My fresh blackberries are crying out for a perfect drink. This morning, I pulled a handful of plump, ripe blackberries from the bush beside my fence. This is the first year it has produced in volume and I can’t wait to find the perfect drink featuring its refreshing fruit.
You may remember that last fall I hosted a series of porch parties at which I served pitchers of martinis garnished with tomolives. Using pitchered drinks gave me a flavor profile to complement and made serving guests fast and easy. Now I’m searching for a summer equivalent.
The leading contender so far is a Little Black Cocktail. It contains blackberry purée and will be garnished with fresh picked berries. I’m working on the exact proportions which, fortunately for me, requires some scrumptious trial and error.
A strained purée of blackberries plus sugar and a touch of fresh lemon juice will produce a variety of beautiful flavors and colors to use as a base for my pitcher of cocktails. Once I have the taste of the purée nailed down, I’ll dilute with champagne or prosecco. Trader Joe’s Secco is a budget friendly choice if I decide to host multiple parties.
The beaker-style pitcher I use for martinis will work for Little Black Cocktails as well. It fits in the center of my ice bucket so it can stay both handy and chilled at the same time. I’ll serve in tall thin glasses that showcase the rich color and garnish with whole berries. If you prefer a pink cocktail, strawberries or raspberries are an easy substitution.
Other contenders for ideal summer cocktail include combinations of blackberries and whiskey. Whiskey doesn’t scream summer to me, but add some lemonade and I could lean that way. Same with smashed blackberries, bourbon, mint, lime, simple syrup and club soda. The mint and club soda lighten up the heavy feel of blackberries and bourbon.
But my strongest second choice is a blackberry gin fizz made with Hendrick’s gin. Most recipes call for muddled blackberries in this drink. That’s best done in short, individual glasses. A purée with simple syrup will work better for a pitcher version. Again, I’ll have to play with proportions.
It seems this is coming down to the need for lots of sampling and tweaking to perfect a summer pitcher cocktail filled with fresh blackberries. I hope I’m up to the task!
I can’t wait to get started. Bring on the blackberries!
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