Salty Basil Dog
The Greyhound has always been my go-to drink order when I find myself at an establishment that has the most basic kind of bar setup. Its two simple ingredients (vodka and grapefruit) go together in a way that's not too sweet or fruity tasting and about as complex as you can get in certain circumstances. Sometimes I'll even do a vodka soda with a splash of grapefruit for just a tiny bit of flavor and the pretty light pink color (duh). But making this drink at my own bar allows me to be a bit more creative. I like to add a few extra steps and ingredients that really bring this cocktail to another level, turning it into something I like to call the Salty Basil Dog.
Ingredients:
4 oz grapefruit juice (fresh squeezed if you can but a good pre-bottled one like Simply Grapefruit is a close second)1 oz vodka1 teaspoon simple syrupFresh basilSea saltSugar
On a small plate, mix some sugar with a pinch of salt. The proportions are purely personal preference. I like just a bit of salt but mostly sugar. Moisten the rim of a lowball glass with grapefruit and dip the rim in the sugar/salt mixture. In a shaker, put about four ice cubes, the grapefruit juice, vodka, simple syrup, a few basil leaves, and a pinch of salt. Shake, pour, and garnish with one more basil leaf.
Done and done. This is close to beating the Moscow Mule as my favorite drink to make at home.