Being a born and raised Los Angeleno, I was never a big fan of Spring. I mean, sure the weather was warmer once the later part of March hit, but the winter's were so mild anyway (I'm talking low 60s during the day) the temperature change wasn't all that significant. When I left LA and enrolled in college in Massachusetts, I finally understood the hype. Now, I'm one of those weirdos who walks around checking bare tree branches for signs of flowering buds and the ground for daffodil heads.

While the temperature change is definitely a perk of this time of year, my favorite thing by far is all the new fruit and veggies that are in season. Now, when I go to my local farmer's market, I see stalls full of freshly picked asparagus, broccoli, peas, apples and strawberries! I'm buying strawberries by the basketful at this point since Nola is so into them.

With the extra pieces of fruit she leaves uneaten on her tray, I make cocktails. This strawberry basil sipper is a take on the classic Basil Gin Smash. Except in this recipe you'll add in some floraly elderflower liqueur and macerated strawberries. I prefer my cocktail shaken and then strained over a big block of ice, but it's great up or with crushed ice. It's your world girl.