This zingy cocktail makes a great treat to go with lunch or light food pairings. The bright flavours really hit the spot when you fancy a pick-me-up.

The background of the Gin Basil Smash cocktail is relatively modern, it was created in 2008 by Joerg Meyer of Le Lion – bar de Paris. Our recipe replaces the gin with Bax Botanics Verbena and wow does it work!

Are you starting to see any signs of spring yet? We are longing for green shoots here in Yorkshire.

Our minds and bodies seem to be yearning for a bit of brightness so we are trying to keep our vitamin levels up to help ourselves stay strong. Look after yourselves and each other.

With only 25 calories per serving, no hangover and enough vitamins to make you rattle, was there ever a time we needed it more!

Recipe.

60ml Bax Botanics Verbena
8 large basil leaves
20ml lemon juice
10ml sugar syrup (1:1 sugar + water)
Garnish with a sprig of basil

Muddle the basil in the shaker then add the other ingredients. Shake with ice then strain into a tumbler over fresh ice.
Garnish and serve.

There are 2 calories per gram in a homemade sugar syrup (made with equal quantities of sugar and water)

The Bax Botanics contains just half a calorie per 50ml serving which comes from the plant oils contained in the distillates.

The lemon juice varies in calories depending which lemon was tested or which webpage you read, but suffice to say it is low, fresh basil is the same!