Late-Summer Fig Gin and Tonic

I’m miserably jealous of anyone with a fig tree in their yard, because there are so many creative uses for this warm, sweet fruit.  Even without my own personal supply, I definitely won’t be able to resist making more than one drink recipe with figs as a star player this season.

This first cocktail recipe is pretty simple to make, so it’s perfect to throw together on a hot, lazy summer afternoon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin (I used Hana)
• .5 oz homemade fig syrup (see below for instructions)
• Fresh fig
• Rosemary and thyme
• Fever tree tonic water

Instructions:

Pour your gin and syrup into a shaker and shake for 15 seconds with ice. Strain over ice into your glass. Fill to your desired level with tonic water and then garnish with fresh fig and herbs. Enjoy!

Ingredients for fig syrup:

• One cup of sugar
• One cup of water
• A dozen fresh figs, washed and halved

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil and gradually add in sugar until it has dissolved. Next, add the figs. Stir frequently and mash the figs until they become soft. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and allow the mixture to sit for 30-40 minutes. Strain into a clean glass jar, seal, and refrigerate. Syrup should last between one and two weeks.

All photographs should be credited to Cat’s Lens Photography. Drink recipe courtesy of @spiritedLA.