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I’m a big fan of a long drink with hard liquor in it. Spicy enough to get the party started but an ample amount in the glass to keep people occupied while you sort nibbles. A salty dog is usually made with just grapefruit and gin. I love adding tarragon and basil to mine; the drink becomes something more fragrant and intriguing while remaining, at its core, a mega-refresher. The sugar syrup can be made up to a month in advance and refrigerated.
Timings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves
Makes 4
Ingredients
- For the simple syrup (this makes enough for two rounds of drinks)
- 200g caster sugar
For the drinks
- 75ml simple syrup
- handful of basil leaves
- handful of tarragon leaves
- 200ml gin
- 400ml pink grapefruit juice
- 3 tsp lime juice, plus extra to taste
To serve
- lime wedges, for rimming the glasses
- flaky sea salt
- plenty of ice cubes
- tarragon leaves
- grapefruit peel
Method
- Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan and heating gently until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using (do this over a bowl of ice if you’re in a hurry).
- To make the drinks, combine the syrup and herbs in a tall glass or jug and use a cocktail muddler or something long like a rolling pin to push down and twist on the herbs in order to extract the flavour. Really get in there, twisting and mashing.
- Rim your serving glasses (tall ones are best) with salt by running a wedge of lime around the top edge. Sprinkle some salt on to a small plate and dip the rims into it. Fill each glass with a few ice cubes.
- Add the gin and grapefruit juice to the jug and mix well. Add the lime juice, mix, taste and add more if you like. Pour the drink over the ice into the salt-rimmed glasses and add tarragon leaves and grapefruit peel as a garnish.
Recipe from BBQ Days, BBQ Nights by Helen Graves (Hardie Grant, £22)
