Blueberry Garden
The blueberries give this summery non-alcoholic concoction a deep purple hue and the rosemary adds a sophisticated depth.
“Bars and restaurants are fast realizing that we need to offer patrons something sophisticated that isn’t just juice or soda,” says Brittany Pierson, the front-of-house manager at Mono Cliffs Inn in Mono Centre. “Earlier this year we noticed a lot of our guests were doing Dry January and Dry February, so we had a lot of fun coming up with new and interesting drinks without using any alcohol.”
The Cliffs’ new mainstay is the Blueberry Garden, says Brittany, a certified sommelier who curates the restaurant’s wine list and quarterly tasting dinners. “We take fresh rosemary, muddle it with fresh blueberries and lemon syrup made in-house, and top it with sparkling water. And of course, when it’s served in a beautiful glass it tastes even better.”
Read more about this summer’s hottest zero-proof sips at Make Mine a Mocktail, in our Summer 2024 issue.
Blueberry Garden
Ingredients
- 8 blueberries
- 1 sprig of rosemary, stripped
- 1 oz lemon simple syrup (instructions at right)
- 1 oz lemon juice
- sparkling water
- 1 spring rosemary, not stripped, and blueberries to garnish (optional)
- SYRUP
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- lemon zest
- Combine the sugar, lemon juice and zest into a small pot over medium heat until the mixture comes to a soft boil. Reduce the heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly. Strain the mixture and it’s ready to use.
Instructions
- In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle together blueberries, rosemary and lemon syrup.
- Add lemon juice and ice and shake until cold.
- Strain into a glass with ice and top with sparkling water.
- Garnish with a small sprig of rosemary and extra blueberries, if desired.
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