Emperor’s Garden

By ltrodrigu

On a warm spring night, the Emperor’s Garden, a rhubarb and gin cocktail spiked with Thai basil and seasoned rice vinegar (a condiment used to make sushi rice, flavored with sugar and salt), is a perfect way to celebrate spring and also to use up some of the rhubarb you bought at the green market.

Ingredients

• 1 cup thinly sliced rhubarb
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 Thai basil leaves; more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from cooking.nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make rhubarb simple syrup: Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add rhubarb and sugar, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Reserve a selection of rhubarb slices as cocktail garnishes, then strain syrup and store chilled for up to 7 days.

In a mixing glass, muddle the Thai basil leaves with the seasoned rice wine vinegar. Add gin, 1 ounce rhubarb simple syrup and lemon juice. Fill mixing glass 2/3 full of ice and shake vigorously. Using a fine mesh strainer, pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Thai basil leaf and a slice of reserved rhubarb.