Summertime Gin & Tonic

This is a summertime citrus sensation in a glass to help combat the sultry, steamy, searing days of the season (isn’t alliteration fun??...lol) 

It’s 100 degrees in the shade right now and a refreshing cocktail is perfect after a long day.  It’s rooted in the past just by virtue of being a gin and tonic, and goes really old school when you substitute bitter lemon for the tonic.  But right before you and your date start talking like Thurston Howell III and Lovey, it goes all new with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some basil.  Mmmmm hmmmm, that’s right.  Basil.

If you want to cool down without the alcohol, just leave out the gin. It's still delicious.

Have fun with this:  it’s a classic with a twist.  And really, did you expect anything less?? :) 

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

Gin (I used Tanqueray)

Bitter Lemon (I used Schweppes)

1 lemon

fresh basil leaves

ice cubes

tall glass

Fill glass with ice.  I use the 1:3 ratio--pour gin 1/3 of the way up the glass, add bitter lemon to the top.  Run the lemon wedge around the rim of the glass, squeeze into drink, and place in glass.  Garnish with basil leaf.

fresh basil from my kitchen

Naples Daily News 7/5/16

The fabulous article the Naples Daily News wrote about me in the paper yesterday…and my favorite poem from the 6^th grade.  They go hand in hand, and both appear below for you.

As always:  excited, surprised, and grateful

xoxo, Christine

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http://www.naplesnews.com/lifestyle/neapolitan/swfl-food-blogger-draws-100k-visitors-with-recipes-35dfe1a8-98ed-79df-e053-0100007ffe8d-385573171.html

IT COULDN’T BE DONE

By E.A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

      But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

      Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

      On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

      At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

      Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

      That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

      There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

      The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

      Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

     That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.