Ingredients:

  • 120ml premium vodka
  • 6 large ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 30ml elderflower liqueur
  • 10g fine granulated sugar
  • 90ml chilled brut champagne
  • 2 fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

  1. Place the 6 quartered strawberries into the bottom of your shaker. Direct contact with sugar allows for faster juice extraction during the muddle.
  2. Add the 10g of sugar over the fruit. Let it sit for 60 seconds until the berries look glossy and wet.
  3. Use your muddler to crush the fruit thoroughly. You want a pulpy consistency to maximize flavor release.
  4. Clap the 2 basil leaves between your hands once to release the oils, then drop them in. Smell the sudden herbal aroma.
  5. Pour in 120ml premium vodka, 15ml lemon juice, and 30ml elderflower liqueur.
  6. Fill the shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds until the shaker feels painfully cold.
  7. Use the shaker lid to strain the mixture into a secondary vessel or directly through the mesh.
  8. Pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into two chilled glasses. Watch for a clear, pink glow.
  9. Top each glass with 45ml of chilled brut champagne. Pour slowly to keep the carbonation from foaming over.
  10. Add a fresh strawberry slice or a tiny basil leaf to the rim for a professional touch.