Bay Leaf

Herb sugars are a relatively simple way to add complex fresh flavours to your home cocktails, just by bashing up your favourite herb with some sugar in a pestle and mortar. The Bay Leaf uses fresh bay leaves, readily available at most supermarkets now, and if you happen to have your own bay tree, even better! The resulting cocktail has a very delicate herbal flavour, a spicy cross between eucalyptus, citrus and lavender, and looks fantastic.

YOU WILL NEED

(enough for Merv too)

• 4 shots Vodka
• 2 shots freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 egg white
• 6 bay leaves
• 4 heaped teaspoons caster sugar

AND TO MAKE

Reserve two bay leaves for garnish, then add the remaining bay leaves and the sugar to your pestle and mortar. Grind the bay into the sugar until no leaf pieces are visible, and the sugar has turned a vibrant light green. At this point you may be left with the central spine of the bay leaves, fish these out and discard.

Add the bay sugar and the remaining ingredients to your cocktail shaker and dry shake to emusify the egg white. Add ice and shake again until foamy.

TO SERVE

Pour into two coupe glasses and garnish each with a bay leaf.

This cocktail has a lovely herbal flavour, it's one you'll keep going back to for another sip to taste it again! My glass is empty, how did that happen?

Love Myrtle xxx