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Cocktail Hour: Donna Rosa

[dropcap2]M[/dropcap2]y mother gave me a basil plant.  It has been growing like a weed this summer with all the sunlight that it gets on my balcony.  I love savory elements in cocktails so I thought I’d mix some of that fresh basil into my evening cocktail. This is a play on a Pink Lady which is traditionally made with gin and grenadine, but this has an Italian twist with grapefruit and basil, so I’m calling it Donna Rosa.

This cocktail is refreshing apéritif on a summer evening. The citrus makes your mouth water and the sweetness of the basil just peeks through, prepping you for dinner.  It’s perfect before repast to whet your appetite.  The cool people over at Martin Millers were kind enough to send me a few samples of gin, so I used it as the spirit in this cocktail. I love its citrus and floral notes. I used grapefruit juice as the bitter element in the cocktail.

Donna Rosa

3/4 oz real grenadine (aka pomegranate syrup)
1/2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz Martin Miller’s gin
5 leaves fresh basil

In cocktail shaker, muddle the basil & grenadine.
Add grapefruit & lime juice, add gin.
Add ice and shake.
Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with a basil leaf.