Tonight some of my college friends came over to try a cocktail I'm considering serving at my wedding - a strawberry basil lemonade made with limoncello and champagne. I'm happy to say it was every bit as tasty as I had hoped, so I wanted to share the delicious recipe with you. We drank these on the roof of my building in perfect mid-70 degree weather and I can honestly say this might be my new favorite summer cocktail.
Recipe
- Cut fresh strawberries (organic if you can get them) into small chunks.
- Create a chiffonade of fresh basil.
- Muddle the strawberries and basil together until the strawberries are pulpy and the basil is bruised.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of sugar (or just use pre-made lemonade if you want to save some time).
- Stir well, then pass the pulpy mixture through a sieve. You need a sieve fine enough to catch all the strawberry seeds, which would be unpleasant to drink.
- If you have non-drinkers in your group, this strawberry basil lemonade is actually delicious if you stop here, but if you are looking for a cocktail, add ice, a generous amount of limoncello and then top off with champagne.
- Finally, garnish with a lemon wheel (as pictured).
What are your favorite summer cocktails? Did you have any special cocktails at your wedding? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to up-vote and comment. <3