How many of you started drinking more once we all had to start sheltering in place? I was in that camp, especially at the beginning of our stay-at-home order.
That first week, I ended up drinking maybe 4 or 5 of those 7 days. I went through (with some help) a pack of White Claw in about a week, which is much faster than our usual pace.
I started to feel less than my best self. I’ve noticed that especially with staying in all the time, I’m more susceptible to hangovers. So. I decided to stop drinking until further notice or at the very least, try out some other options.
One of those options was to create mocktail drinks for all those Zoom happy hours we all have on our calendars.
Behold, a very summery Strawberry Basil Fizz. It’s refreshing on a hot summer day, whether you’re on your balcony/patio or dare I say…at a summer barbecue with your friends? Or a baby shower? A summer picnic? What can I say, I’m an optimist and yes, I think someday we’ll be among friends again.
Making this drink was actually pretty fun. You can take out your stress on the strawberries, which just rewards you with a more flavorful mocktail.
You can easily customize the fizz to your taste if you’re looking for a sweeter drink, but I made this drink to be refreshing on a hot summer day.
Before I carry on further, I just want you to notice that I used a honey dipper/wand/stick to muddle up the fruit. That’s because that’s all I had on hand, and hey––you might need to get creative with your tools, too. I live in an apartment, not a Williams-Sonoma, so no––I won’t have all the right tools all the time.
Strawberry Basil Fizz (Mocktail)
Notes
- Honey or maple syrup make great sweeteners if you don’t have any simple syrup on hand for this drink.
- If you want to make a big pitcher of it or make a few drinks at a time, scale as needed. Use a blender at that point to get the strawberries juiced and run the juice through a strainer.
Ingredients
- 2-4 large, ripe strawberries
- 2 large basil leaves
- Sparkling water
- Ice
Instructions
- Cut the strawberries into small pieces and then muddle into a small pitcher.
- Cut the basil into pieces and add to the strawberries to muddle. Let it really infuse into the strawberries.
- Strain the pulp over a glass with ice. I kept pushing more juice into the glass through the strainer to get as much out as possible.
- Top with sparkling water.
- (optional) Garnish with a strawberry and basil leaf
If…you wanted to turn this drink alcoholic…you definitely can. May I suggest some vodka?
Enjoy your drink! Let me know how you like it.
Yum
