Spring Gin and Tonic
The following recipe and photography was provided by recipe developer and food photographer, Ashley Durand of Plate & Pen.
Spice up a classic cocktail and toast to the spring season!
When I was in my early 20’s, a gin and tonic was my drink of choice. Easy to make at home or order at a bar and equally easy to drink, it’s no wonder this cocktail is such a staple!
I don’t consider myself to be a professional mixologist, but I have gotten quite good at amplifying mixed drinks with seasonal colors and flavors. So, in the spirit of the impending spring season, I blended some of my favorite green produce, including grapes, green apples, cucumber, lime juice and mint leaves into a juice to use as a mixer in a standard gin and tonic. The color and refreshing flavor it lends to this adult beverage is both unique and delicious.
If you’re feeling spicy, rim your cocktail glasses with Tabasco and Tajin for a pop of color and heat that will have your taste buds begging for another sip.
Cheers to spring sipping!
Spring Gin and Tonic
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 20-25 green grapes, plus more for garnish
- 1 skin-on apple, cored, halved and quartered
- 1 large skin-on cucumber
- Juice of 2 limes, plus more for rim
- 7-8 mint leaves
- 2 oz. gin
- 3 oz. tonic water
- Green pepper tabasco, optional for rim
- Tajin seasoning, optional for rim
Instructions
- Blend the grapes, apple, cucumber, lime juice and mint in a blender until smooth.
- Strain the blended mixture through a sifter. Discard the pulp. The juice will yield 4 cocktails, but the recipe above is for one cocktail, so adjust the measurements of gin and tonic as needed.
- If desired, rim a chilled cocktail glass with lime juice and Tabasco, then dip in the Tajin seasoning.
- Add 3 oz. of the juice to the glass.
- Add the gin and tonic and stir until mixed.
- Garnish by spearing a grape with a toothpick and placing it over top of the glass.
