ROSEMARY GIN GIMLET

Well, today is a deadline at work that I have been working towards for several months now. So this past Sunday, I threw myself an early celebration that included this cocktail! I admit I'm not a heavy cocktail drinker (I prefer wine), so I had never had a gimlet before I made this. Gosh I have been MISSING OUT!! I found this recipe via a new favorite blog of mine, Likes of Us. They made the drink look so simple and so refreshing that I had to make it. I was also intrigued by the rosemary. It is one of my favorite herbs that I especially love to use in the fall and winter. This drink turned out to be exactly as it looks. It's refreshing, sweet and tart with a hint of a woodsy flavor from the rosemary. I think it would make it the perfect little holiday cocktail...

Here is what you need and what to do: (makes 1 cocktail)

1 cup boiling water
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
Gin
Fresh lime juice

1/ To make the honey-rosemary simple syrup, add the boiling water, 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 1/2 cup sugar and honey to a medium sized bowl or pot. Let it infuse for at least 6 hours. Yep, 6 hours. I made the drink about an hour after it infused and the taste of the rosemary was basically nonexistent. It was perfect after 6 hours. So be sure to plan ahead if you are making this! Note that you can make this a day ahead. Let the syrup steep for 6 hours, remove the rosemary sprigs and store the syrup in the refrigerator.

2/ To make the cocktail, fill a shaker halfway up with ice. Add 2 oz of honey-simple syrup, 2 oz of gin, and 1.5 oz of fresh lime juice to the shaker and shake it up.

3/ Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to a plate.  Run a slice of lime over the rim of your glass. Dip the rim of glass into the sugar.

4/ Pour the drink into the glass and garnish with the remaining sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!!

Images by me