Name: Verbena spritz
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 35g fresh lemon verbena leaves (or 10g dried if you can’t get fresh ones); 250g caster sugar; ice; 25ml fino sherry (we used Tio Pepe); 1-2 dash lemon bitters; prosecco to mix; strip of rolled lemon zest skewered with a cocktail stick and a sprig of mint

For the lemon verbena cordial

35g fresh lemon verbena
leaves (or 10g dried if you can’t get fresh ones)
250g caster sugar

For the cocktail

ice
25ml fino sherry
(we used Tio Pepe)
1-2 dash lemon bitters
prosecco
to mix

For the garnish

strip of rolled lemon zest
skewered with a cocktail stick and a sprig of mint

Method

step 1
Start by making the lemon verbena cordial. Pour 350ml water into a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Add the lemon verbena and let steep for a few moments until the leaves have wilted a little, then add the caster sugar. Mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat off and allow to cool. Once cool, transfer to a sealable container and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12hrs – or overnight. Then simply strain off and discard the leaves and bottle the cordial in a steralised bottle – it will keep for a week in the fridge.
step 2
To make the cocktail fill a wine glass two-thirds full with ice. Pour in the sherry, 25ml of the lemon verbena cordial and bitters and a splash of prosecco.
step 3
Stir to mix, adding a few more ice cubes and another dash of the prosecco. Finally, top with the remaining prosecco and give it a last mix before garnishing with a strip of lemon zest on a cocktail stick and a sprig of fresh mint.