Strawberry season here almost always coincides with the solstice, and this year has been a particularly great year for them. Cool weather during the fruit set, combined with hot weather in the last few weeks while they were ripening has produced a bountiful crop of big, luscious berries this year. The downside? with the warm weather, they won’t last long!
There has been lots of canning here at Chez Shiba, to capture the essence of late spring, but there has also been lots of fresh berry eating. To celebrate the solstice, I thought I would put some of the fresh berries to good use in a new cocktail recipe, using some of our locally distilled gin. This product has a great balance of flavours, with nice floral notes that complement the ripe berries. For your enjoyment:
Summer Strawberry Martini
- 1 oz. strawberry puree using fully ripe berries* (you can make this ahead of time in the blender. I keep extra in the fridge)
- 1.25 oz. Victoria Gin (distilled locally here in Victoria, BC)
- 0.75 oz. Lillet Blanc
- 0.25 oz. simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura orange bitters
Shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a strawberry on the rim of the glass
* to extend the enjoyment beyond the solstice, the puree can be kept frozen for up to 1 year.