Simple, fuzzy, and refreshing

We were inspired by our bushy rosemary plant growing so well on our patio.  We combined several of our favorite ingredients to make a colorful Blood Orange and Rosemary Fizz.  It made for an easy recipe with big return and a very refreshing sipper. Perfect for these dog days of summer. This is what we'll be drinking this weekend!

BLOOD ORANGE and ROSEMARY FIZZ

2 parts gin (we used Barr Hill gin from VT)
3 parts blood orange soda (all hail Blood Orange Aranciata; Trader Joe's makes a good one, too)
2 parts rosemary syrup (recipe below)
1 part lemon juice
Rosemary sprig to garnish

Combine gin, rosemary syrup, and lemon juice.  Stir for at least 30 revolutions. Add blood orange soda and stir briefly.  Pour into a glass full of ice. Slap rosemary sprigs between your palms to release the herb's natural oils. Slip it into the glass and enjoy.

We have made this recipe in a pitcher and individual glasses.  Both were delicious and worked easily. Keep in mind the amount of syrup you'll need, and measure accordingly.

HOMEMADE ROSEMARY SYRUP

We like to pass along ideas to amp up your cocktail game.  One of the easiest ways to do this is by mastering the very simple and seemingly endless options of making flavored simple syrup. For this drink we brewed up a syrup using a few sprigs of rosemary.  It gives any sipper a whole new spectrum of flavor. 

1 part White granulated sugar
1 part Water
5-6 Sprigs of rosemary

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. At the point of boil add the rosemary and swirl it around. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. When it is cool, remove the rosemary and store the syrup in a closed container.  We've kept ours for up to two weeks. 

Don't lose the rosemary you remove from the syrup.  You just made candied rosemary, or something close to it! We've added this savory confection to drinks and even chopped it up as a sweet garnish to grilled dishes- including grilled peaches and burrata. Its also delicious on a grilled pork chop.