Basil Gimlet: The classic lime Gimlet is a pale yellowish-green gin cocktail of near-perfect proportions. It’s sweet and tart with a slight herbal quality that comes from good gin. It is typically served shaken with ice and strained into a stemmed cocktail glass. Most of the “old-school” versions are made with Rose’s lime juice which is a super sweet ingredient with an interesting history all its own. But I like them less sweet and usually use fresh lime juice sweetened to taste with a bit of simple syrup.
The classic version of this cocktail got its name from a small tool that was once used on board British naval ships to tap into spirits barrels. It was standard for the sailors who spent many months at sea to mix their rations of gin with the mandatory daily dosage of lime juice as a way fight scurvy. I have an entire post dedicated to the classic Gimlet. It can be read by CLICKING Here.
Sweet Basil Gimlet
But today I am feeling a bit creative. So I am transforming the classic Gimlet with a bit of basil simple syrup. It makes this version into a super summery cocktail, ideal for poolside entertaining in some warm weather location like say, Palm Springs. Which is where I am and what I happen to be doing at the moment.
If you have Plymouth gin I recommend it in this case. It is a bit earthier and has just the right perfume. It works very nicely with the aromatic sweet basil. But, please don’t let my persnicketiness stop you from trying this because any gin will work well. In fact, in a pinch or if you are gin adverse– vodka is an acceptable substitution. Because this is not intended to be a serious gin lover’s libation. The aromatic quality of gin certainly augments the style and substance of this cocktail, but it’s the sweet basil that really defines the flavor palate.
So I have chosen to make this a bit sweeter in fact. It is also a whole lot less alcoholic than the classic Gimlet. I have even decided to serve it poured over a lot of ice. This is not a serious cocktail. It’s meant to be lite and frivolous and every bit as friendly as the sweet summer sunshine.
Sweet Basil Gimlet Serves 8 CLICK here for a printable recipe
- 1⁄2 c sugar
- 1 bunch basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 c freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 c Plymouth gin
In a small saucepan combine sugar with 1 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Add the chopped basil to a heatproof bowl then pour the syrup over the leaves to steep about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture, discarding the basil. Let cool completely.
Add the basil simple syrup, gin and lime juice to a medium-sized pitcher. Pour some of the cocktail into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a sprig of basil. Serve.
SERIOUS FUN FOOD
Greg Henry
Sippity Sup
I made this pie for my friends yesterday and wow… no-one could stop eating it. So fluffy, moist and a bit runny at the same time, totally amazing. Thanks for sharing!
This was such a superb series, Greg, and now you have inspired me to pull out my mom’s own recipes (much fewer than your mom’s!) and try some of them. The way you describe her, I think I would have really liked her. And this is one amazing pie. We love everything lemon and the inside of this pie looks like the little lemon soufflé puddings I made for my birthday that separated like this. Fabulous! Bookmarked. I hope you share more of her great recipes with us. Thanks.
First of all, this pie looks wonderful. Another one bookmarked. I put together a family cookbook a few years ago and I’m going to start posting some things from it. Don’t know why I haven’t. I also have alot of handwritten notes from my mom that I will take photographs of. I regret throwing so many of them away as I computerized everything. It’s great that you have that piece of paper. Keep it.
I can’t wait for next Mother’s day to roll around, in hopes that you’ll cook more of your Mom’s favorite recipes.…what a treat. This is the kind of pie that I could eat all by myself in one sitting, with a big bowl of sweetened whipped cream to take the edge off the lemon.…YUM! Nice job with the crust, it looks like you braided it! — S
I went with a rope twist on the crust. GREG
I’m sure that Mary Stuart and her alter ego Martha would be proud of this, as, no doubt, would your mother.
I love anything LEMON & this would be no exception : ) I’ve also really enjoyed reading Judi’s Bistro posts this week! Very special : )
So sorry to see the end to a beautiful tribute! I make a very similiar dessert called a lemon bucidino, the only difference is no crust!
Gotta love something sweet that transforms into a cake & a curd in the oven. It was funl to read a week of tribute to your mom and “Mary Stuart!”
Wonderful spending time with you this weekend at camp. xo
Lemon desserts are my favorite and this one looks divine!
That looks so delicious, I have it bookmarked now! Such a wonderful tribute to your mom, she would be proud!
you are lucky to have access to incredible lemons. do you have a lemon tree?
this pie is so thick, i bet it tasted amazing. where is the scratch & sniff button?
…is citrus. I have a 2 lemon trees an Eureka and a Meyer! GREG
Dear Greg — Reading your posts this week has left me with a heavy heart.
As a mother of young children I am very protective of my young cubs and I can’t imagine what it must be to be left on your own to ‘seek your own direction in your adult life’. I have no doubt that your Mum knows what she gave you — so much passes through blood, yes?
Your tribute to her leaves me speechless.…I know as a mother I can only hope that one day my sons may be able to benefit from my blog which is essentially a documentation of family treasures and my culinary adventures alike.
It is my way of leaving them with a little something of myself…a figure ground study of their family if you will.
Your Mum did so too unknowingly though, through her food with you and so you are carrying on her legacy of fine dining and good taste!
Thank You for sharing these most wonderful recipes from her collection.
Sincerely,
Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
PS — Hope you are having a blast at the bloggie bootcamp!
…was a blast! I hate to be corny, but I just loved every minute of it. Sign me up for next year because I wouldn’t miss it! GREG
Love all Judi’s recipes! I can definitely see where you got your love of cooking 🙂
I will definitely miss this series! So many of my memories are linked to foods and so I completely understand where you were coming from in doing this. This pie looks truly delicious. Definitely physics defying.
…cause we will, one day…will you make this? I find the recipe fascinating as well! I love to make homemade lemon curd, but it can be a bit tedious…but with this version, I could get my curd and eat the cake too!
~kristin
Holy YUM!
A perfect ending to a week. Thanks for sharing that little sotry. A little funny your mom thought Martha Stewart’s name was Mary Stuart. hehehe… She would have been very please with your tribute to her. 🙂