cocktail | little things by julia

Blueberries make me think of summer — hot, sticky days spent at my Grandparents’ house in Cape Cod, picking plump berries from the blueberry bushes that lined their walkway. Finding the bluest, sweetest ones before the birds was always a challenge, but the effort was worth it. Even the slightly underripe berries, with the tinge of green that lingered by their stem, were a welcomed, tart treat.

Though blueberries are not in season in the Northeast over the winter months, I find them to be such a festive berry to use over the holidays — and thankfully they are easy to find in the freezer and fresh from South America all winter long. Their seasonal versatility ensures that they always have a spot at the table — whether in a sauce for a roasted pork loin or folded into buttery pastry dough and baked into a galette.

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, I’m sharing a recipe for a blueberry cocktail — one that’s festive enough to be worthy of a spot at your next party, but also simple enough to enjoy over a cozy night in. It has all the tartness of a traditional sour, with a subtle sweetness from blueberries and warming notes of bourbon and dark brown sugar. I really encourage you to give it a try, even if you aren’t the biggest bourbon fan.

This post is sponsored by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, but as always, all opinions are my own. You can find my recipe on their website, here. Enjoy!

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And for another blueberry-inspired cocktail, give this blueberry bellini a try!

rosemary + ginger bourbon sour

This cocktail is both bright and warming – a welcome contrast to the gray days of January. I think it’s delicious with either lemon or grapefruit juice – experiment and see what you prefer. The ratio of ingredients can also easily be adjusted to taste [increase the syrup for a sweeter drink, or the bourbon for a stronger cocktail].

ingredients [makes one cocktail]:

1 1/2 shots bourbon

1 shot rosemary ginger simple syrup

3/4 shot freshly squeezed lemon or grapefruit juice

2 sprigs of rosemary

In a cocktail shaker, add bourbon, simple syrup, and citrus juice. Add ice and the leaves from one sprig of rosemary [crush or rip them slightly before adding to release their aroma]. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with remaining sprig of rosemary.

rosemary ginger simple syrup:

1 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

2 sprigs of rosemary

1/2 cup of fresh ginger root [peeled and roughly chopped]

Remove the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary and add to a small saucepan with water, sugar, and chopped ginger. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, and stir to dissolve sugar (about 30 seconds – 1 minute). Cover, remove from heat and allow to steep for about 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate until chilled.