It’s like the outdoor version of “The Kitchen Sink”
This cocktail is not the simplest recipe you’ve ever seen, and it may not be suited for a high volume bar. But let me tell you: it is absolutely worth the effort. It started with a few left over blueberries that Chris eyed in the fridge. Then he found a thumb of fresh ginger and a couple meyer lemons we’d been given by a friend with an over-zealous tree in their backyard. Inspiration!
Mash/chop the blueberries and ginger, add sugar and microwave for 30 seconds (a technique that, for the record, I invented) and the result? Blueberry and ginger syrup. Good start! (And recipe below)
But wait – there’s more.
Blueberry ginger is a good start, but Chris decided this wouldn’t be your run-of-the-mill fruity sour. He decided to add some heat and dug up a jar of his Black Pepper tincture (from waaaay back when). (Instructions for the infusion are are below as well.)
… and more.
From here it’s a fairly simple “sour” with the tincture added for good measure. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with Meyer Lemon, shake well, and double-strain into a coupe glass. And because, well, why not? Chris wandered out into the yard and found a sprig of Rosemary for garnish.
The final cocktail is as multi-dimensional as the recipe seems. It starts with a rosemary and Meyer lemon aroma, then starts your sip with a pleasant fruity and slightly sweet taste. But just moments later the black pepper catches up and the cocktail finishes with a beautiful snap of spicy black pepper. There’s a lot going on, but it’s a delicious journey!
A final note: You could certainly use standard Eureka lemons for this recipe but the aromatics of Meyer lemons are truly unique and play very nicely with the black pepper. So if you have the chance, definitely give it a try with the Meyer lemons.)
Tools we used:
If you’re interested in the tools we’re using, check them out below! These are all sold by our sister company, Top Shelf Bar Supply on Amazon.
Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
Price: $16.99″ <ahref=”” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
Price: $16.99
Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
Price: $19.95
This is the best cocktail shaker you can buy – because we made it! Watertight and still easy to open, this is definitely our top choice.
Equipment
- 1 Muddler
Ingredients
Cocktail Ingredients
- 2 oz Cognac Camus Borderies VSOP
- 3 drops Black Pepper Tincture
- .75 oz Blueberry and Ginger Syrup
- .75 oz Lemon Juice Meyer Lemon
- 1 oz Soda Water
Black Pepper Tincture Ingredients
- 2 oz High Proof Spirit Everclear
- .40 oz Whole Black Pepper
Blueberry & Ginger Syrup Ingredients
- 12 each Blueberries
- 2 pieces Fresh Ginger Roughly 1” x 2” each
- 3 tbsp Sugar Adjust depending on sweetness of Blueberries
- 1 tsp Water
Instructions
Cocktail Instructions
- Add cognac, black pepper tincture, blueberry & ginger syrup, and lemon juice to a Boston shaker.
- Add ice and shake to chill and dilute.
- Fine strain into a coupe glass and add soda water.
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and 3 blueberries.
Black Pepper Tincture Instructions
- Add high proof spirits and whole black peppers to a glass jar.
- Allow to infuse for 1 week.
- Fine strain peppercorn, and save tincture in a glass jar.
Blueberry and Ginger Syrup Instructions
- Finely chop ginger into small pieces.
- Smash blueberries in a microwave proof bowl.
- Add ginger, water, and sugar.
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
- Fine strain and allow to cool.
