Lovely lavender

Cuisine

June 1, 2022



photographs by Justin Driscoll

Blackberries don’t get nearly as much attention as their crimson cousins, strawberries. Darci Frank of The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar shares how to make this pleasing purple cocktail featuring a homemade blackberry-sage simple syrup. The violet color comes from Empress gin, which is infused with butterfly pea blossoms. “The simple syrup is made by boiling down blackberries with sugar, simmering with sage leaves, straining and cooling,” Frank says. Blackberry season in North Carolina typically begins in late June and runs through July.

A lavender colored cocktail sits in a cocktail glass with a blackberry garnish on top

Dress to Empress

2 ounces Empress gin

1/2 ounce Licor 43 

3/4 ounce blackberry-sage simple syrup

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1 ounce egg white

A woman sits in a dimly lit dark room with her legs crossed and holding a drink
Mixologist Darci Frank

Mezcal and black lava salt add a smoky flavor to Tap That Ash, another seasonal cocktail on the menu at The Vintage. Lime and lychee aloe vera juice add a tropical twist and help beat the heat on a hot summer day.  

A small cocktail glass with a lime garnish

Tap That Ash

1 1/2 ounce Los Vecinos mezcal

1 1/2 ounce lychee aloe vera juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup 

1/2 ounce lime juice

black lava salt rim

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