BB Lemon Drop Martini

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Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free/Nut-Free/Vegan

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes (for the blueberry simple syrup)

Equipment Needed:

• Small saucepan

• Small whisk

• Fine mesh strainer

• 1/2 pint mason jar or covered container (to store syrup)

• Cutting board

• Serrated paring knife

• Shot glass measure/Jigger

• Cocktail shaker

• Martini glass

• Microplane zester

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Blueberry Syrup (makes about 3/4 cup syrup):

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

For the cocktail:

• 2 ounces citrus flavored vodka

• 3/4 ounce orange curacao

• 1 ounce blueberry syrup

• 1 lemon wheel

• 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with about 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest to rim glass, if desired

• 3 additional blueberries for garnish, if desired

Procedure:

1. Make the blueberry syrup by combining sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved (3-5 minutes). Do NOT let the syrup come to a simmer or boil, if it starts to bubble turn down your heat. Once sugar is fully dissolved, remove pan from heat and add blueberries. Use a fork or potato masher to GENTLY mash down on the berries 2-3 times. Let mixture steep for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh strainer into a 1/2 pint mason jar or glass container for storage. Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (if you notice any mold, discard immediately).

2. Chill your martini glass by filling it with ice and water. Set aside until you are ready to pour your cocktail.

3. Separate the "meat" of the lemon from the rind of your lemon wheel (see photo in tips).

4. Add a scoop of ice along with the citrus vodka, orange curacao, blueberry simple syrup and the meat of the lemon to your cocktail shaker.

5. Shake vigorously a minimum of 15-20 times.

6. Empty the water and ice from your martini glass. The rim of your glass should be wet enough to rim the glass with sugar, but if you're worried it's not, you can use an additional lemon slice to slide around the rim of your glass to coat it with lemon juice as insurance that the sugar will stick.

7. Put about 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon or so of lemon zest onto a small plate. Flip your glass upside down and gently push it into the sugar mixture several times, taking care to coat the entire rim of the glass.

8. Pour the contents of your cocktail shaker into your chilled, sugar-rimmed glass.

9. Use your fingers to twist the rind of your lemon wheel over your martini glass (this allows any of the oils that come off the rind as you twist it to sprinkle into your cocktail). Drop your twist into your martini.

To Serve: Thread 3 blueberries onto a toothpick and add to your martini, if desired.

Adjusting for your diet: If you don't drink alcohol, my suggestion would be to trade out the vodka and orange curacao for club soda and serve on the rocks. I would not shake the club soda; add everything to a rocks glass with ice and give a slow stir with a spoon or straw to maintain the effervescence of the soda.

Tips:

• Although I always list cocktail garnishes as "optional," in my humble opinion they should be there. There is an awesome book I use as a resource called The Flavor Bible, and in the first chapter it talks about how aroma is responsible for as much as 80% or more of flavor. I think taking a drink of a flavorful cocktail and inhaling the aroma of a sprig of herb or a twist of citrus really does enhance the overall experience.

• If you don't want to take the extra step to make the blueberry syrup, you could substitute regular simple syrup, agave nectar, or another sweetener of your choice. If you go that route, I would muddle up some blueberries and add them to your shaker since the blueberry syrup is your main source of blueberry flavor in this cocktail.

• I just use my fingers to separate the "meat" of the lemon wheel from the rind, although you could use a paring knife as well. Here is what that will look like:

I like to use a small serrated knife to cut citrus wheels and wedges; I think it makes making the initial cut easier.

The Story:

My mom and I went blueberry picking! We lucked out and had a really lovely morning for it; not too hot and the blueberries were crazy plentiful. We barely had to move!

So easy to pick and soooo delicious.

The flavor of fresh-picked fruit just can't be beat; this experience is one of my favorite parts of summer. I ended up picking a little over 4 pounds (I think I could have had more if I'd had my little helper-monkeys along, but they were at nature camp this week). Although blueberries are much easier to pick than strawberries, they are obviously quite a bit smaller, so it takes longer to pick a substantial amount. Using my fresh-picked bounty, I've made blueberry muffins, blueberry jam (find the recipe within the tips section of my strawberry jam recipe) and of course this AMAZING blueberry simple syrup this week.

The blueberry syrup! So easy, and it turns out this lovely shade of purple/pink and packs such a flavor punch.

My mom was actually the inspo for this cocktail; her fav cocktail is a classic Lemon Drop Martini, and she loves the flavor combo of lemon and blueberries. I used to bartend with the sweetest girl who used to call all the other girls "bb's," so I borrowed her phrase for the name.

This particular orange curacao is actually Minnesota made! I highly recommend it, if you can get your hands on it :)

If you have the time and patience for it, I do NOT recommend skipping the sugar/lemon zest rim on your martini glass. I am typically the type of gal who will take a tiny taste of a sugared or salted rim 2-3 times as I sip my cocktail. I quite literally licked this one clean :) the bitter brightness of the lemon zest embedded in the sugar in contrast with this sweet-and-smooth cocktail was really just delightful.

C'mon Barbie, let's go party...

This is the cocktail for you if you want something that will make you relax and smile without making you wince from the taste of the booze :) a nice little ditty for a warm summer evening.

Cheers!