Take the most classic Southern beverage, add in sweet strawberries and Kentucky’s favorite spirit bourbon. Bring this all together and you have a perfect cocktail to enjoy with friends. Serve in an ice filled glass, garnished with mint. Don’t have mint growing in your garden? Mint plants are easy to grow in a pots even on your front porch. Just make sure it gets lots of sunshine and water. I grow the Kentucky Colonel variety, it’s the official mint of the Kentucky Derby. Fun fact. Serve along with my Summer Squash Pizza, a perfect pairing.

INGREDIENTS

2 large fresh strawberries, sliced in half.

Juice of half a lemon

2 ounce Kentucky bourbon

1 ounce simple syrup

Unsweetened tea to top

Tonic or club soda to top

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill cocktail shaker with strawberries and lemon juice, muddle to combine. Add in bourbon, simple syrup, add in ice, and shake until chilled.

2. Strain into tall, ice filled glass, top with unsweetened tea and top with tonic or club soda.

3. Garnish with strawberry and mint.

   Yield: 1 cocktail