The Rosemarie is a favorite drink on the menu of a newly established distillery and tasting room in Bellfonte, Pennsylvania called Big Spring Spirits. It’s a frequent destination for my husband and I when we are vacationing at our cabin in central Pennsylvania. Although I don’t have the exact recipe from the distillery, my husband and I agree, this recipe is pretty close.This light and refreshing cocktail is perfect for a summer party or just a quiet night on your patio or at your cabin (which is where we enjoy it).

Rosemary Syrup: 1/4 cup minced rosemary, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar.  Bring water to a boil, add the sugar and rosemary and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat to cool for about 45 minutes.  Strain out the rosemary through a mesh strainer.  Syrup should be a light golden color.

Mixing the Drink (syrup recipe is enough for about 4 cocktails): Fill glass with ice. Add 1-1/2 ounces gin, 1 ounce rosemary syrup, and 1 ounce fresh lemon juice. Fill the glass with club soda and lightly stir.  Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Nutrition Note: Let’s face it, we’re not drinking cocktails for their nutritional value but they can be a calorie bomb. In this recipe, a small amount of herb infused simple syrup is lightened with club soda. Tonic water is high in sugar so choosing seltzer or club soda are sugar-free and calorie-free options. The dietary guidelines state that if you consume alcohol, it should be in moderation, which is up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

For more information on growing herbs and tips on 5 herbs everyone should grow, checkout a recent post on Main Line Haven- All Things Home.