Best Day in Paradise

All Night Skate | Brooklyn, New York

At Brooklyn bar All Night Skate, the Best Day in Paradise adds complexity to the vodka-soda template. The basil vodka–based drink introduces acidity via three complementary ingredients: bright lime juice, pithy limoncello and a tart-sweet tamarind-lemongrass syrup, which the bar makes by combining tamarind pulp with fresh lemongrass stalks.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 1/2 ounces Square One Organic Basil Vodka
  • 1 1/2 ounces Square One Organic Basil Vodka
  • 3/4 ounce tamarind-lemongrass syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 3/4 ounce tamarind-lemongrass syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/4 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce limoncello
  • 1/4 ounce limoncello
  • seltzer water, to top
  • seltzer water, to top

Garnish: sprig of fresh Thai basil, small slice of Thai chile

Directions
  1. Add all ingredients besides seltzer water to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake aggressively.
  2. Fine-strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.
  3. Top with seltzer water and stir lightly to combine.
  4. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Thai basil and a small slice of Thai chile.
Editor's Note

Tamarind-Lemongrass Syrup
1 pound cane sugar
16 ounces (2 cups) hot water
8 ounces tamarind paste
1 stalk lemongrass, finely diced

Add the cane sugar and hot water to a large container and stir to combine. Once mixed, gently loosen the pressed tamarind pulp into the syrup. Add the lemongrass to the warm mixture. Allow to steep for at least 24 hours, then strain, bottle and cool before using in the cocktail.

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