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Ingredients
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Strawberry-Sage Purée
Sage-Infused Syrup
Finishing & Garnish
Method
Strawberry-Sage Purée
Prep berries
Rinse strawberries, hull them, and quarter larger berries so you have about 3 cups packed.
In a blender or food processor combine the quartered strawberries, 8 packed sage leaves, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.
Blend on medium-high until smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon as needed. If mixture is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons cold water to reach a pourable sauce consistency.
Strain the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to remove seeds and larger fibrous bits. You should end up with a glossy, fragrant purée. Reserve about 1/2 cup for finishing and 3/4–1 cup for the drink base depending on desired intensity.
Sage-Infused Syrup
Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer.
Add 10 fresh sage leaves to the simmering syrup. Reduce heat to low and let the syrup steep for 5 minutes; do not boil vigorously to preserve herbal aroma.
Remove from heat and allow the sage to steep an additional 10 minutes off the heat for stronger infusion.
Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container, discarding the leaves. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Syrup can be made ahead and kept refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Assembly & Serve
Fill two glasses with crushed ice or ice cubes (about 1 cup ice per glass).
Measure 2–3 tablespoons (30–45 ml) of the strained strawberry-sage purée into each glass. For a bolder flavor use 3 tablespoons; for lighter, 2 tablespoons.
Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the chilled sage-infused syrup to each glass. Adjust to taste — add up to 2 tablespoons if you prefer sweeter or more herbal notes.
If making a non-alcoholic spritz: top each glass with 60 ml (about 1/4 cup) sparkling water or prosecco for a lightly alcoholic version. Stir gently once to combine the purée, syrup, and sparkling element.
Garnish each glass with a lemon wheel or wedge on the rim, a single whole sage leaf floated on top, and a light grating of fresh lemon zest (about 1/2 teaspoon per glass).
Serve immediately. If you reserved extra purée, pass it at the table to let guests add more intensity to their drink.