Verbena Spritz Recipes

VERBENA

Steps:

• Add the lemon verbena leaves and ginger syrup into a cocktail shaker and gently muddle the leaves.
• Add the blanco tequila and yuzu-calamansi sour mix into the shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
• Strain into a double rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
• Garnish with a Szechuan button. *Ginger syrup: Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and 1/4 pound ginger (peeled and thinly sliced) in a saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool and strain out the solids. Keep the syrup sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. **Yuzu-calamansi sour mix: Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Combine with 1 cup freshly squeezed yuzu juice and 1 cup freshly squeezed calamansi juice. Store the sour mix in a sealed container in the fridge.

LEMON VERBENA SYRUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the lemon verbena leaves and cover the pan. Steep for 15 minutes.
• Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the leaves, and let cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Cherry Verbena Soda
• For one drink, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the Lemon Verbena Syrup, 2 tablespoons of Sour Cherry Syrup , and a few dashes of acid phosphate or lemon juice or citric acid solution. Top with seltzer and mix gently. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves and maraschino cherries, if desired.