I enjoy a strong drink. No Cosmos or lemon drops for me, nothing too sweet and sugary. Yet for reasons I don’t understand (My gentle demeanor? My predilection for pink?) I am frequently served drinks that taste more like black-cherry Kool-Aid than straight whiskey with a hint of black pepper.
When summer fruit and fresh herbs are so readily available, I have a strong desire to make a boozy smoothie. This cocktail is sweetened with agave nectar, whose depth matches better with the caramel-vanilla flavors in the bourbon. Blackberries are sweet, yet tart. I considered making this with nectarines or peaches, but that would be too sweet for my taste. The mint gives it a nice bite and works well with the bourbon (think of a mint julep). For effervescence, I tried ginger ale and ginger beer, but I found it was too busy mixed with the mint. Club soda gives this drink a bit of sparkle without added sugar. And the color? Well, that’s how this drink got its name.
Midsummer Midnight Cocktail 2 Servings
8 blackberries
12 mint leaves
2 tsp. agave nectar (Maple syrup can also be used.)
2 oz. bourbon
8 oz. club soda
• In a shaker, combine 6 blackberries, 10 mint leaves and the agave nectar. Muddle until well-combined.
• Add the bourbon and plenty of ice and shake hard for 30 seconds.
• Strain into 2 martini glasses and top each with 4 ounces of club soda. Slap the remaining 2 mint leaves between your palms and garnish each drink with a leaf and a blackberry.
This article appears in August 2013.