Strawberry Balsamic Smash

Some time ago Adam and Josh came over and we watched Elvira and had these drinks. They were a little weird, but it was a fun experiment. Elvira, of course, was fabulous.

Strawberry Balsamic Smash from Serious Eats:

Serves 1

For the strawberry syrup-

2 c. strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/3 c. sugar

3” piece of lemon peel

For the cocktail:

4 strawberries, hulled

1 round slice of lemon, cut in half

1 oz. strawberry syrup

½ oz. balsamic vinegar

2 oz. bourbon

Garnish: additional strawberry

To make the syrup, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon rind in a saucepan. Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Once the sugar has dissolved and the strawberries have released their liquid, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring gently, until the berries are tender, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the strawberries to a pint jar. Continue simmering the syrup until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 2 minutes. Discard lemon peel and pour syrup over berries. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

To make the cocktail: muddle 4 strawberries and the lemon in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, then add the strawberry syrup, balsamic and bourbon.

Shake vigorously. Using both the cocktail strainer and a fine mesh strainer, strain the cocktail into a glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

The strawberry syrup was the winner here. I’ll definitely do that again.