By: Coop Daley By: Coop Daley | June 23, 2021 | Food & Drink, Feature,
Summer time is here, and with warmer weather comes pool parties, park picnics, backyard barbecues and all manner of outdoor get togethers. That also means there will be a need to entertain and provide refreshments—like delicious homemade cocktails!
Cocktails are certainly nothing new, but there are plenty of new recipes popping up every day, especially for those made with homegrown ingredients.
With the help of Greendigs, a new online indoor plant retailer dedicated to making your personal space a little greener, we put together a list of cocktails that can be made using your own backyard, featuring plenty of mint and basil, all of which can be made with non-alcoholic substitutes. Get ready to impress your friends as you re-emerge and enjoy a summer breeze together!
See also: Chandon Debuts Garden Spritz Ready-to-Drink Cocktails for Summer
This recipe features oleo saccharum, a basil-based simple syrup that you can make at home and add to all manner of delicious drinks. Gin in the Garden is a cool, pitcher-filling surprise sure to be enjoyed in outdoor settings. It requires an overnight process, but is highly worth the effort. We’ll start with the oleo saccharum recipe and take it from there.
Made using everyday garden basil, this recipe will require a wait overnight for full separation, but will serve the drink well when served.
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Once the oleo is ready, you can begin making the rest of the drink!
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This recipe features a “bright alternative” to the traditional mint simple syrup: honey mint syrup! As the name suggests, it’s a delicious combination of honey and mint, offering a sweet base for any summer drink. We’ll make the honey mint syrup first.
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Now we can make our true cocktail: the South Facing Light, a tequila-lime mix that’ll brighten anyone’s day with its sweet flavor.
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For those looking for a non-alcoholic substitute to enjoy during a summer day, the bumble tea offers all of the natural flavor of the previous drinks, while adding a delicious kick of ginger and tea to make it unique.
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While searching for more recipes to include the delicious honey mint syrup in, we found an old classic that we believe works perfectly with the concoction: the Drunken Sailor.
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Ready to grow your own mint and basil, or just looking to spruce up your home or office? Check Greendigs' beautiful and chic indoor plants, succulents, herbs and home decor. They even have tips to keep your plants thriving, so you don't need to have a green thumb.
Photography by: Courtesy Greendigs