While cooking, listen to this: Time To Send Someone Away - José González

I would love to write about how gorgeous and lovely spring has been. To detail its serene arrival, its budding leaves and blue skies.

But I can't write about that.

Why?

Oh, because it is LITERALLY A BLIZZARD OUTSIDE.

Spring descended upon New York in style with an actual snowstorm, one day of 60-degree weather, followed by another snowstorm. So calm! So relaxing! I certainly didn't wear my Allbirds and light jacket to Brooklyn one night, only to be awoken by a mini-blizzard. I didn't have to walk three blocks to the train and another two to my office in soaking wet ice shoes, no sir! Wasn't me!

Coming from Michigan one could assume I'm used to batshit crazy weather patterns, but alas, meteorology continues to surprise me. Stay humble, I guess?

Whatever. I'm just going to pour a handle of tequila into this basil lemonade and pretend seasons still exist.

Does the weather have you down, too? Then pretend spring has sprung and make this. It's bright, tart, not-too-sweet and has just enough basil to make you feel all fancy for drinking herbs. If you close your eyes, take a sip and try REALLY hard, you can pretend that it's normal outside! And if you follow in my footsteps and add some tequila, it gets even easier.

And if you're still feeling down, take comfort in the fact that you aren't the woman who blamed an entire religion for her failed relationships. On Passover. Cheers!

Love and meows, Rina

BASIL LEMONADE

Yield: about 6 cups

Inactive Cook Time: 2h 15m | Active Cook Time: 20m

Category: Drinks, Spring, Summer

Source: Epicurious

Special Equipment: fine-mesh sieve/strainer, pitcher

Ingredients

basil lemon syrup:

2 cups fresh basil, packed

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

4-5 strips of lemon zest

lemonade:

1 ½ cups basil lemon syrup, plus more to taste

2 cups cold water

2 cups ice cubes

1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Basil leaves and lemon zest strips, to garnish

Optional (but is it?): tequila

Instructions

Prep: make lemon zest strips before juicing your lemons.

Make the syrup: place all syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure all sugar is dissolved. Once boiling, take off the heat and let stand at room temperature, covered, for 1 hour, then place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour more. Strain through a sieve or strainer into a bowl, pressing down to get as much syrup out. Discard the solids.

Make the lemonade: stir all lemonade ingredients together in a pitcher. Garnish with basil and lemon zest and serve immediately.

To keep: the syrup can be kept covered and chilled for up to 5 days, and the lemonade can be made, without the ice cubes, a few hours in advance.