Blackberry Limeade Food

BLACKBERRY LIMEADE

Steps:

• Lay a double piece of cheesecloth on a nonporous work surface (as the berries will stain a wide array of cutting surfaces and clothes, this may be best done outside or over newspaper and wearing an apron or smock).
• Place the blackberries on top of the cheesecloth and gather into a bundle like a hobo sack.
• Hold the sack of berries over a glass, stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic bowl; twist the top of the sack to squeeze the juice from the berries into the receptacle (this will yield about 1 cup very strong, tart, dark juice).
• Refrigerate the juice until needed; discard the purple mash.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the lime leaf, and the cardamom pod; bring to a boil.
• Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup.
• Remove the lime leaf and cardamom.
• Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then chill it.
• In a 1 quart pitcher, combine the blackberry juice, sugar syrup, and lime juice; stir to combine and then refrigerate until cold.
• To serve, stir the ginger ale into the pitcher; fill glasses with ice, and pour in the blackberry limeade.
• Garnish with slices of lime and blackberries.

SPIKED BLACKBERRY-MARJORAM LIMEADE

Steps:

• Puree blackberries, lime juice, vodka, sugar, and marjoram in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids with a flexible spatula; discard solids. Puree can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Divide puree among 8 ice-filled glasses. Fill with seltzer; stir. Serve, garnished with blackberries, lime wedges, and marjoram.

BLACKBERRY LIMEADE

Steps:

• Stir together all ingredients in a pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Serve over ice.