Active Time

　　25 minutes

　　Total Time

　　40 minutes

　　The frappé is a style of drink (and sometimes desert) that has a parallel history in bar and soda fountain culture. Whether you’re talking about an absinthe frappé or a booze-free pineapple frappé, the shared factor is a mountain of fresh fine ice. In the early 20th century, when commercial refrigeration was still newish, this was still very much a novelty, but one that ties the culture back to older mixed drinks like the cobbler and the mint julep. The 1905 soda fountain book The Dispenser’s Formulary defines the frappé as a combination of syrup and fine ice that winds up with the consistency of “moist snow.” It’s a style that lives on in drinks like today’s Frappuccino, perhaps an update to the Formulary’s own Cafe Frappé. 

　　My first version of the Trampoline was a gin-based drink that I had on the menu during my time at Death & Co. in New York about a decade ago—you can find it in their latest cocktail book, Welcome Home. But that drink was really a revamping of an older drink, the Well-Deserved Punch (served in my earliest days at The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. in Philadelphia), which was made with rum and the same fresh strawberry-basil syrup that’s used here. If you have extra syrup on hand after making this frappé, I recommend giving that punch a try: Combine 1 oz. Jamaican overproof rum, 1 oz. Haitian rum, 1 oz. fresh pineapple juice, 1 oz. lime juice, ¾ oz. strawberry-basil syrup, ¼ oz. crème de cacao (such as Tempus Fugit brand), and two dashes Peychaud’s bitters into a shaker. Shake with ice until well chilled, then pour into an ice-filled glass with an ounce of seltzer. 

　　The strawberry-basil syrup remains one of my favorites to have on hand. It’s a crowd-pleaser, relatively stable, and the green hint of basil just sits so wonderfully with the fragrance of strawberries. Turning it into an all-ages frappé was a no-brainer for me, and this is now one of my favorite summer coolers. Note that the bitters do contain some alcohol; feel free to omit if you’d like to keep this completely booze-free.

　　All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

　　

What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Blender

　　$140 At Amazon

　　Fine-Mesh Strainer

　　$12 $11 At Amazon

　　Cocktail Shaker

　　$20 At Amazon

　　Cocktail Strainer

　　$10 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Makes 1

　　

Strawberry-Basil Syrup

2 cups strawberries, leaves removed, halved

　　10 basil leaves

　　1½–2 cups sugar

　　

Trampoline Frappé

3 oz. fresh pineapple juice

　　1 oz. fresh lime juice

　　1¼ oz. Strawberry-Basil syrup

　　2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters (optional)

　　2 oz. chilled seltzer

　　Strawberry half and basil leaf, for serving (optional)

　　

Strawberry-Basil Syrup

Step 1

Blend 2 cups strawberries, leaves removed, halved, and 1 cup water in a blender on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and reducing heat to low if mixture bubbles, about 7 minutes. (Rinse out and reserve blender.)

　　

Step 2

Add 10 basil leaves to saucepan and continue to cook, stirring, about 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Strain strawberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids with a spoon—you should get 1½–2 cups. Return to blender along with an equal measure 1½–2 cups sugar. Blend until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute—mixture should not taste gritty. Transfer to a resealable container and chill until ready to use.

　　Do ahead: Syrup can be made 3 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.

　　

Trampoline Frappé

Step 4

Fill a large frappé or pilsner glass with crushed, cracked, or pebble ice. Combine 3 oz. fresh pineapple juice, 1 oz. fresh lime juice, 1¼  oz. Strawberry-Basil syrup, and 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters (if using) in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake until just mixed, about 5 seconds.

　　

Step 5

Strain into prepared glass and add 2 oz. chilled seltzer. Top off with crushed, cracked, or pebble ice. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with a strawberry half and basil leaf (if using). You can dash bitters on these too!