Non-frozen Strawberry Daiquiri and Strawberry Cosmopolitan 1934

Summer Cocktails with Strawberry Syrup

In the Nordics it’s now strawberry season. In case you don’t know these are, by some considerable margin, the best strawberries in the world. There’s something about the colder climate and less intense sun (but longer days) that makes the berries mature for a longer time. When they’re ripe they’re sweeter and more flavorful than any other strawberries.
Except for eating these fresh in a cake or straight with milk or cream the most classic use is to preserve them by making jam or syrup since the season is short. The syrup is usually used to make a strawberry juice drink similar to lemonade (“jordgubbssaft” in Swedish or “jordbærsaft” in Norwegian). The gap from child drinks to grown up drinks isn’t that great so that led me thinking about how a few classic cocktails would taste with a touch of red summer love.

Strawberry Gin Fizz

Strawberry Gin Fizz.

The Strawberry Gin Fizz becomes a grown up version of the home made softdrinks I used to make as a child by mixing the strawberry syrup with soda water. It’s quite focused and intense from the gin but is lightened up by the bubbles. It’s a little tart as well but comes together nicely and the strawberry undertones compliments the drink well. I can really imagine myself sitting with this one under a tree eating cinnamon buns in the afternoon.

Next drink up is a spin on the Cosmopolitan 1934 using strawberry syrup instead of raspberry syrup. In the end it’s basically a Gin Fizz without the soda and egg white with a little different ratios. This one worked better than I thought, similar in feeling to the Strawberry Gin Fizz but even more focused and, dare I say it, even sophisticated. The strawberries are present but not overwhelming and just brings something a little more interesting than the original. This one is clearly a night time drink.

For something different I modified the Daiquiri to make a non-fronzen strawberry Daiquiri. I figured that rich and sweet Marsala would work great with the strawberries, sort of like how balsamico pairs with strawberries. It also slightly resembles aged rum so my reasoning was that it would work with that as well. The result is a much more laid back cocktail than the other two, totally harmonious and very enjoyable. It’s round with a slight fruity kick that marries very well. On the palate it’s a bit sweeter than the other two and almost too easy to drink, this is the perfect cooler by the pool or the one for after beach parties, except for the fact that you’d be very drunk very quick if given free access to it.

I’m not so sure that any of these will make it into history as great cocktails, but they do work and give something extra, either during summer or as a way to remember the summer during the dark months.

Strawberry Cosmopolitan 1934 and non-frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

Strawberry Cosmopolitan 1934 and non-frozen Strawberry Daiquiri.

Simple Strawberry Syrup

  • 500 g caster sugar
  • 500 g water
  • 200 g strawberries
  1. Rinse and remove the top of the strawberries, cut each into a few slices.
  2. Combine everything in a sauce pan, heat up and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and let cool and infuse (around one hour will do), strain into an airtight bottle or jar. The syrup can be stored almost infinitely.

Strawberry Gin Fizz

  • 2 cl soda
  • 4 cl dry gin (Beefeaters London Dry Gin)
  • 1.5 cl simple strawberry syrup
  • 2 cl lemon juice
  • 1 cl egg white
  1. Pour the soda into a Collins or another slim cylindrical glass.
  2. Add the other ingredients in a shaker and shake it a few times, add the ice and shake until it’s chilled.
  3. Strain into the glass.

Strawberry Cosmopolitan 1934

  • 3 cl dry gin (Beefeaters London Dry Gin)
  • 1 cl Cointreau
  • 1 cl simple strawberry syrup
  • 1.5 cl lemon juice
  • 1 lemon wheel
  • lemon peel
  1. Add the liquids to a shaker and shake until chilled.
  2. Strain the mixed drink into a Martini glass, break or twist some lemon peel to release its oils over the surface of the drink and gently wipe the rim with the peel. Put the lemon wheel on the rim or into the glass.

Non-frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

  • 3 cl light rum (Havana Club 3 years)
  • 1 cl marsala (Pellegrino Marsala Superiore)
  • 1.5 cl simple strawberry syrup
  • 2 cl lime juice
  • 1 lime wheel
  • lime peel
  1. Add the liquids to a shaker with ice, shake until chilled.
  2. Strain into a Martini glass, break or twist some lime peel to release its oil over the surface of the drink and gently wipe the rim with the peel. Put the lime wheel on the rim or into the glass.