Blackberry Bloody Mary Cocktail

Everyone loves that meal-in-a-glass, the Bloody Mary. But why should savory flavor-lovers have all the fun? While not technically a Bloody Mary, this vodka-based fruity version is full of juicy, antioxidant-rich Oregon blackberries, a squeeze of lemon for brightness, and fresh ginger for a kick. If the name trips you up, feel free to call it an Oregon Blackberry Betty instead. Have fun with the garnishes (the best part of any Bloody Mary) to make it a winner. To make this Blackberry Bloody Mary Cocktail for a party, put out a pitcher of the cocktail with a platter of garnishes, give guests glasses of ice and skewers, and let them have fun!

Recipe by Heather Arndt Anderson from voodooandsauce.com

oregon-berries-heather-arndt anderson blackberry bloody mary cocktail

Ingredients

2 cups frozen Oregon blackberries, thawed
1 ½ cups water
½ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup vodka
Ice

Garnishes: fresh blackberries, macarons, chocolate-covered marshmallows, wafer cookies, grapes, melon cubes, chocolate truffles, sprigs of mint, etc.

Preparation

Step 1
Add the thawed blackberries and 1 cup of the water to a blender.

Step 2
Warm up the other ½ cup of water just enough to dissolve the sugar, and stir until fully dissolved to make simple syrup. Add the syrup to the blender along with the lemon juice and ginger, then blitz for 10 seconds.

Step 3
Pass the blackberry puree mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula to extract all the juice. Pour into a serving pitcher, then stir in the vodka.

Step 4
To serve, pour the cocktail into tumblers filled with ice and top with skewers of garnishes.