She’s sweet, sassy, vibrant, and fun, and she’s about to become your favourite spring drink. Say hello to the Strawberry Gin and Tonic, friends!
Gin became my favourite spirit on my 24th birthday, when I made pomegranate lime gin and tonics for my friends and I. This version is decidedly more springy, although it still feels anything but spring-like here in this part of Canada- the high today is 3 degrees Celsius! Even so, I quite like the cool weather, and the spring vibes are very much alive in my kitchen.
Of course, if you have access to local strawberries, please use them. I bought some organic California-grown strawberries for the purposes of this recipe. Full disclosure!
This Strawberry Gin and Tonic starts with a base of homemade strawberry juice. In your blender, you will combine 2 cups of strawberries with 1/2 a cup of water.
Then, you will strain the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag to separate out as much of the fibre and seeds as possible.
Store it in a jar while you gather up your ingredients: good quality gin, pure maple syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water. You can use tonic water in place of the sparkling water and maple syrup, but I have found this combination to be just as tasty as store-bought!
To make the gin and tonic, put several ice cubes into glasses, add the gin, maple syrup, strawberry juice, and lemon juice, and top with the sparkling water. Toss in a couple of lemon wedges if desired. And then, voila! Strawberry gin and tonics for two, to celebrate spring and the weekend!
Cheers, friends!
Strawberry Gin and Tonic
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3 oz gin (3 oz=6 tbsp or approximately 1/3 cup)
- Sparkling water
- Lemon wedges to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the (hulled) strawberries in a blender with the water. Blend until smooth. Strain into a large bowl through a fine mesh sieve or a nut milk bag, then pour into a jar until ready to use. You should have about 1 cup/250 mL fresh juice.
- Divide the ice between two cocktail glasses. Then evenly divide the strawberry juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, gin, and sparkling water between the two glasses. Garnish with a couple of lemon wedges if desired.
If you make these Strawberry Gin and Tonics and post them on Instagram, make sure to tag @upbeetkitchen and #upbeetkitchen so I can see!
Leave a Reply