Why It Works
- Herbal gin brings out the fresh notes in this minty cocktail. Use a clean London Dry like Bombay Dry or Beefeater.
- Arugula highlights the peppery side of the drink and keeps things from getting too sweet.
This cocktail tastes just like spring: bright, herbal, cooling, and peppery.
Recipe Details
I Dream of Greenie Recipe
Ingredients
- For the Minty Pea Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 2 mint tea bags (see note)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups chopped sugar snap peas (in pod), chopped
- 1/2 cup packed fresh arugula
- For Each Cocktail:
- 1 1/2 ounces London Dry Gin
- 1 ounce Minty Pea Syrup
- 3/4 ounce fresh juice from 1 lemon
- Pinch kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for garnish
Directions
For the Minty Pea Syrup: Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan and add mint tea bags (see note if you'd prefer to use fresh mint). Remove from heat, steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags and add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Let cool.
Add 1 1/2 cups cooled mint syrup, sugar snap peas, and arugula to a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, seal, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days. You should have enough syrup for 12 drinks.
For Each Cocktail: Add gin, Minty Pea Syrup, lemon juice, and salt to a cocktail shaker. Fill 2/3 full with ice and shake until well chilled, about 10 seconds. Double-strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with black pepper and serve.
Special equipment
Blender, fine-mesh strainer
Notes
If you'd prefer to use fresh mint in the minty pea syrup, substitute 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves for the mint tea and let steep 2 minutes. Strain and proceed, adding sugar as in Step 1.