Lemon is our ingredient of the season. You still have time to make some of lemon popsicles for the weekend!
With hot and humid days in the forecast, this Lemon Lemon Gin Fizz is the perfect refreshing drink for your holiday weekend. Trust us!
Why “lemon lemon”? Because the recipe contains lemongrass infused simple syrup in addition to the lemon juice typically found in a gin fizz.
We are so impressed with the size of our lemongrass plants at the beach house this summer. They are much larger and fuller than last year’s. We’re not sure if it’s due to using a different variety, planting them earlier, or the weather? Whatever it is, we’re more than happy to find uses for this bounty, and that’s what led to this drink!
I love lemongrass’ light and refreshing flavor in our lemongrass mint tea and wanted to find a way to add that flavor to a cocktail. Thus the infused simple syrup ~ it gives us the light lemongrass flavor and can be used instead of sugar in the gin fizz.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce lemongrass simple syrup
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- seltzer water
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the lemon grass. Place the sugar, water, and chopped lemon grass in a sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir to make sure all of the sugar dissolves. Reduce the temperature and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain out the lemongrass, and cool completely.
- Place ice cubes in your glass. Add the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Top off with seltzer water. Add a few garnishes if you like. I went fancy with some lemon grass, a few sprigs of rosemary from the garden, and a slice of lemon.
If you make up a batch of the simple syrup, you’ll have plenty for a round of drinks. But if you want to keep it all to yourself (I completely understand), you could use it to sweeten iced teas or in any cocktail that requires a touch of sugar. Lemongrass mint mojito? I may have to test that one.
Since our weekend starts today (the benefits of vacation!), you’ll find me sipping one of these on the screen porch while I plan a lemongrass buffet. Definitely pitchers of tea. Maybe a chicken curry? Any ideas? Send them my way! I’m thinking about taking some back to Colorado in my luggage. Am I crazy?