The Lush Chef

A few weeks ago, I was kicking around up north in the Central Coast and stumbled across a U-Pick blueberry farm called Restoration Oaks Ranch, just off the 101 between Buellton and Gaviota.  I used to pick wild blueberries with my granny in Michigan's Upper Peninsula during summer visits, and back home, our family would all hop on bikes to go berry picking at the local farm a few miles away.  Our hands and faces would be stained with blueberries, because you inevitably end up eating a few handfuls.  We'd then bike home with buckets balancing on handlebars or tupperware containers strapped to racks in the back.  Since I've lived in California, I haven't gone berry picking, and it's a summer tradition that I truly miss.  I picked all that I needed in under an hour, and days after, the berries still tasted fresh and sun-kissed.  After pickling blueberries, baking bread and eating them in yogurt, I decided to add some to a cocktail.  Bon Appetit came out with a recipe in June for this Blueberry Smash Cocktail in a pitcher.  I made a few changes to adapt it for a single serving and added more blueberries, because I certainly had enough!

Blueberry Smash Cocktail
Ingredients:

• Heaping 2 Tbs blueberries
• 2 round slices of lemon, cut into quarters
• 2 round slices of lime, cut into quarters
• 3 sprigs of mint leaves, saving 1 for a garnish
• 2 oz vodka (I used Grey Goose)
• 3/4 oz St. Germain

- In a muddling or shaker glass, muddle the blueberries, lemon and lime quarters, mint and St. Germain.
- Add the vodka and ice and shake.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a mint leaf.