There is a frost in the air
A need for cozy
A desire for something warm and silky
And yet, refreshing to sip.
Here we are, I have just the drink for you!
Winter Cocktail with Blueberry, Ginger and Gin!
Berries are a Summer fruit and they evoke such powerful feelings of warmth that it is natural to start craving them as soon as the weather turns nippier... Just to hold on to a bit of that sun and heat. Ah well. But, life moves on. So, we just turn to the staple - frozen berries, always stocked, always available. Life today is surreal in its convenience.
Yet, the truism of seasons exists if not in the pantry, in our palate. A lush, plump blueberry that was just perfect as is for a snack in high heat of Summer afternoon suddenly feels incomplete and 'needing' something else to round it off in the cool turning cold. But, it still is a flavor that beckons. The only real thing left to do is to bring in some warm elements to pair with the fresh sweetness of the berry.
In desserts, spices give that oopmh. In drinks, the berries are simply used less. That I think is a shame. Over the last month, I have been experimenting with gin and using it as a well transitioned alcohol throughout the year. When you are used to the cool, refreshing gin fizzes and tonics, it can be a bit of a daunting task to change the perception entirely.
I must say like two negatives make a positive, the gin and blueberry were just waiting to be paired together to make something really amazing! I have made hot 'toddies' with that combination and they are kickass (will post that next!). And, this version, which, I came up with one particularly cold week here in Italy. My throat craved something warming and soothing, with a kick. I also wanted a real drink because it had been a long week. Eureka and ginger came to the party.
The beauty of this cocktail is as much in the visuals, with the soft layers that are formed of the gin-soda and blueberry-ginger mixes.
Love the refection of this cozy elegant cocktail against the rusticity of stone and wood!
BLUEBERRY, GINGER, GIN Winter Cocktail
That's simply it. Three real ingredients - Gin, Ginger and Blueberries. One awesome drink! The herby spiciness of the first two is well balanced by the sweet freshness of the frozen blueberries. You can surely muddle them all together, but when you make a blueberry-ginger reduction, especially with frozen berries, and then gently layer it into a drink, it becomes a show stopper as you can see...
While the world around may go awry, you will always be safe with a glass in hand. Gin never goes out of fashion and blueberries are always around to take the edge of it. And, make it welcoming with a hint of heat and allure of ginger.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 inch ginger sliced
2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
3 ounces gin
Soda
Squeeze of lime
DIRECTIONS
Get the full recipe on the Blueberry Council site - Blueberry-Ginger Cocktail
Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with the US Blueberry Council. Thank you for supporting the partners of FSK.