Recipe courtesy of Mar Del Cabo, Los Cabos, Mexico
Makes 1 cocktail
1-1⁄2 oz. tequila or mezcal
1 oz. green chartreuse
1⁄2 oz. lime juice
1 oz. orange juice
8 basil leaves
1⁄2 oz. basil syrup (recipe below)
Poppy seeds
Put the basil leaves, lime juice, and basil syrup in a shaker, and macerate it slightly to extract the essence of the leaves. Add the tequila or mezcal, orange juice, and green chartreuse
in the shaker with a little ice.
Cover the shaker and shake the mixture very well for 30 seconds. Frost a glass with poppy seeds. Pour the cocktail through a strainer into the glass and add a little bit more ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon or dehydrated orange.
The Basil Syrup:
1 c. water
1 c. basil leaves
1 c. sugar
Combine ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep for 30 minutes. Drain syrup through a mesh strainer into a sterilized glass jar; discard basil leaves. Let cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.