The basil from last week was browning rapidly. I felt bad about throwing it away, and it seemed too far gone for basil tea, so I figured I’d make a simple syrup out of it. I picked out the slimy leaves, but kept most of the wilted ones (and all of the green, of course).
I know the typical ratio for a simple syrup is 1 part sugar to 1 part water, but it somehow seemed like too much sugar when I was adding everything to the pot. Plus, the sugar was a little fancy already—I put the vanilla bean left over from my pickled cherries in it. So, for my basil simple syrup recipe:
- 1 cup packed basil
- 1 cup vanilla sugar
- 2 cups water
I boiled everything for 5-ish minutes, then let it cool to room temperature, which took about an hour. It’s minty and fragrant, with no trace of wilt.
It’ll be a nice addition to sodas and cocktails. Mixed with lemon juice and sparkling water, it’s like a fancy lemonade. Shown above 3 tablespoons of simple syrup, 2 of lemon juice, and about 6 ounces of sparkling water.
Rhubarb Season 