blackberry basil simple syrup (and then the cocktails)

have you seen all the berries? they are like all over the markets right now.

fresh farm, sweet, colorful berries. we can’t get enough.

here’s our problem, i buy to much. and then we don’t eat them. and then they start to go bad. bad as in moldy. moldy as in oh well, this is not going to work anymore.

but i can’t help buying them. sweet morsels of oh so good berries. man. they are just like amazing right now.

you would think i would learn my lesson…nah.

so when i packed lunch for yet another day out i looked at the berries and thought, well, ok, today is the last day but we can’t eat all of these…

so i dumped the rest in a pan and broke out some sugar.

simple syrup made simple with 4 ingredients. and then i made cocktails…it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

blackberry basil simple syrup

• 1 pint blackberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 10 whole basil leaves

1. add everything to a sauté pan and bring to a boil.
2. simmer for 20 minutes, mixing every so often and breaking up the berries.
3. strain into a jar and enjoy!

and for the drink….

blackberry basil spritzers

• 2 tbl blackberry simply syrup
• 1 tbl triple sec
• 1 shot of vodka
• 1/2 cup seltzer
• 1 basil leaf

1. add all but basil leaf to a cup and stir.
2. top with basil leaf and enjoy