Peach Bourbon Basil Smash

Warning: this recipe requires muddling. Do not attempt to muddle a delicate glass with a metal muddler. It will case the glass to shatter and you will be down a cocktail. Now on to the real fun stuff. Cocktails! Summer is all about fresh flavors, fresh fruit, and fresh herbs. I put all three together and created the most amazingly light bourbon cocktail. That's right. I said light, bourbon cocktail. Usually, bourbon is considered a heavy drink to be had, but it can easily be lifted up. Carbonation from ginger beer definitely helps, as well as perfectly ripe peaches and freshly torn basil right from my own planter. So what are you waiting for? Get to muddling!

Peach Bourbon Basil Smash

Ingredients:

• 1 peach, pitted and chopped
• 5 large basil leaves, torn
• 2 tsp. simple syrup
• 3 oz. bourbon
• crushed ice
• ginger beer

Split the chopped peaches and basil between 2 large glasses.  Muddle well, smashing the peaches and bringing out the aroma from the basil. Add 1 tsp. simple syrup to each glass, then top with the bourbon. Fill the glasses half way with ice and then fill the remainder of the glass with ginger beer. Stir the drinks, using a spoon to bring the mixture from the bottom up to the top. Serve cold.