sip on this
SUMMER SMASH Local bartenders share their favorite ways to shake up summer fruits. BY SHAUNA BURKE
During these warmer months, I find myself arriving home with an absolutely ridiculous amount of fruit from the farmers market and end up knee-deep in ripe summer berries, melons, peaches, sweet cherries, and all the good stuff. As summer days continue getting hotter, I’m looking for refreshing ways to use up any fruit that seems like it may be on the decline—and icy cold cocktails, with or without alcohol, are the best solution for me. I reached out to a few local bartenders for inspiration on incorporating fresh summer fruits into my drinks at home, and the below recipes are sure to keep me cool all summer long.
INSTRUCTIONS
FARMERS MARKET MORNINGS
To make the Honey Syrup: Combine honey and water (2 parts honey to 1 part water by volume) and blend well.
Stephanie Reading, bar manager at Birdie G’s in Santa Monica, offered this “pick your poison” libation brilliantly incorporating an array of local farmers market goodies, including muddled summer berries, citrus, ginger, and honey.
SOURBERRY
INGREDIENTS pinch fresh mint 3 blackberries 3 raspberries ½ oz fresh lemon juice ½ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz ginger syrup (recipe follows) ¼ oz honey syrup (recipe follows) 2 oz spirit of choice 2 oz soda water 36
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Place mint, berries, juices and syrups in a cocktail tin and muddle. Add spirit of your choice (gin, vodka, bourbon, rum, etc.), ice and shake shortly and softly to mix. Dump into a tulip or Collin’s glass, top with soda and garnish with a piece of candied ginger, berries and mint. To make the Ginger Syrup: Combine fresh ginger juice and sugar (2 parts ginger to 2 parts sugar and 1 part water by weight) and blend well.
Margo Tyler, head bartender at Jar Restaurant, came up with a bright, citrusy summer cocktail recipe with simple ingredients that many people already have at home. INGREDIENTS 2 oz Ketel One Citroen vodka 1/2 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup 1 strawberry (large) Bakers sugar for the rim INSTRUCTIONS