You heard that right. I sat down and shared a cold one with a person who sends chills down my spine, who offends me at every turn, whose laugh turns my blood to adamant.
This was not easy for me. I hate to admit this, but I'm not exactly the forgiving type. I'm just not.
Which is why I didn't forgive her. I merely sat down and had a drink with her. In spirit. Because, as you well know:
This drink recipe came from her magazine. In a pathetic attempt at excusing myself, I will mention that it wasn't her recipe--it was a guest named Donatella's recipe. Which made things a little easier to swallow.
Actually, things were very easy to swallow, because this drink is delicious and absolutely refreshing. Serve it up at the end of a warm, sunny day. Share it with someone you love...or even an enemy. Your ire will be soothed in record time.
Basil-Gin Lemonade
from EveryDay with Rachael Ray magazine
serves 8
1 bunch fresh basil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups gin, such as Bombay Sapphire
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons), plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 cup triple sec
1 orange, sliced thinly crosswise
Ice
Reserve a handful of the basil leaves plus 8 small sprigs to use as garnish. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water, the sugar and the remaining basil to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly. Refrigerate until cold. Strain into a clean container, pressing down on basil to extract any liquids; discard the basil.
In a pitcher, combine the basil syrup, gin, lemon juice and triple sec. Stir in basil leaves and lemon and orange slices. Serve in tall glasses over ice.
PS: I've been asked to extend the South Park Avatar contest another week--apparently, some of you are having issues saving your handiwork and want some more time to prepare your masterpiece! If you want to try your hand, go to South Park Character Generator!! Have fun! Leave the link to your character in the comments section if you want to play!
Oh my God, this drink sounds absolutely delicious! I love gin based drinks and basil lemonade is a delicious mixer... plus it really ISN'T Rachel Ray's recipe. So even better!
ReplyDeleteThat drink is kick ass good, so I know it isn't hers!
ReplyDeleteBTW the boys and I are addicted to that site, we have little south park people all over the house, I must put mine up....
Holy cow--I felt pickled just from reading the ingredients! I'm relieved to see that it serves 8. For a moment there, I flashed on just adding a straw. LOL!
ReplyDeletePlease remind me never to end up on your bad side ; )
ReplyDeleteIt's supposed to be 80 degrees where I am today - that's hot for us. I think this might be just what we'll need.
ReplyDeleteGood heavens this sounds good! I think I need to pick up the ingredients and make one this weekend!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to say that I have the patience to chop up herbs an mix a drink but to be honest, anything more complex than uncorking or uncapping is simply too much for my delicate sensibilities.
ReplyDeleteThis drink looks amazing! We're having company (again!) this weekend--I think this might be a drink I have to try, even if it's after everyone leaves on Sunday. :-)
ReplyDeleteI completely understand the RayRay hate (she's ubiquitous and uses stupid nicknames for food), but compared to my own two FN nemeses Sandra Lee and Guy Fieri, she comes off as positively competent.
As for this recipe--if the Donatella you speak of is in fact Donatella Arpaia, well then consider yourself absolved. She's a well-known restaurateur (she's on Top Chef as a judge all the time) and could be considered an anti-Rachael Ray.
This sounds really refreshing and tempting, even at 9 in the morning...
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is: Yum-O! ;)
ReplyDeleteSo what's Rachel gotta do to be deserving of your forgiveness?!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have fresh basil! Yay!!!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds sooooo good...why am I so opposed to anything that requires more than one ingredient? What is my problem? Can't you just move in with me? Please? I'll lend you my shoes whenever you want...
ReplyDeleteThis does sound really good. The basil in my garden needs to grow faster!!!
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds FABULOUS! That might be our cocktail tongiht:)
ReplyDeleteI enjoy discovering new drinks. This one looks like it rocks. I have it on my list to try. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou so make me wish that we still drank. For real.
ReplyDeleteI love basil and lemonade. My husband loves gin. It's a win-win recipe for us! Thanks for sharing - despite your feelings for the source.
ReplyDeleteI don't care whose drink it is. Sounds amazing to me.
ReplyDeleteOMG - I don't like her either but I do like one of her potato salad recipes. One of my favorites in fact - but please don't tell anyone.
ReplyDeleteI'd like my reputation intact.
The drink does sound great. I just might try it because I can say it came from you.
Drinks make friends out of enemies all the time! Alcohol is so magical that way.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you should give yourself the South Park award. :D
(Mine, btw, disappeared along with some comments. I don't know what happened to that post! And I'm too busy/lazy to go back and remake her. But it was superfun to do and, as you know, I've got the FB version to show for it. So thank you.)
Mmm...I do like gin drinks, I think because they are so refreshing in the summertime! Very interesting with the basil. It's a must try.
ReplyDeleteThat was so nice of you to just "gin and bare it" oops I mean "grin and bear it"
Love myself a basil gimlet, so I know I'll love this. Thanks for an EVOO- and garbage bowl-free delivery.
ReplyDeleteOh you do make me laugh!!
ReplyDelete(Perhaps you should sit down with her in a Viking helmut? Feel free to borrow mine from my South Park style makeover, or zip on over and scoop one up for yourself.)
So I should've had a gimlet with my coffee this morning?
RR is a totally appropriate archenemy. Ugh, that laugh! Those made-up words! Blech! (But since you vetted this recipe, I'll give it a try.)
ReplyDeleteWow, after drinking this I think all your enemies would be you BFF.
ReplyDeleteYou are always so hard on my gal Rachael... ;~) I have my south park guy ready, unfortunately it looks just like me. I will get him linked soon.
ReplyDeleteThe Drink looks great! Definitely will make that soon.
I love your South Park avatar. I nearly ran back out when I went to a new doctor's office last fall -- the waiting room was practically papered in RR.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds way to "delish" to come from her!! HA HA couldn't resist!! YUMMO! :) Ok, I'll stop now. Off to get my EVOO....I'm so mean!!
ReplyDeleteYum! I think you should throw a large cocktail party and invite all of your blog friends to sample! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm just about out of gin. Oh no! I'll have to pick up more and make this one. It's been a long week and this lemonade would really hit the spot!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the facebook Southpark video? I bet you can find it on You Tube. It's a riot!
Gin is my favorite for summer - so fresh. And I so love cocktails with herbs. This looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at gin...
ReplyDeleteAfter six or so of those puppies, I bet maybe, just maybe, you could totally handle her laugh without cringing. Maybe??
ReplyDeleteThat RR is very annoying. Especially when the Food Network is filled with all this incredibly innovative stuff and (ta da!) there she is, doing nothing.
ReplyDeleteHere's how lame I am: when my daughter and her friend have a lemonade stand, the lemonade is from the powder concentrate sold at Costco. People stop by and ask, "Is it fresh-squeezed?" Um, for twenty-five cents? I don't think so, buddy.
Sounds delicious...surely it took the edge off things?! xxx
ReplyDelete