Tristan Stephenson’s Fruit Cup
For the Fruit Cup Syrup
300g/1.5 cups caster sugar
200g/7 oz. thinly sliced strawberries
150g/5 oz. sliced cucumber, skin off
30g/1 oz. grapefruit peel
several sprigs dried lavender flower
300ml/10 fl. oz. water
Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries, grapefruit, mint and lavender and place in refrigerator overnight. Add water then pour everything into a resealable plastic bag. Heat a pan of water, place bag in pan and use a temperature probe to hold it at a steady 55C (130F). After 4 hours remove the bag from the pan and strain the contents through a fine mesh sieve.
For The Fruit Cup
200ml/7 fl. oz. Fruit Cup Syrup
400ml/14 fl. oz. Gordon’s or and juniper-forward gin
400ml/14 fl. oz. Gancia Rosso Vermouth
Lemonade or ginger ale
Sliced strawberries, oranges, lavender sprigs and bay leaves to garnish
Once the fruit cup syrup has cooled, mix it with the gin and vermouth. Your fruit cup will keep busy when stored in the fridge and should remain in good shape for up to 6 months.
To construct the drink, mix one part fruit cup with two parts lemonade or ginger ale (or both) over plenty of ice. Garnish as if your life depends on it.
This recipe was taken from Tristan Stephenson’s The Curious Bartender’s Gin Palace
