Summer in a glass: Strawberry-infused Vodka Cooler with Basil

With just five ingredients—strawberry-infused vodka, fresh basil, simple syrup, lemon juice and club soda—this cocktail is as cool and easy as summer itself. Recipe below.

So suddenly, kids are back in school. And I’m getting frantic emails about recipes to try and beaches to check out before summer’s over. How did that happen? Thanks to overly hectic schedules and unseasonably cool temperatures (which we love, don’t get me wrong), summer seems to have slipped out the back door on us.

While nice-looking strawberries are still in the market and you’re wondering what to do with the last of the basil in your yard, here’s an easy, refreshing cocktail that will help you hang on to the taste of the season a little longer.

At its heart is strawberry-infused vodka. It’s simple to make—the only ingredients are vodka, strawberries and time. Besides giving the vodka their unmistakably summery flavor, the strawberries turn it a beautiful red. The basil adds a botanical note and the lemon juice a needed brightness. We all know what the simple syrup does—it’s sugar water. And finally, the club soda makes it all sparkle.

You’ll need to infuse the vodka several days ahead and make the simple syrup at least several hours ahead. But once you have them on hand, this drink comes together as easily as it goes down.

Strawberry-infused Vodka Cooler with Basil
Makes 1 cocktail

For the cocktail:
2 ounces strawberry-infused vodka
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
2 large fresh basil leaves
club soda
basil sprig for garnish, optional

For the infused vodka:
1 pint organic strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered
2 cups good quality vodka

For the simple syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Infuse the vodka. Put the prepared strawberries in a glass jar. Pour the vodka over the strawberries. Screw the lid on tight, give the jar a shake and put it in a cool, dark place. (This always makes me think of CBGB. But since it no longer exists, we put it in the cool, dark place we have, the refrigerator.)

Within a few hours, the vodka will start turning a lovely pink color.

Once a day, give the jar another shake. The maceration takes four to seven days. You can decant after four days, or wait a few more days for a slightly more intense flavor.

Strain the vodka into another jar or bottle. Some people like to also run the liquid through a coffee filter to remove any sediment or bits, but we didn’t seem to have any. The decanted strawberries will be pretty much leached of most of their color and flavor. I understand that some people use these to top ice cream, but what was left after our process didn’t have much flavor, and looked like strawberry ghosts, so I tossed them in the compost.

Make the simple syrup. Put the sugar and water into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool for 1/2 hour. Transfer to a glass lidded container and refrigerate until completely chilled. Simple syrup will keep for a week or two in your fridge. If you add a tablespoon of vodka, it will keep considerably longer.

Make the cocktail. Put the infused vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice and basil leaves into a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Muddle to break up the basil and release its oils. You can use a muddler if you have one—I use the pestle of our mortar and pestle. Add ice and stir until the liquid is quite cold, about 30 seconds.

Fill a rocks glass with ice and strain the vodka mixture into it. Top off with club soda, stir gently to combine and garnish with a basil sprig. Serve.