Herbal Summer Lemonade

This lemonade recipe is actually not one of my own.  Someone I know tried it last spring at a food show up in Cleveland, and I had a lot of fun adding an alcoholic twist to it.  I haven't attempted to figure out the ratios of liquor to make a large batch, but it's delicious with or without, and leaving it non-alcoholic makes it appropriate for gatherings with kids, too.

To make the lemonade

Yield:  About 2.5 gallons

Build:

24 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice

24 oz POM Wonderful pomegranate juice

4 cups sugar*

144 oz Cold water

Add:

4 oz Fresh Dill

4 oz Fresh Mint

4 oz Fresh Basil

2 oz Fresh Rosemary 

Let steep to desired strength**.

* I've discovered that dissolving the sugar in the lemon and pomegranate juices before adding the water seems to work best to dissolve it as entirely as possible.  After that, I add the water, stir to blend, and add the herbs.

** Personally, I think about 24 hours is perfect, though you can generally start serving it after just a few hours of steeping, and you're not going to want the herbs in there much past a day and a half or so.

Alcoholic Version:

Method: Build

Glassware: 10oz Collins

Garnish: Edible orchid bloom

Ingredients:

1 oz Hendricks gin

.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur

Add ice, fill with steeped herbal lemonade, and garnish.   

Contest entry: Basilador

So...the USBG was having a contest for Ohio members to create a recipe for Tequilador Blanco or Tequilador Reposado to be distributed in little recipe booklets with the tequilas.  I haven't heard anything since the deadline (which wasn't too long ago, so I don't know when results are going to happen Edit:  Basilador was picked!  The recipes will have a QR code with them so that people can go to a video of each cocktail being made (embedded in this entry below!).  I'll be going to Cleveland at some point in December to be filmed making it so I'm not sure how mine came out.  I love the drink, and I've gotten some nice feedback on it.  The name may be a little misleading, as there's not an overwhelming basil flavor to it, but it seemed cute and clever and better than anything else I could think of at the time...ha 

Basilador
Glass:  Large cocktail
Method: Muddle, Shake and Strain
Garnish: Grape spiral/basil sprig


Ingredients:
5 each green grapes
3 each Basil leaves
1.5 oz Tequilador Blanco tequila
.5 oz Cointreau
1.5 oz Simple syrup
2 oz Fresh lime juice


Muddle grapes and basil leaves with a little simple syrup.  Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice.  Strain into a large cocktail glass and garnish.


To make garnish:
I wish I had a video camera for this one.  Take a green grape and use a paring knife to cut the grape into a spiral.  Wrap spiral around basil sprig, and use a fruit pick to secure.

And now, my awkward first time in front of a camera making a cocktail: