As I've gotten older, I've gotten to where I really don't like heat. I live in a place which is notorious for its summer humidity, so this is a problem. The more of a spiky old biddy I become, the less and less tolerant I get. I keep my thermostat set to 70, and I kid you not, when it hits 71 in the house, I'm like, WHY IS IT SO DAMN HOT IN HERE? Seasonal summer beers are pretty boring, too. Although that does build the anticipation for the eagerly awaited fall beers. And the bugs...gah. The Japanese beetles are terrible this year. Those assholes are eating my magnolia blooms, and the squash bugs are chowing down in my garden. Jerks. So what's still to love about summer when it's 1,000 degrees out and the air is so humid, you nearly have to swim through it when you walk out the door? Well, the frozen custard place near my house that I adore is open. (Shout out to Fritz's; I love you guys.) Our neighborhood pool is open, and I do like to swim. Many of the most gorgeous plants are in bloom. (Which is even more awesome when the blooms aren't getting eaten by asshole beetles.) And then there's summer fruit, arguably the very best thing about eating in the summer. Berries and stone fruit are a few of my most favorite edible things on Earth, and I love cooking with them. Alright, summer. You've redeemed yourself from your doucehbaggery.
During a recent visit to my awesome sister-in-law Leah's house in Arkansas, the blackberries were in resplendent glory. I was given a sack of them, fresh picked, as a parting gift. I knew as soon as I got home, I'd better have a plan for them or my daughter, Violet, would graze half of the bag away before I knew it. While we were there, Leah made baked oatmeal, which she tops with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, or fruit syrup; in this case she served homemade blackberry syrup. It makes a splendid breakfast, and it got me in the mood for making some fruit syrup myself. The best thing about using my precious blackberries in this manner was the versatility. After all, if you make blackberry cobbler or pie or something like that, you have a great dessert, but when it's gone, it's gone. If you make syrup, you've got pancake or waffle topping, and ice cream topping. You can jazz up smoothies, granola and yogurt parfaits, or oatmeal. You could stir some into lemonade (which I did, omg), or your tea, if you like sweet, fruity tea. You could process it in a boiling water bath for long term storage, so you have fresh fruit syrup all winter. And then there is the cocktail potential! The mind reels from the possibilities!
Not long after I made my blackberry syrup, it was time for my son's first birthday party. I decided to make homemade ice cream and lay out a make-your-own sundae bar, complete with homemade blackberry, strawberry, and peach syrups. They were all wonderful, and so fresh tasting. So feel free to experiment with your own fruit concoctions. Blueberry, raspberry, or mixed berry would all be delicious. You can taste it as you're cooking it to make sure it's sweetened to your taste. I'm also including a few cocktail recipes I came up with using my blackberry syrup for those who feel like getting tipsy with their summer bounty. Now, excuse me while I haul my sweaty self into the kitchen to finish off the last of the homemade ice cream.
Fresh Blackberry Syrup
6 cups fresh blackberries
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar, to taste
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. low sugar pectin
Add the berries, sugar, water, and lemon juice to a pot and cook until the berries are completely broken down and the mixture is somewhat thickened. I cooked mine for a good 20 minutes at a gentle simmer to try and reduce it a bit. Slowly stir in the pectin and bring the mixture a full boil for several minutes, stirring constantly. Strain the mixture in a fine mesh strainer, pressing out all of the liquid into a heat-proof measuring cup. You can discard the solids, or, if you can tolerate the seeds, you can do what I did and save it to spread on toast. YUM. Cool the syrup, put it in a covered container, and refrigerate until serving.
Lady Leah
Yes, I named a cocktail after my sister-in-law. I told you, she's awesome. This makes 1 serving.
2/3 oz. vodka
1 2/3 oz. limoncello
1/3 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. blackberry syrup
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass.
Summer in Lexington
Again, 1 serving. FYI, my favorite bourbon for cocktails is Knob Creek. Not too pricey, good quality, and not too much character.
2 2/3 oz. bourbon
1/3 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. blackberry syrup
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass.
Fresh Blackberry Syrup
6 cups fresh blackberries
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar, to taste
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. low sugar pectin
Add the berries, sugar, water, and lemon juice to a pot and cook until the berries are completely broken down and the mixture is somewhat thickened. I cooked mine for a good 20 minutes at a gentle simmer to try and reduce it a bit. Slowly stir in the pectin and bring the mixture a full boil for several minutes, stirring constantly. Strain the mixture in a fine mesh strainer, pressing out all of the liquid into a heat-proof measuring cup. You can discard the solids, or, if you can tolerate the seeds, you can do what I did and save it to spread on toast. YUM. Cool the syrup, put it in a covered container, and refrigerate until serving.
Lady Leah
Yes, I named a cocktail after my sister-in-law. I told you, she's awesome. This makes 1 serving.
2/3 oz. vodka
1 2/3 oz. limoncello
1/3 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. blackberry syrup
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass.
Summer in Lexington
Again, 1 serving. FYI, my favorite bourbon for cocktails is Knob Creek. Not too pricey, good quality, and not too much character.
2 2/3 oz. bourbon
1/3 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. blackberry syrup
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass.
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