Basil Cocktail
Fresh Thai basil makes this cocktail extra-refreshing. The fruit is Ruby Red grapefruit.
MENU

   

 

Cocktails & Spirits
Category Main Page
Articles & Reviews

   

Main Nibbles
Main Page
Articles & Reviews Of Foods From A To Z

 

   

 

September 2009

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Cocktails

Recipes For Herb-Infused Cocktails

From Basil to Tarragon, These End-Of-Summer Cocktail Recipes Close Out The Season

 

We’re holding onto the warm weather as long as we can with cocktails infused with fresh herbs. While all of the following cocktail recipes share the common fruit theme—pineapple, orange, grapefruit and peach—the herbs give them an extra-refreshing kick.

These herb-infused cocktail recipes are courtesy of two New York City mixologists, Deborah Gavito and Deborah Harris.

 On The Menu:

Angry Feminist Cocktail Recipe

The Angry Feminist Cocktail from Deborah Gavito, owner of the East Village vegetarian restaurant, Counter, uses a homemade, tarragon-infused vodka. It should be made two days in advance. We’re not sure why this is an Angry Feminist; it’s charming and irresistible. But call it what you want, we want a refill!

Ingredients Per Cocktail

  • 1-1/2 ounces tarragon-infused, premium vodka
    (Ms. Harris uses Rain vodka)
  • 3/4 ounce framboise liqueur 
    (Ms. Harris uses Bonny Doon framboise)
  • 1/2 ounce triple sec
  • 1 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • 1 thin-sliced pineapple for garnish
  • Ice

Preparation

  1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all
    ingredients.
  2. Shake vigorously until outside of shaker
    is beaded with sweat.
  3. Strain into martini cocktail glass and
    garnish with pineapple.

Preparation For Tarragon-Infused Vodka

  1. Put three stalks of fresh tarragon in the
    bottle of vodka.
  2. Infuse for at least two days. You can
    leave the tarragon in the vodka bottle but
    do not allow any into the drinks.
Angry Feminist Cocktail
This Angry Feminist is, in reality, a real charmer.

 

East Hampton Cocktail Recipe

Because The Hamptons are so much a part of the New York City summer scene, Deborah Harris, mixologist at seafood restaurant Harbor in TriBeCa, shakes up two commemorative cocktails. First up is the East Hampton Cocktail, heavy on the grapefruit flavor, but balanced with savory Thai basil.

Ingredients Per Cocktail

  • 4 pieces Ruby Red grapefruit, rind
    removed
  • 6 leaves of fresh Thai basil, cut into
    pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 ounces grapefruit-flavored vodka (Ms. Harris uses Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka)
  • Splash of grapefruit soda (Ms. Harris uses GuS)
  • Ice

Preparation

  1. Muddle the grapefruit with the basil and sugar until it makes a thick pulp.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the muddled pulp with ice and vodka.
  3. Shake hard until shaker is beaded with sweat.
  4. Pour into a cocktail glass and top with grapefruit soda.
Grapefruit Cocktail
You don’t have to travel to East Hampton to enjoy this cocktail of Ruby Red grapefruit,
Thai basil and grapefruit vodka.

 

Shinnecock Cocktail Recipe

The Shinnecock Cocktail is named after Shinnecock Bay in the town of Southampton, which in turn is named after the Shinnecock tribe of Native Americans that originally settled the land. It is sweetened with peaches and agave syrup instead of sugar.

 Ingredients Per Cocktail

  • 2 lemon wedges
  • 1 sprig rosemary (fresh, not dried)
  • 4 fresh peach slices or up to 1 ounce of fresh peach purée
  • 1/2 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 2 ounces of 10 Cane rum
    (or other premium rum)
  • Ice
  • Splash of soda

Preparation

  1. Muddle the lemon wedges, rosemary, and peach slices or puree until they make a pulp.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine muddled
    ingredients with ice, agave syrup and rum.
  3. Shake vigorously and strain.
  4. Top with a splash of soda.
Rosemary Cocktail
Rosemary and peaches make this cocktail special.

 

Go To The Recipe Index Above

 

Recipes courtesy Deborah Gavito and Deborah Harris. All other materials