Summer is one of the best seasons for fresh ingredients. However, once the Winter chill is upon us it’s easy to start missing those aromatics. One of my favorite ways to battle these blues is to make simple syrup from herbs in the Summer and freeze it for cooking and cocktails during the Winter.

I always have leftover basil and lemon-thyme from perusing farmers’ markets in my flip flops as they’re my favorite Summer scents. It’s great chopped and frozen into ice cubes or to make the below simple syrup. Once it’s prepared and sealed you can forget about it in the back of your freezer until the snow falls. Add a few drops to Prosecco for a refreshing Aperitif or even pour it over a snow ball for an icy treat to bring back memories of lush gardens in July.

What are your favorite Summer herbs? Tell us in the comments below!

Basil/Lemon-Thyme Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Cups Demerara Sugar (Sugar Cane Extract) or Brown Sugar
• 3 Fresh Lemon-Thyme Sprigs
• 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1 Lemon Peel
• Plastic Tupperware

Directions:

1. Bruise herbs with the back of a wooden spoon to release oil.
2. Bring all ingredients less the sugar to a boil in a small pot.
3. Once bubbling stir in sugar until it is completely dissolved.
4. Take off the heat and let cool.
5. Pour contents through a sieve and into tupperware. Wipe rim to avoid stickiness from the syrup and store in freezer.
6. Forget about it.

For more information on farmer’s market cocktails check out our Farm-to-Table Cocktails piece from the August issue of the magazine.

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