The Perfect Spring Cocktail

With spring in the air (almost everywhere!) and summer not too far away, it’s time to emerge from hibernation and celebrate the return of warmer weather and longer days. And what better way to do that than to enjoy a refreshing cocktail outside while soaking up the sunshine? My contribution to enhancing your spring celebration is a new cocktail I created that I call the Blackberry Ranch Smash!

Living in Florida can be weird at times. For example, the annual influx of snowbirds (people who come to Florida for the winter to escape the cold weather up north) means you have to change driving routes to avoid the increased traffic caused by these temporary residents and also make restaurant reservations weeks and sometimes months in advance to get into your favorite restaurant.

Also, the seasons in Florida are very different from what most of the country experiences throughout the course of the year. I hear people say all the time that Florida doesn’t have seasons, which isn’t really true. In addition to “hurricane and non-hurricane” season, we actually do have real seasons here. Summer, which generally runs from mid-May to mid-Oct, is extremely humid and hot, with daily afternoon thunderstorms and lots of rain. Fall and winter are absolutely gorgeous, with brisk mornings in the 50’s and 60’s, daily highs in the 70’s, no humidity, and bright sunshine almost every day.

When Spring arrives, the flowers and trees start blooming, the grass turns green, the alligators begin their mating season, and the transition to summer begins with warm but still comfortable days in the 80’s with low humidity and a mix of clouds and sun each day. The spring afternoons are the perfect time to enjoy a refreshing cocktail while sitting out on the lanai or floating in the pool. So, I set out to create a cocktail that “tastes like spring” and ended up with a blackberry-based drink I call the Blackberry Ranch Smash (the “Ranch” in the name is a tribute to our new hometown, Lakewood Ranch).

I have always loved blackberries, which pair extremely well with a wide range of spirits – gin, tequila, and vodka to name a few. They have a sweet berry flavor along with a nice tartness to them as well. So, I decided to use a homemade blackberry puree as the base for this cocktail but found it very challenging to create a puree I actually liked. The problem turned out to be the blackberry seeds, which are quite large and also somewhat bitter. My early versions of the drink had a grainy mouthfeel and seemed heavy and “thick”. After experimenting with about ten different purees, I finally settled on one that used blackberry liquor to thin out and add some depth of flavor to the puree. I also decided to “double strain” the puree to remove as many of those annoying seeds as possible from the drink.

I used vodka (Ukrainian of course!) as the base spirit and added a small amount of Grand Marnier and lime juice to temper the bitterness of the blackberries and add just a touch more sweetness to the mix. The result is a bright and refreshing cocktail that showcases sweet berry fruit with just a hint of tartness and bitterness on the finish. Oh, and it packs a bit of punch with three different spirits (vodka, blackberry, and orange liquor) so sip slowly and savor!

Blackberry Ranch Smash (makes 1 cocktail)

2 oz. blackberry puree (see recipe below)

2 oz. vodka

1 oz. Grand Marnier (an orange-flavored liqueur)

½ oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

1 blackberry and lime peel for garnish

Pour the vodka, Grand Marnier, blackberry puree, and lime juice into a shaker. Add ice and shake until frost forms on the shaker, about 20-30 seconds. Strain and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a blackberry and lime peel.

Blackberry Puree (makes enough for 4 cocktails)

6 oz. blackberries

½ cup blackberry brandy

Combine the blackberries and blackberry brandy into a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup, and then strain again (if you want an even smoother puree, strain the second time through cheesecloth). You should have about 1 cup of puree, enough for four cocktails. Puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month.