Every year one of the things I look forward to the most is spending time in the garden. Depending on where I have lived it’s been anything from an entire yard to a couple of pots on a fire escape. But I just love to watch things grow, I barely care what it is. I like growing tomatoes and peppers because they can be prolific, but one of the most rewarding things in a garden is always herbs. And many rewarding I mean their abundance. I had so much basil this year I started freezing it for later! And of course, finding other delicious purposes for it, like this stunning cocktail! I used my extra special curly purple basil. When made into a syrup, citric acid turns it an amazing vibrant pink color! So fun. Purple Basil Lemonade 2 oz Highclere Castle Gin (@highclerecastlegin) .75 oz Purple Basil Syrup 3 oz Lemonade (@nataliesoj) 3 oz Soda Water Fresh Lemon Combine gin, syrup and lemonade in a shaker with ice. Shake briefly to chill and mix in the syrup, then strain into a tall glass full of ice. Top with cold soda water and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of basil. Purple Basil Syrup 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1 packed cup fresh purple basil (Regular basil works too, it just won’t turn pink!) Rinse basil well and remove leaves from thicker parts of the stem. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Syrup should start to reduce and turn a deep purple color. Remove from heat and allow to rest until entirely cool. Strain out leaves, bottle, and refrigerate. Should keep for about 2 weeks.