Get Yo Drank On

It's hot, I'm tired, and it's only Wednesday! These mid-week blues are only going to intensify once I finally land a full time job (which is still in the works fyi). And though it is not the only way to cure the Wednesday slump, hump day happy hour sure is a quick and easy fix!

But if you're poor and only semi-employed (like myself) have no fear, cocktail recipes are near! Who needs pricey drinks when you can make your own individualized cocktail at home! Though it may not taste as good as those mixology drinks with the rose water and elderberry essence, it'll do the trick.

I recently concocted a lovely summer drink inspired by a recipe Mackenzie found. This lemon basil cocktail was supposed to be made with Bourbon, but as I am not the biggest fan of Bourbon (unless it's muddled in bacon) I made a rum twist on the recipe.

All you need is a basic cocktail shaker (which they sell for literally ten dollars at target), a shot glass, and the right ingredients. I chose to use my handy dandy ghanaian shot pourer (as seen in this photo), but you don't need to have a mangled fork-shot glass-contraption to make a masterpiece, it just makes it more fun!

Now here is all you have to do, are you ready? It's super simple. First start by muddling the basil in the shaker. You can do this easily with the back of a wooden spoon. Add a little simple syrup (which can be made at home with one part boiling water and one part sugar) and continue to pulverize the basil until you can smell a heavy basil aroma. Be sure not to over muddle the basil if you don't want chunks of herb floating in the drink.

Then simply add one or two shots of white rum (or really any type of alcohol you enjoy). Squeeze one half of a medium sized lemon in the shaker and add a handful of ice. Now shake that shaker like a laffy taffy and bada bing bada boom, you have yourself a fantastic summer drink! Simply pour the cocktail into a glass and add more simple syrup or ice if necessary. You can also garnish the drink with a slender lemon rind or a sprig of basil if you're feeling fancy!