Raspberry-Basil Spritzer
By: Nick McAfee
Published: Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 1:06pm

Ingredients




1.5 oz Vodka
3 whole basil leaves
6-8 whole raspberries
0.5 oz honey simple syrup
0.5 oz lime juice
6 oz Club Soda
Basil stem for garnish

Preparation

1 Begin by muddling the raspberries and basil with the honey simple syrup in the bottom of a highball. 2 Add the vodka and lime juice and stir with a cocktail spoon once the raspberries have reached the consistency of a puree. 3 Fill the glass with ice and top off with club soda. 4 Garnish with a stem of basil and serve with a straw. 5 Sip and enjoy!

About

Using fresh ingredients always makes cocktails more interesting and when I noticed I had some raspberries and basil in the fridge it sounded like a great combination of flavors.  Basil has a light savory flavor while raspberries offer a balanced blend of tartness and sweetness.  A perfect combination of flavors for a spritzer.
Spritzers are a drink originating in Germany, traditionally using a combination of white wine and club soda.  The modern twists on this classic have begun using spirits instead of white wine, a change which allows for a refreshing drink which can be flavored in whatever way you see fit.  By using vodka, a notoriously flavorless spirit, the raspberries become the star of the cocktail with subtle undertone of basil and honey.  A truly refreshing drink.