Summertime is in full swing, and after a long day with the kids in the house, a nice, cold cocktail on the lanai is in order. Recently, I decided to shake up something delicious with the blueberry jam I made last month (you can get the recipe here).
Have you tried making a cocktail with jam before? I remember the first time I heard about it--I warily gave it a try, despite expecting the outcome to be a syrupy, undrinkable mess. Boy, was I wrong! Jam allows you to mix up a fruity, delicious cocktail when you don't have the fresh stuff on hand. It concentrates the flavor of the fruit in a way that muddling just can't replicate. And it eliminates the need for simple syrups/agave/sweeteners in your mixed drinks. It's really delicious, when done well. Give it a try!
Blueberry Lemon Thyme Cocktail
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 oz. gin (I prefer Hendricks here)
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 oz. blueberry jam (1 heaping spoonful or more, to taste)
- Club soda
In a cocktail shaker, muddle lemon juice, thyme and gin. Spoon in jam, pop lid on shaker and 'Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your booty. Shake your booty' for a good minute. Yup, it seems like a long time, but it takes a bit for the jam to break down. Pop off the lid, add a few cubes of ice, then shake some more. (You don't want to add ice at the beginning, it'll water your drink down too much.)
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Strain contents of shaker over the ice, and add club soda to the top. Give it a quick stir, garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh thyme sprig, then find a comfy spot on the patio, kick your feet up and enjoy.
