If you follow Amazingy on Instagram and keep up with our stories/lives, you probably know we enjoy having drinks on a pretty regular basis (though always in moderation!). Whether we’re celebrating the weekend, a birthday, or the launch of our Amazingy Charity Box, chances are you’ll likely see us popping a bottle almost every week. Our fridge is always stocked – so we always have a couple of bottles of Sekt on hand. And with summer in full swing, there’s nothing more refreshing than sipping on a nice cocktail – at a bar terrace, in your kitchen while cooking, on your balcony, or in your garden (if you’re lucky enough to have one)! And the best summer cocktail is something with a summery taste that fits the season: strawberry & basil!

Strawberries are one of my favourite fruits. As I was saying while making this cocktail, I would happily travel around the globe to make sure strawberries are always in season wherever I am. When I moved to Germany, I discovered those little pop-up stands that appear in spring/summer – in the streets and subway stations all over Berlin – called ‘Karls Erdbeer-Hof’. I was in heaven… their strawberries are always plump, super tasty, sweet & juicy. To paraphrase Tina Turner, they’re “simply the best” – and they go great in both cocktails and salads. I love pairing them with basil & lime – you can never go wrong with this combo. Here together with rum & Cointreau, they give a deliciously fresh flavour – not too strong, and the Cointreau adds a sweet orange-y taste. But it’s easier to taste than to tell! So here’s the recipe for this Strawberry & Basil Cocktail – or ‘The Amazingy Karls’ as I’d like to officially call it:

(And I feel like I should mention that this article is not at all sponsored – but I just genuinely think that Karls’ strawberries are the best!)

Strawberry & Basil Cocktail
(The Amazingy Karls)

~ makes 4 cocktails ~

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Cointreau*
• ½ cup white rum*
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved**
• a bunch of basil, about 10 leaves (plus more for garnish) 
• 1 lime (juiced)
• 1 L fizzy lemonade
• ice cubes

Optional: sugar for the rim

Directions:

1. Add rum, Cointreau, strawberries and lime juice to a blender.
2. Muddle the basil leaves in a mortar & pestle to release the flavors, then add them to the blender. Mix all together until smooth.
3. Add some sugar to a small plate. Moisten the rim of your glasses. (I like to use the leftover lime halves for that.) Then dip the glasses upside down into the sugar plate.
4. Add some ice cubes to your glasses. Pour the cocktail mixture, dividing it evenly between the glasses. And top it off with as much lemonade as you prefer. 
5. Add a leaf of basil as decoration – and enjoy!
   
   

Notes:

*You could definitely make this drink alcohol-free if needed – just add the lemonade directly to your blender instead of the alcohol.
**If you’re really craving this drink but alas, strawberry season is over, this cocktail also works well with frozen strawberries 😉

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