HAPPY HOUR
It's time for the blues
August 22, 2009
Shauna Rempel
TORONTO STAR
Blueberry season is still on for a little longer, so get picking and then get drinking.
Of course, thanks to blueberry mega-producers such as Chile, it's actually possible to enjoy these antioxidant-rich superfruits fresh year round (especially if you're willing to pay upwards of $5 a pint in the off-season) but right now wild Ontario blueberries are both cheap and plentiful.
In the alcohol world, blueberries are used to flavour wines, vodka, liqueurs and even beer. But that's synthetic flavouring for the most part, and we want the true blue fruit in our cocktail. Gin, although not my favourite tipple, pairs nicely with the fresh purée (maybe because gin is also berry-based, flavoured as it is by the juniper berry?)
The recipe looks a little daunting at first but each step is simple and can be done ahead of time. The sweet-and-sour mix is essentially just simple syrup plus juices. Get your juice from a bottle instead of fresh-squeezing to save some time.
As Grandma always says, "waste not, want not," so use up the leftover mix in future cocktails. Likewise, any leftover berry purée can be used in other recipes (or drinks!) and if you chill that excess purplish blue liquid at the bottom of your saucepan, you have yourself half a cup of fresh blueberry juice, my friend.
Toronto Star