A Berry Good Cocktail

You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, I talked about my appreciation for strawberry season and my morning walks to the fields from my home.  I have enjoyed so many berry treats recently, including the basic shortcake (yes, I purchased the cups from the grocery store!) and angel food cake (again, purchased from the grocery store!) And of course, a cocktail! 

It has been so long since I posted a cocktail recipe and this is a sweet beverage that is perfect for this time of year!  I just enjoyed it poolside, but this would be perfect for a springtime brunch bridal shower or ladies lunch. I gathered a couple of recipes from the internet and combined them and added a little bit of this and took out some of that and here is what I came up with.  

FIZZY STRAWBERRY COCKTAIL

First Make a Puree':

• 2 Cups Strawberries cut in half and hulled (see below)
• 2 TBSPN Sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (I used freshly squeezed, but you can use bottled) 

Mix these items in a blender and mix on the puree' setting for one minute, scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and then puree' for one more minute or so until smooth.

Then add 3 tablespoons of this mixture to the following: 

• 1/2 cup prosecco or sparking wine (I used Sparkling Rose' for the pink color) 
• 1/2 TBSPN lime juice (again, fresh or bottled)
• Ice (You can strain the ice out or leave it in the glass)

This is a very "to taste" recipe, you can choose your own sparkling wine, or even champagne! Add more or less lime juice and even add blueberries, sliced limes or lemons.  You could make it a mocktail by mixing it with lemon-lime soda or a sparkling water instead of wine. The leftover puree' can be drizzled over pound cake or ice cream. Just be sure to refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any).  I wish I could tell you how long it will keep, but it doesn't last that long at my house! 

If you do not know how to "hull" a strawberry just stick a plastic drink straw through the bottom of the strawberry pushing the leaves and hull through the top.  Super easy, especially with smaller strawberries!

Strawberry season is coming to an end in my area.  I am really going to miss the sweet berries from this field, and the nice morning walks to the farm, but as soon as this season is over, they plant the pumpkin seeds in the adjacent fields. Fall morning walks include looking at a great variety of beautiful pumpkins and resisting just one more pumpkin to my décor! 

I hope you have a "berry good" day!  (Okay- the end of strawberry season is an end to the "berry" jokes.  Probably....)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Cynthia