I'm so happy it's summer!! We are just back from a 3-week road trip on the east coast that started in New York City (where we had cocktails on the Hudson and saw the Broadway play Come From Away, so good!) and ended with a family wedding in Maine, where we stayed in a beach house and had sunset dinners on the water.
But in between, we went to the family house in Vermont, which was so relaxing. We BBQed dinner, went swimming in ponds and lakes and went strawberry picking.
After eating as many strawberries as we could, we decided they needed to be a part of daily cocktail hour on the deck. And what's more Vermont than maple syrup?! Combine the two and you have a surprisingly refreshing (and simple!) drink for a warm evening.
STRAWBERRY-MAPLE FIZZ
makes 1 drink, but is easily doubled or tripled, or...
3 whole strawberries, hulled, the riper the better!, plus one extra for garnish
1 shot (about 3 T) Vodka
1 t maple syrup (or more if you like it sweet!)
ice
seltzer
Place the trimmed strawberries in a small bowl with the vodka and syrup. Muddle by mashing it all together with the bottom of a cup. Strain this mixture and pour it into a glass, over ice. Top it off with seltzer, garnish with a fresh strawberry (sliced or not) and enjoy!
(note: this is a great way to use strawberries that are getting overripe, ugly, and extra juicy! Also, I imagine this might be delicious with whiskey or rum. If you try something different, let me know how it turns out!)
Cheers!
