Name: Sicilian Sojourn
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves , plus tarragon sprig for garnishing; 1 ounce recipe; 3½ ounces blood orange juice (3 oranges); ¼ ounce lemon juice; 4 ounces seltzer , chilled

Why This Recipe Works

Blood oranges, which are a bit smaller than regular oranges, originated in the southern Mediterranean and feature prominently in southern Italian (specifically Sicilian) and Spanish cuisine. When juiced, these oranges make for a striking dark magenta drink with flavor notes of raspberries and just a touch of grapefruit-style bitterness. For our refreshing and flavorful nonalcoholic cocktail with blood oranges, we turned to fresh tarragon, the anise-licorice notes of the herb forming a classic combination with citrus that is found in many a Mediterranean dish. Muddling a couple tablespoons of the herb in Simple Syrup gave us plenty of tarragon flavor, and adding freshly squeezed blood orange juice and a touch of lemon juice balanced the sweetness and acidity. Poured over ice and topped with chilled seltzer, our beverage was rich in citrus flavor, with a unique herbal back note and a beautiful color to brighten even the darkest winter day.

Before You Begin

You can substitute fresh basil for tarragon, if you like. If you can't find blood oranges, you can substitute navel oranges.

Instructions

Add tarragon leaves and simple syrup to base of cocktail shaker and muddle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add orange juice and lemon juice, then fill shaker with ice. Shake mixture until just combined and chilled, about 5 seconds.

Double-strain cocktail into chilled collins glass half-filled with ice. Add seltzer and, using bar spoon, gently lift juice mixture from bottom of glass to top to combine. Top with additional ice and garnish with tarragon sprig. Serve.