Gin thyme lemonade
Lemonade is a summer no-brainer, and this cocktail is effortless, sophisticated-cool lemonade. It’s the French girl of lemonade—which, who couldn't use a little more je ne sais quoi? This cocktail just works. It’s crisp and refreshing with some depth and interest from the addition of the thyme. I love fresh herbs in cocktails, especially when used as a garnish, too, so that the scent makes its way into every sip.
I can’t wait to make this Gin Thyme Lemonade my summer anthem for pre-dinner cocktails at home, cook-outs, and nights with friends.
Gin thyme lemonade
Yields 1 cocktail to be served in a highball glass
2 oz fresh lemon juice
1½ oz good gin
1 oz thyme simple syrup (recipe below)
Club soda, maybe 1 oz or so (you'll be topping off the glass with this)
Thyme for garnish
THYME SIMPLE SYRUP
Equal parts white sugar and water (I used ½ cup of each)
5-6 or more sprigs of fresh thyme (difficult to use too much)
Begin by making the simple syrup. Combine sugar, water, and thyme in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. When it's reached a boil, remove from heat, and pour into another vessel to let it steep and cool. If you're not using it right away, after letting it steep and cool, remove thyme sprigs, cover and store in the fridge until ready to use (it will keep for a week).
In a Boston cocktail shaker, combine lemon juice, gin, and thyme simple syrup. Add a large handful of ice. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds or so, and strain (I used a Hawthorne strainer) into highball glass over fresh ice (I used a large square cube that I make using these silicone molds). Top with a little bit of club soda, and garnish with a sprig of thyme.