Jul 26

Jul 26 Peach-Basil Slushie

One of my favorite ways to relax is by heading out to my parents cottage on the water. My husband and I pack up the kids, grab some fishing bait along the way and park it in a deck chair for the next seven hours! Without fail, my mom will have so many yummy snacks and drinks at the ready. This woman has really perfected cocktail hour! She usually serves some new wine from one of the local wineries, but a few weeks ago she surprised me with this refreshing nonalcoholic frozen treat!

this slushie is another great way to use all that basil in your garden!

Peach was a nice surprise from the strawberry and watermelon flavors of summer; basil was perfectly infused without actual leaves disrupting the smooth, icy texture. It was so well-rounded, but I could really envision a nice kick of bourbon or subtle zip of vodka to turn this kiddie cocktail into a grown-up Slurpee!

use frozen peach slices to keep it from being too watery

I've re-created the recipe at home and made two versions, one for the kids to enjoy and one version for the grown-ups. I opted for a Maker's Mark Bourbon, it was a great complement to the fruity & tart flavors. If you don't like dark liquors, vodka would work just as well.

icy but smooth slushies, with or without liquor

There are a few tricks that make this drink work: 1.) Use sliced frozen peaches instead of ice cubes to ensure smooth consistency without getting watery 2.) make a simple syrup instead of adding sugar to keep it from feeling gritty 3.) Infuse the basil flavor by steeping the leaves in the simmering syrup. It was a huge hit and we'll be making it all summer, for sure!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen sliced peaches
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
10 large basil leaves torn in half, plus more for garnish
4 ounces bourbon (or vodka) , optional

Directions:

In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine the water, granulated sugar and basil leaves. Bring to a simmer, stirring until all the sugar granules have disappeared. Cool completely. In a blender, combine the frozen peaches, lemon juice and basil syrup. Blend until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses. If using the liquor, stir in 1 ounce per glass. Serve with a fun straw and garnish with basil leaves. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings