Cocktail/Mocktail for a Wet or Dry January

Laurel Hunter -

There's an arctic air mass pushing down from the north, it's cold AF, and I keep seeing reminders for Dry January. Don't worry, friends! I am not quitting alcohol, even for one month! But I know people who are, and maybe they could use a bright and cheery drink to start the new year. And for the rest of us, it tastes great with booze, too.

I had some lemongrass in the back of the refrigerator from way back, and frozen blueberries in the freezer. The lemongrass is really nice and adds some complexity to the syrup — see if you can scrounge some up. I also made a version with Meyer lemon instead of lime — the lemon mix was delish, but I think the lime gives the kick we all need right now.

Blueberry Lemongrass Fizz — booze optional

3/4  ounce blueberry lemongrass syrup (recipe below)
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
soda water
blueberries to garnish
2 ounces gin, vodka, or tequila (optional!)

To make the mocktail:
1. Make syrup
2. Add cooled syrup and lime juice into a glass. Stir well to combine.
3. Add ice
4. Top with soda water, stir gently, and garnish with a few berries.

To make the cocktail:
1. Make syrup
2. Add cooled syrup, lime juice, and booze into a shaker. Add ice and shake well.
3. Strain into a glass filled with ice.
4. Top with soda water and garnish with a few berries.

Blueberry Lemongrass Syrup

The ratio here is 1-1-1 sugar, water, blueberries, so you can scale it up or down depending on how many drinks you want to make. The syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2-4 stalks fresh lemongrass

Make the syrup by adding all the ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain into a glass jar through a fairly fine strainer, smushing the berries to get all the juice. Let cool.

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