Cocktail Recipe

Spruce up your beverage game and use blackberries to add a burst of seasonal flavor to classic drinks. Peaking in July, these juicy berries provide the perfect touch of sweetness and a stunning color to compliment.

Pro tip: When shopping for this fruit, seek out the deep, purple-colored berries with a glossy finish for optimal ripeness with no trace of bitterness. For storing, do not wash until you are ready to eat because the added moisture can shorten the shelf life and spark decay.

Blackberry Margarita
Makes 1 drink Read more about Berry Best: Use In-Season Blackberries to Up Your Drink Game

Memorial Day weekend is the official kickoff of the bootleg season. Bootlegs are Minnesota’s version of a Mint Julep/Mojito (favored by the Kentucky Derby crowd) and one of our state’s best kept summer cocktail secrets.

The recipe varies from place to place, as does the actual origin of the drink. Many country clubs in town sell bottles of their own bootleg mix, and these vary in color from swampy (fresh mint) to bright green (food coloring), but the basics are lime/lemonade, fresh mint and simple syrup.
Read more about Bootlegs: Minnesota's Twist on a Mint Julep