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As of this weekend, it’s unofficially summer. And I am officially pumped.
I often make fun of the fact that a lot of New Yorkers tend to jump the gun on seasonal changes, but if I’m being honest…I’m one of them.
Tuesday after Labor Day? It’s fall. So what if it’s still 90 degrees, I shall happily suffocate myself in a turtleneck and boots and start stockpiling pumpkin spice. November 1? Winter is coming. CRANK THE CHRISTMAS MARIAH. It’s above 45 degrees in February? Happy Spring, everyone!!!
And now? We’ve made it to Memorial Day weekend. I don’t care if there’s another month of technical spring, it’s summer, dammit. We must take our clothes off, grill everything, and drink the appropriate seasonal cocktails.
In celebration of the long weekend, naked season, and life in general, I made us a cocktail. As you can see, it’s a very fetching shade of pink and is garnished with thyme, which makes it look all kinds of fancy. It is boozy, yes, but also easy drinking, and therefore it performs equally well as a brunch drink, poolside refreshment, or pre-dinner aperitif.
So, without further ado, please allow me to introduce the Strawberry Thyme Cooler.
As per usual, the recipe below makes one cocktail. I do this because I think it’s easier to scale up than down, and there are so many occasions when one requires a single drink (i.e. bathtime, Tuesdays, etc.). If you do feel like going the batch cocktail route, you can muddle a the strawberries, thyme and lemon juice in either a cocktail shaker or a pitcher, strain them (use a colander if you go the pitcher route), then stir in the vodka and St. Germain up to a day in advance. When ready to serve, give the mix a stir, and pour it into individual glasses with ice before adding the club soda. Boom. Party time.
It’s not quite strawberry season yet (although I did find some good looking ones this week at the market), so if you don’t see any sexy strawberries or simply don’t like them, feel free to sub other fruits here. Any type of berry would be delightful, as would stone fruit (peaches, cherries, plums, etc.).
This cooler is plenty sweet to me, but I am not a super sweet drink person. If you are (no judgment), you may want to add a touch of honey or agave to your muddled strawberry mix. You do you.
CHEERS to you and yours on this fabulous holiday weekend. If you happen to need some extra seasonal cocktail inspo, I’ve got lots of ideas for you here.
xox,
Weird Blog Lady
Strawberry Thyme Cooler
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup hulled and diced strawberries
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce St. Germain
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2-3 ounces club soda, depending on personal taste
For garnish:
- Sliced strawberries
- Thyme sprig
Instructions
- Muddle the strawberries, thyme sprig, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add the St. Germain, vodka, and some ice, and shake vigorously to combine.
- Strain the cocktail into a glass with ice and top with club soda.
- Garnish with sliced strawberries and a sprig of thyme. Bottoms up!
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The strawberries are already coming on in Santa Maria. Now if the weather would just cooperate … Anyway, this looks great and I can’t wait to make it.