The Lake District presents a number of horticultural challenges, but Beatrix learned over time which varieties of plants could survive the area’s harsh climate and stony landscape. This Blackberry Gin and Tonic pays tribute to a fruit that characters Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail enjoyed for supper.
Blackberry Gin and Tonic
1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce Cucumber Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
- Crushed ice
- 5 to 6 fresh blackberries
- 2 slices cucumber
- 4 ounces tonic water
- Garnish: shaved or sliced mini cucumber, fresh blackberries, lime slices
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add gin, lime juice, and Cucumber Simple syrup. Add ice. Cover and shake until cold, 10 to 15 seconds.
- In the bottom of a serving glass, muddle blackberries and cucumber slices. Pour gin mixture over mashed berries mixture. Add ice to fill and top with tonic water. Garnish with cucumber strips or slices, blackberries, and lime slices, if desired.
Cucumber Simple Syrup
Makes 1⁄3 cup
Ingredients
- 2 cucumber peels*
- ½ cup seeded and chopped cucumber
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- Peel from 1 lime
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring cucumber peels, chopped cucumber, sugar, water, and lime peels to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container, discarding solids. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*We used mini cucumbers.
For more recipes inspired by Beatrix Potter, see “Hill Top Bounty” in the March/April 2021 issue, available on newsstands and in our online shop. Take a tour of her Lake District home at Victoriamag.com.
