
*For additional alternatives consider substituting the seltzer water for ginger ale, or adding fresh ginger to the muddle.

Read the original on: Too Many Ingredients