With the arrival of May, it feels like Spring may be upon us in earnest. I’ve created this Strawberry Basil Margarita to celebrate the season. This cocktail is made with fresh basil, strawberry syrup, tequila, orange liqueur, lemon, and a splash of mezcal for a touch of smoke.
This is a triumph of balanced flavours that makes for refreshing sunset sipping.
Michael and I counting down the days before we head to Europe on Saturday. We’re headed to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, and Croatia – all destinations that are new for the both of us.
If you have any recommendations for any of these places, please drop them in the comments below so we can add them to our to-do list.
I’ll be sharing blog posts with 72-hour travel guides for Prague, Vienna and Budapest as well as regular updates on my Instagram Stories so be sure to follow me there for up-to-the-minute vacation coverage.
I’m very much looking forward to discovering the many culinary delights these spots, not to mention the cocktails.
It will be a welcome change of pace from my indentured servitude to my own house which has been holding us hostage for the past 7 months and my newly domesticated lifestyle as a part-time stepparent. I now have a Costco membership and I don’t know how I feel about it.
We made our inaugural pilgrimage to Costco this past Saturday. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “Are you nuts?”. Yes, the answer is yes. We have zero regard for our own mental health. To say I was stressed would be an understatement, I don’t like crowds, the aesthetic gives me hives (caged fruit snacks, pallets of chickpeas, fluorescent lighting, and cinderblock walls, oh my), and I knew there was no way we were getting out of there for less than $500.
To make matters worse, we had to formalize our induction into the bulk shopping cult by picking up our membership cards. Normally I would rejoice to find a camera lens pointed in my direction but I had paid good money to have my face poked by tiny needles thousands of times on Friday so I was NOT ready for my Costco close-up.
Luckily the lighting was all wrong so my Costco membership card photo is a portrait of a ghost with strong eyebrows. If the exposure had been accurate, you would have seen my splotchy, red, lobster skin in full effect.
Given the price of groceries these days, a Costco membership felt like a necessity for stocking up on essentials more affordably and while we did end up spending just over $500 – we would have spent far more on a trip to Loblaws.
What are your tips for surviving Costco? Aside from don’t go on a weekend, that much is obvious to me now.
If you do have to endure Costco on a weekend, this Strawberry Basil Margarita should help you take the edge off afterwards.
Strawberry Basil Margarita
This Strawberry Basil Margarita is a balanced spring/summer sipper made with a combination of strawberry syrup, fresh basil, lemon, tequila, mezcal and orange liqueur.
- 4 basil leaves
- ¾ oz strawberry syrup
- 1½ oz tequila
- ½ oz mezcal
- ½ oz Cointreau
- 1 oz lemon juice
- Garnish: basil leaf
- 1½ cups hulled sliced strawberries
- 1 cup demerara sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Add basil leaves and strawberry syrup to a cocktail shaker and muddle.
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Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake until well-chilled.
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Double strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
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Garnish with a single basil leaf.
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Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
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Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cook for 15-20 minutes or until the liquid is a deep red and strawberries are softened. Cool to room temperature.
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Fine strain through a cheesecloth/coffee filter into a airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use.
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Syrup should keep for approximately 2 weeks.
