Name: La Casita’s Rosado
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 45 ml dry gin, such as Brookie's Byron Dry Gin; 30 ml woodgrilled lemon juice (see note), plus extra grilled lemon slice, to serve; Soda water, to serve; Hibiscus syrup; ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers (see note); 350 gm caster sugar

La Casita’s Rosado

“This cocktail is named for its pink colour, which comes from the hibiscus syrup we make,” says La Casita bartender Ben Mudge. “It’s garnished with candied flowers and a grilled lemon slice, which gives it a lovely caramelised lemon flavour.”

Serves 1

Start this recipe a day ahead to infuse the syrup.

Ingredients

45 ml dry gin, such as Brookie's Byron Dry Gin

30 ml woodgrilled lemon juice (see note), plus extra grilled lemon slice, to serve

Soda water, to serve

Hibiscus syrup

½ cup dried hibiscus flowers (see note)

350 gm caster sugar

Method

1.For hibiscus syrup, combine flowers, sugar and 350ml water in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves (2 minutes). Refrigerate and leave to infuse (1 day), then strain. Makes about 500ml.

2.ombine gin, lemon juice and 15ml hibiscus syrup in a cocktail shaker filled three-quarters with ice. Shake vigorously, then pour into a glass over ice. Top up with soda water and garnish with a grilled lemon slice and hibiscus flower to serve.

For woodgrilled lemon juice, grill two lemon halves until charred, then juice. Makes about 35ml. Dried hibiscus flowers are available from The Essential Ingredient.
Notes

Profile Ben Mudge

Styling by Lisa Featherby