Garden Party Recipe

Lightly bruise the basil and mint leaves by clapping them between your hands or gently rolling with a rolling pin. Place the bruised herbs in a clean 16–20 oz glass jar.

Pour 2 cups (16 oz) dry gin over the herbs, making sure leaves are submerged. Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place for 12–24 hours. Taste at 12 hours; the gin should have a pronounced but not overpowering fresh herb aroma. If too mild, steep up to 24 hours.

When infusion reaches desired flavor, strain the gin through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bottle or jar to remove all herb bits. Discard solids. The infused gin can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Prepare glass and muddle

Chill a Collins glass or highball by filling with ice and water while you assemble the cocktail. In a cocktail shaker, add 3 thin cucumber slices and 0.5 oz simple syrup. Gently muddle just enough to release cucumber aroma and a little juice—avoid pulverizing into pulp.

Build the cocktail

Discard the ice water from the chilled glass. In the shaker with muddled cucumber, add 2 oz herb-infused gin, 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur, and 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until well chilled.

Strain and top

Double strain the mixture into the chilled Collins glass filled with fresh ice using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer (this removes cucumber bits). Top with 2 oz chilled club soda or sparkling water. Stir once gently with a bar spoon to combine.

Garnish

Thread a thin cucumber ribbon on a cocktail pick or tuck it inside the glass against the side for visual appeal. Add a lemon wheel on the rim and slap a fresh basil leaf between your palms to release oils, then float it on top as garnish.

Serve immediately. Suggestion: for parties, make a larger batch by multiplying the cocktail ingredients (excluding soda) and keeping soda chilled to add just before serving so drinks stay fizzy.