Summer Goodness Martini

I had a particularly rough day on Thursday of this week (although on Friday, we received even worse news, but the overall day went more smoothly.)  Anyway, point of the story is that when I ran across this martini recipe on Thursday, I knew I HAD to try it.  I think it's funny that the first place I saw and made note of it was on "Feed Your Kids" since you certainly wouldn't feed this to your kids.  I am a Food & Wine magazine fanatic, but I'm guessing this one was originally published when I was pregnant with our first son, so it "didn't apply".  It applies now, and it is VERY tasty.  I played with the simple syrup ratios, because I don't make simple syrup in one drink quantities....I make it 2 C of sugar and 2 C of water at a time and keep it in a glass bottle in my fridge for coffee and anything else that tickles my fancy. 

Basil-Lime Martini
adapted from Boston restaurant Via Matta’s recipe published in Food & Wine Cocktails 2006 .
This is a great light, refreshing Summer drink.
3 large basil leaves
1 small basil leaf or a very small “cluster” of basil leaves for garnish
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
2 1/2 oz of your favorite vodka
1 oz Simple Syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar)
Simmer sugar and water together in a small saucepan just until sugar disolves. Cool. Tear large basil leaves (reserve the small ones) lightly and add to sugar mixture. Muddle (smash) together until leaves are well bruised. (This is much easier if you have a “real” muddler, but you can also use a wooden spoon or potato masher, etc.) Add lime juice and vodka. Chill (with ice) in a martini shaker and strain into a pre-chilled martini glass. Add small basil leaf garnish.
I like to keep big batches (I think I’ve made a 20-batch before!) of this in the freezer, and pull them out when we have friends over. It lasts a long time in the freezer (remove basil leaves before freezing) and won’t freeze, so it can be poured straight from the freezer (shake first, because the lime juice and syrup will settle to the bottom).