Strawberry Fields Friday

Strawberry cocktails are easy to match with just about any alcohol: tequila, rum, vodka, gin and sparkling wine all pair perfectly.

In South Africa, strawberry picking season is between October and December every year. Stellenbosch is the top destination in the Cape, with many strawberry farms offering strawberry picking until well into December. This sweet little berry is also abundant in supermarkets during this time.

 Wherever you source your strawberries, how lucky are we to have access to crops of this popular all-rounder?

“When using fruit, it’s always best to try and go for the freshest around, and that’s why I love to buy fresh and in season. Frozen will do in a pinch, but nobody wants a shrivelled, sad-looking berry in their glass, right? So, when they’re in season, make the most of it and try as many of these strawberry cocktails as you can handle,” says Jean Harkett, Managing Director of Storybook – Brand Communication Consultancy.

While most people love the classic strawberry cocktails, such as a daiquiri, we prefer a slightly more sophisticated cocktail, served in a delicate glass and pumping with flavour. Enter Strawberry Fields.

In this cocktail, Jean’s combined a double measure of gin with elderflower syrup, Galliano, strawberries and lemon juice. The Galliano is a sweet herbal Italian liqueur made with a blend of herbs, spices and plant extracts. Invented in Tuscany in 1896, and its inventor, Arturo Vaccari, named it after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian officer of the Royal Italian Army.

Galliano became the highest-selling liquor in America in the 1970s due to the popularity of the Harvey Wallbanger. Galliano liqueur is sweet, with a very complex flavour profile due to all the botanicals. The strong notes of vanilla and anise can be pretty overwhelming to some but served chilled in a small glass, it can be the perfect little sipper before dinner.

“I’ve added just a tiny taste to elevate this cocktail,” adds Jean. “My gin of choice is The Botanist Gin, one of my favourite non-local gins. Produced in the Islay region of Scotland, this gin is smooth, balanced and complex. In short, perfect for this serve.”

See Jean’s Strawberry Fields recipe below:

Ingredients

• 2 strawberries (And additional to garnish)
• 50ml Gin
• 20ml Elderflower Syrup
• 10ml Official Galliano
• 25ml Lemon Juice

Method

1. Add the strawberries to a shaker and gently muddle them to release their juices.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice.
3. Double strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.
4. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.