As you all well know, nothing delights me more than discovering a new way to put my jams into action. I use them to sweeten smoothies, pour the runnier batches over yogurt, make vinaigrettes with them, and use the to glaze roast meat. So, when Theresa Loe, master food preserver and Co-Executive Producer of the gardening show Growing A Greener World, emailed to ask if I wanted to participate in a virtual cocktail party in which every drink would include some jam, of course I said yes.
She looked through my archives, picked out my blackberry jam and invented a custom cocktail featuring that particular preserve. It includes fresh blackberries, raspberry lemonade, simple syrup, vodka, sparkling water, and a goodly dollop of blackberry jam (sounds pretty darn good right about now). Here’s what Theresa said about the recipe:
This recipe would work with any of your blackberry jams. I bet the apricot-blackberry would be divine! I prefer seedless jams because the seeds tend to clog up the shaker strainer. But if you have seeds in the jam, it still works. It just takes a little jiggling to get all the liquid through the strainer and into the glass. For a non-alcoholic version, simply skip the vodka and add an extra shot or two of lemonade. Easy-peasy!
Visit the Growing a Greener World site for more Jamtini recipes and links to the other party participants. For a quick demonstration of the art of the jamtini, make sure to watch the video embedded below. To check in on all the jam cocktail action on Twitter, follow @GGWTV and the hashtag #Garden2Jar
Blackberry Jamtini from Growing a Greener World
Ingredients
- Fresh blackberries
- 1 oz. raspberry lemonade
- 1 oz. simple syrup see note
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 heaping spoonful seedless blackberry jam
- Ice
- A ½ pint jam jar as your serving glass
- Club soda
- Sprig of mint as garnish optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle two fresh berries. Add the lemonade, simple syrup, vodka, jam and some ice. Put the lid onto the shaker and shake. Shake some more! (You need to distribute the jam.)
- Add some ice to a new jam jar and strain in the cocktail. (Discard solids in the shaker.) Top off with a splash of club soda. Garnish with some mint and a few berries if you wish. Serve.
- Note: Simple syrup is just a boiled solution made of equal parts water and sugar. It needs to be made ahead of time and allowed to cool before using. In a small saucepan, combine at least 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and let mixture cool completely before making cocktails.
I love this idea of using jam in cocktails! Brilliant.
I must try this, I only make my wild blackberry seedless, and with the huge assortment of other jams i now posses as my own creations, I need other ways to use up 12 jars of blackberry =)
Wonder where she got the shaker top from.
Right here: http://www.masonshaker.com/
Yes. That’s right. It is a Mason Shaker. They had a kickstarter last year and just launched their cocktail shaker. I had purchased mine from SurLaTable.
Where does that mason-jar-fitting cocktail shaker lid come from?!
Here it is: http://www.masonshaker.com/
I really like the round jar in the top picture. Can someone give me any information about it? Thanks in advance!
It’s a Quattro Stagioni jar: http://myhome.bormioliroccocasa.com/quattro-stagioni/en/collections/quattro-stagioni.html
You are ON IT Marisa with the sources. I picked Quattro for your serving glass on purpose because I think they are so cool. The Weck mini jars are cute too…Kinda like a shot of Jamtini. LOL
Where does the cute little rounded jar come from at the top of the post?
Those are Quattro Stagioni jars: http://myhome.bormioliroccocasa.com/quattro-stagioni/en/collections/quattro-stagioni.html
Looooove my Quattro Stagioni jars. Many home preserves will be gifted but not in those jars. They do NOT leave my home. (guilty pleasure!) Like a nut I even bought the tiny ones that require their own specialty lid and purchased a stash of those. Jar Mania, does it ever end?
No, it doesn’t end. But it’s good to know that I’m not the only one obsessed with jars! 🙂
If you do have seeded jam, you can forego the strainer on the cocktail shaker and instead pour into a small mesh strainer over your glass.