90. Learn to cook 10 new recipes (1/10)

I love the summer.. well, minus the ridiculous humidity and its affect on my hair. Oh and how I hate working when it's gorgeous out and all I want to do is be outside. And how every time I'm outside in the summer, I burn to a crisp even though I wear like SPF 60. Vicious cycle, I tell you.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, summer - love love love. One thing I love about summer is obviously glorious cocktails. What?! You didn't think I was going to attempt an actual meal for my first new recipe, did you?

Anyway, since I'm a total fat kid, I have a subscription to the Rachael Ray Magazine (as well as Martha's Food Everyday - and since I really don't cook, fat kid alert) and she featured an adorable "Fourth of July" themed party. The party drink was called a Blackberry Ginger Sour Highball and look how summery it looks!

Source

So I'm totally going to do the rest of the post like I'm food blogger - in advance, I will apologize for my lack of fancy kitchen stuff and the pictures, in general. haha!

First, I chopped the ginger into one inch pieces. Btw, thanks to the Smith Household for my answering my random phone inquiry about whether or not I had to peel the skin off the ginger root. Sure, none of us knew the answer, but I appreciate answering my call!

Then I put the chopped ginger, blackberries, water and sugar into the pan on the stove. And within five minutes, it looked like this. Tell me this isn't a pretty color!

So this is the "syrup" for the drink. Since we were going to the cottage that weekend, I opted to make this ahead of time. I let it cool, strained it (aka just took the ginger and blackberries out) and then poured it into some tupperware where it sat in the fridge until it was drink time!

Obviously now we're in Saratoga - who else noticed the change in kitchens? So you're supposed to essentially fill the pitcher with ice and the gin - then mix it for a little over a minute so the alcohol is NICE and cold. I attempted to put the syrup right into the pitcher but it started to leak.

So I just transferred everything directly into the large tumbler glasses. Now this recipe is supposed to make six cocktails but obviously my serving size and the magazine's are two different things. I put more blackberries, ice, topped with club soda and even some limes (for color) right into the glasses and served!

Absolutely refreshing! I'm so happy with how these came out and I will absolutely be making these again. Next time, I'll just make like triple the recipe (what's more syrup right?) so there's enough if anyone wants a refill. In the words of Ms. Rachael Ray - Delish!