A salty dog with rosemary syrup
This week’s email is just a quick one - I’m sharing a cocktail today for those readers in the warmer parts of the world. A take on a greyhound cocktail, the salty dog is a simple gin and grapefruit based drink but with a salted rim (hence the name.) I add a dash of homemade rosemary simple syrup too to bring some floral notes. If you want to make it a mocktail, the gin can be swapped for soda water.
Start with the rosemary simple syrup so it has time to steep and cool. Simple syrup is essentially half water and half sugar, so it’s very very sweet. You only need a small bit in each cocktail.
In a saucepan combine 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup water and 4-5 rosemary sprigs and place it over medium heat. Let it come to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Once the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat and let the rosemary steep in the syrup for around 30 minutes. Once cooled, pour it through a fine strainer or cheesecloth into a jar and refrigerate until needed.
Then, time for the cocktail! This makes 1.
1 1/2 oz / 45ml dry gin
2 1/2 oz / 75ml grapefruit juice, fresh squeezed if you can
1 teaspoon / 5ml rosemary simple syrup
Flaky salt for the rim
Ice
Pour a thin layer of salt onto a small plate. Moisten the rim of a glass with a piece of grapefruit or a damp paper towel, then dip the rim in the salt.
Combine the gin, grapefruit juice, and simple syrup with ice in your cocktail shaker. Shake well until it's thoroughly chilled.
Fill your salt-rimmed glass with ice, strain the cocktail into the glass, and garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary.
Enjoy!
