Basil and mint are usually my go-to cocktail herbs. Occasionally, I’ll get a little creative with the rosemary. But tarragon is an herb I hadn’t mixed with until recently. And the results were fantastic!

I was at a dinner party hosted by Savvy Housekeeping, and it was cocktail time. Someone suggested mixing tarragon with the garden-fresh strawberries we had available, and a new, delicious cocktail was born. Savvy Housekeeping describes it well:

The tarragon–which most grocery stores carry in the produce section–gives it a hint of spiciness and adds depth to the sweetness of the strawberries. Plus it works great with the botanical nature of the gin.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz gin, preferably Hendricks*
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup**
3 strawberries**

Directions:
Muddle the berries, tarragon, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and lemon juice. Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a strawberry, if desired.

*You can use any gin you like, but I personally think that in this case the botanical profile of Hendrick’s played a big part in the balance of the drink.
** The amount of simple syrup in this recipe is based on the fresh-from-the-garden berries I had available to me. Store berries are often less sweet, so you may have to add another berry or another splash of syrup to taste.