Blackberry Mint Julep and Blackberry Mojito

Blackberries from the farm market and mint from the garden can be turned into a simple syrup that works perfectly for cocktails, mocktails, and for topping your pancakes. 

For our cocktails, we used the syrup (recipe below) for Mojitos and Mint Juleps. We liked both cocktails, but the Blackberry Mint Julep really hit the spot. On a hot day it is refreshing to hold that frosty silver cup in your hand; however, we recently learned that proper Julep cup holding involves only gripping the top or the bottom so that the crushed ice can create a frost on the outside. While we do appreciate proper etiquette, our julep technique generally involves simply trying not to spill our drink and pacing its consumption so as to not allow the cocktail to become over-diluted.

The Mint Julep was originally made with spirits like rum and brandy, and got its start as a medicinal concoction used to settle the stomach. It traveled west from Virginia to Kentucky – where it eventually became the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. We have a traditional Mint Julep recipe on our blog – along with one of The Cocktail Artist’s best watercolor paintings – depicting the Derby in action.

Ernest Hemingway, who is better known as a daiquiri drinker (oh and yes, a writer) once reportedly smashed a glass against a wall in a French bar roaring: "Doesn't anyone in this godforsaken country know how to make a mint julep?!" Fortunately, some traveling Kentuckians (who witnessed the outburst) just happened to have a bottle of Maker's Mark handy. They instructed the bartender to find some fresh mint, and then schooled him in the proper mixing of a Mint Julep.

We don’t know if Hemingway would approve of our addition of blackberry to this cocktail classic, but on a hot summer day here in the Nation’s Capital it works for us! It’s said that Senator (and 5-time unsuccessful presidential candidate) Henry Clay from Kentucky introduced the Mint Julep to Washington, D.C. at the Round Robin Bar. The bar still exists in the Willard Hotel - about a block away from the White House.

The most important thing to consider when you are making a julep is that it will only be as good as the bourbon you use. For our version we went back to the julep's roots and used a Virginia distilled bourbon - Bowman Brothers Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey. If you have the blackberry-mint syrup ready, then it’s just as simple as crushing ice and stirring together the bourbon and the syrup. For those who don’t imbibe, this syrup is great as a mocktail with club soda and a bit of lime…. Of course then you could just go ahead and add some rum and call it a Mojito (bonus recipe below).

We’re pairing our Blackberry Mint Julep with a watercolor of a stately old southern home that the Cocktail Artist painted a few years ago. It looks like the kind of place where you would sit on the porch with a silver julep cup in hand - holding it properly, of course.

Cheers!


Blackberry Mint Julep

2 ½ ounces Bourbon (Bowman Brothers)
1 ounce blackberry mint syrup
crushed ice
mint sprigs for garnish

Pour bourbon and syrup into a julep cup (or an old-fashioned glass). Stir well and add crushed ice to fill the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.


Blackberry Mojito

2 ounces White Rum (Plantation 3 Star)
1 ounce blackberry-mint simple syrup
¾ ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
1 ½ ounces club soda
mint leaves for garnish

Pour rum, simple syrup and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a goblet or highball glass with fresh ice cubes, add the club soda and give the drink a quick stir with a spoon. Garnish with fresh mint.


Blackberry Mint Simple Syrup

2 cups fresh blackberries
¾ cup water
¾ cup sugar
½ cup (packed) mint leaves

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add berries and simmer for 5 minutes – breaking berries up with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and add rinsed mint leaves. Steep for 15 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve – pressing on the berries. Add an ounce of vodka (as a preservative) and pour the syrup into a bottle. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.




Front Porch - original watercolor by The Cocktail Artist

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