Champagne Mojito
1 oz white rum .5 oz simple syrup (see note) .5 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice 2-3 sprigs fresh spearmint 3-4 oz sparkling wine (A dry Spanish cava works well. Segura Viudas is an excellent affordable option. Please don’t use Cooks or another rock-bottom cheap brand) Fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries. Fruit can be left whole, but if the strawberries are large, slice them. Crushed ice Note: To make simple syrup, heat equal parts sugar and water until the sugar melts. Allow to cool. Keep refrigerated and use within 1-2 weeks. Don’t buy bottled...
Read MoreLa Vie en Elderflower
Serves 20. 1 750 ml bottle dry rose wine (not sparkling. Example: La Vieille Ferme rose, $8/bottle) 2.5 cups (20 oz) St-Germain elderflower liqueur 30 oz club soda Strawberry slice or raspberry for garnish Ice Mix the rose and St.-Germain in a pitcher—this can be done ahead of time. Fill short tumblers or wine glasses with ice, add 2 oz of the rose/St-Germain mixture to each glass, and top with 1.5 oz club soda. Garnish with strawberry or raspberry. To quickly mix larger or smaller quantities, do: 5 parts wine 4 parts St-Germain 6 parts club soda If serving in a...
Read MoreThe Berry Patch
1.5 oz white rum .5 oz simple syrup ‘Mojito’ Mint Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries ½ lime, fresh-squeezed Optional: Soda or sparkling wine Reserve one mint sprig or berry for garnish. Squeeze lime into a cocktail shaker and add the other ingredients. Gently crush the berries and herbs with a muddler. Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with soda or sparkling wine if desired, then add garnish. Watch a video about the Berry Patch...
Read MoreFruit-Infused Vodka
Got a bumper crop of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries? Or, for that matter, any kind of fruit? You can make your own flavored vodka by filling a jar with clean, loosely packed berries and then pouring in as much vodka as the jar will hold. Gently crush them with a wooden spoon to release the juice, then seal and store in a cool dry place for a week. Strain it and use it in your favorite cocktails, or add simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar melts and allowed to cool) to taste to make a liqueur. Either way, keep it refrigerated and enjoy it...
Read MoreRaspberries
There is just nothing better than fresh raspberries out of the garden, and they are ridiculously easy to grow. If you don’t have any in the ground yet, this is the year. Give them rich soil with plenty of compost, and stand back. They do need a little water year-round, and they prefer the cool summers that we have on the coast here in northern California. There are easier to handle if you put up a simple trellis such as a post at either end of the row with sturdy wire strung between it. (Warning: if there are Himalayan blackberries growing in the area where you want to plant your...
Read MoreBooks by Amy Stewart
The Drunken Botanist
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