Strawberry Basil Whiskey Soda (with Balsamic Shrub!)
Hi sweetie. You look like you could use a drink. I definitely could… this whole quarantine plus inevitable economic collapse is really working my last nerve. I’m thinking back to February when I committed to giving up alcohol for 40 days for Lent. I’m not really religious but Lenten fasting has sort of culturally fused itself to me just from being raised Catholic in South Louisiana. Beau and I don’t drink that much (anymore) but post- Mardi Gras always feels like a good time to detox and cut back on funneling literal poison into my body.
Boy did I fuck that up come March 12th. But can you blame me? Please say no.
Sometimes making an interesting cocktail is the only thing that keeps me from writhing in boredom on these quarantine nights. I’ve always been a huge fan of getting crafty and experimental with booze, but there’s an added layer of creative challenge right now, in that I’m not making any outings specifically for cocktail ingredients. In the before-times it was pretty common for me to come up with cocktail concepts first, and shop second. Now I’m looking at what I have and figuring out what I can make out of those things.
Ands that’s how I arrived at this strawberry balsamic shrub whiskey thing. First off, if you’ve never heard of a shrub, 1.) I’m not talking about plants for once and 2.) don’t worry it is absolutely a nerdy cocktail term that is just now getting popular again for the first time since the 19th century. A shrub is a combination of vinegar, sugar, and fruit that used to be a way of preserving, and the process is similar to that of making preserves. But the end result here has more of a syrupy consistency than a gelatinous one, and it adds a sweet tangy balance to a cocktail that is really kind of next level.
We usually have frozen strawberries for smoothies, and as good Italian boys there’s always a bottle or two of balsamic vinegar in the pantry. So strawberry was my fruit, and balsamic was my vinegar. We also had a half bottle of Basil Hayden’s bourbon, and the name of that bourbon made me think of my basil plant outside. My wheels were turning! And those flavors just sounded… kind of perfect together? Strawberry and basil, not a groundbreaking combination but a truly delicious one.
The great thing about this recipe is that the shrub and basil combo is tasty enough (without the whiskey) to be a delicious mocktail option for any non-drinkers. You can confidently serve it to all of your quaran-teammates and just spike your own to soften the blow of all their bullshit! A win for everyone.
Strawberry Balsamic Whiskey Thing
Strawberry Balsamic Shrub
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cups frozen strawberries
1.5 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in sugar until fully dissolved. Add strawberries, stir to fully coat them in the syrupy goodness, and return mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and, stirring occasionally, cook 10-12 minutes. While cooking, mash the strawberries with a whisk or wooden spatula to help them lose their shape and ~ become one ~ with the syrup.
Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the solids. (Tip: rather than discard the solids, store them to spread on toast another day.) Using a funnel, transfer liquid to a container—I used an old rinsed out maple syrup bottle. You could use a rinsed wine bottle, a clean mustard bottle, whatever works. Once the liquid is in the container, use a funnel to add balsamic vinegar. Shake to combine. Taste and add more vinegar if preferred. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before using in beverages.
Cocktail Instructions
1 oz. strawberry balsamic shrub (recipe above)
1 oz. whiskey (or honestly any alcohol you like—gin and rum both sound like they’d be good!)
4-5 basil leaves (you can also use mint!)
club soda (or “essence” soda such as LaCroix) for topping
Fresh strawberries for garnish
In a Collins glass, add shrub and basil leaves. Use a muddler to gently press the basil and shrub against the bottom of the glass. Muddling is not beating! Don’t smash too hard or your herbs can turn bitter! Four to five gentle presses will go a long way.
Add whiskey and ice, then top with soda. Give it a little stir, garnish with another sprig of basil or a fresh strawberry and enjoy. :)