1½ ounces Venus Spirits Gin Blend No. 2
1½ ounces Fall Blackberry Purée (see below)
½ ounce lemon juice
¼ ounce lime juice
2 ounces Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
Organic blackberries
Fresh fennel frond
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients except for the ginger beer. Shake until well incorporated. In a stemless wine glass or old-fashioned glass, strain contents over a sizable ice sphere.
Float ginger beer and garnish with floating blackberries and fresh fennel frond.
Fall Blackberry Purée
2 pints organic local blackberries
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 heaping tablespoon Carmel Honey Co. raw sage honey
1 teaspoon organic brown sugar
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ cup filtered water
1 pinch of sea salt
In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer blackberries, peppercorns, fennel seeds and water, occasionally whisking to break apart the blackberries.
When all berries are reduced, remove from heat and strain purée over a fresh saucepan to remove seeds.
Place saucepan over low heat and slowly whisk in the raw sage honey, brown sugar and sea salt.
Purée should be the consistency of light maple syrup. Add a dash more filtered water, if needed.
Remove from heat and store in sealed container in the refrigerator for use.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
