L'Italo-Americano

Basil-infused Cocktails to Kick Off Summer THURSDAY, JUNE 23 ,2016 www.italoamericano.org 17 L'Italo-Americano S ummer, sweet summer is finally upon us. My gar- den has begun to take its shape as the temperatures soar and nature begins to work her magic. My basil plants have exploded seemingly overnight. If I sit quietly and watch, I can almost see them growing. Basil i s o n e o f s u m m e r ' s g r e a t e s t pleasures – the wonderful sim- plicity of its peppery, oddly sweet scent - it's intoxicating aroma announcing that summer has arrived. I wait impatiently MICHELE BECCI until those first tomatoes of the summer are ready to make a caprese salad – the first of the season; that moment when you bite into the sweet juiciness of t h e t o m a t o f r o m t h e g a r d e n alongside the creaminess of the m o z z a r e l l a a n d t h e s w e e t , savory taste of the basil. I won- der if nature truly understands t h e b e a u t y s h e h a s c r e a t e d . Such treasures from such hum- ble beginnings! But for now, I must be con- tent with finding other uses for my fantastically large crop of basil. I will have to occupy my days creating basil-infused olive oils and basil-flecked ice cubes; basil-infused pastas and pesto sauces bright with the taste of this amazing herb. But I am up for the task at hand. And to help me in my work, I can think of no better way to end the day than a basil-infused cocktail. Whether muddled or minced, fresh basil can totally upgrade your cocktail for the summer. Sure, mint is a thing when it comes to cocktails but why not add the element of surprise with b a s i l ? I h a v e i n c l u d e d t w o recipes that are my 'Summer of 2016' go to cocktails. Now, these aren't actually recipes – they are so simple that I hesitate to call them recipes. Please, please, please improvise. Use what floats your summer boat and put your signature on them. Just don't forget to add that basil to really impress your family and friends! My standard white sangria goes from super to sublime with the unexpected addition of basil. My sangria concoctions tend to be lig ht on the s ugar – s o if you'd like a sweeter version, simply double the simple syrup added. You could also toss in s o m e s w e e t g r e e n m e l o n a s another addition. A r i f f o n m y f a v o r i t e Campari spritz cocktail sings summer – fresh strawberry puree mingles in your glass with a bit of chopped basil. And they are so easy to make that I hesitate even calling this a recipe! (By the way, as soon as watermelons are in season, I plan on trying this one with fresh watermelon juice instead of the strawberry puree.) So give your mint a break and up your game his summer with a sprig of fresh basil added to your next cocktail. Happy Summer! Enjoy! Michele Basil Strawberry Spritz Ingredients: •1 pint fresh strawberries, divided •1 bottle dry white wine •Club soda • A f e w l e a v e s f r e s h b a s i l , chopped Directions: 1. Save a few strawberries from the pint for garnish for the glasses. 2. Clean the remaining straw- berries and toss in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the strawberry puree into a jar/s. You will have some remaining and will want to save for other u s e s ( o r f o r m o r e c o c k t a i l s tomorrow!). 3. Place a few tablespoons of the puree into each glass. Pour in about 1 cup of white wine and a few ice cubes. Stir to incorpo- rate. 4. Top with a good splash of club soda, a healthy sprinkle of chopped basil. 5. Slice the reserved straw- b e r r i e s a n d t o p e a c h g l a s s . Serve! Salute! Basil-infused White Sangria Ingredients: For the simple syrup: •1/4 cup water •1/4 cup sugar For the cocktails: •About 1 cup white grapes, cut in half •1 peach, sliced •1 lime, sliced thinly •A few sprigs fresh basil •A few sprigs fresh mint •1 bottle dry white wine •1 lime for juicing •Sparkling water or club soda •Additional sprigs basil, mint for garnish Directions: M a k e t h e s i m p l e s y r u p : Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and place i n a s m a l l c o n t a i n e r o r j a r . Refrigerate until cold. Make the cocktail: In a large carafe or pitcher, combine the sugar water, grapes, peaches, sliced lime and sprigs of mint and basil. Pour in the bottle of white wine. Add in the lime juice. Allow the sangria to chill for a few hours. To serve: To serve, spoon some of the fruit in a glass. Pour the wine o v e r t o p . T o p w i t h s o m e sparkling water or club soda. Garnish with a sprig or two of fresh basil or mint. Serve! Joe and Michele Becci are a brother and sister team who love all things Italian. Together, from opposite coasts, they co-author the blog OurItalianTable.com. LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES Basil-infused White Sangria Basil Strawberry Spritz

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