HopScotch Tavern from Schardé Vallone on Vimeo.
I will be graduating college on Saturday. I’ve been told that I’ll be the last of the student speakers at commencement because my speech is “uplifting.” It’s all about fulfilled dreams and the creation of new ones, and I’ll be quoting Oscar Wilde. Thankfully, the nerves have yet to set in.
That said, the end
of college also means the end of my Senior Honors Project. I cannot believe
that what began as a mere wisp of an idea has turned into something tangible
and larger than myself. I am so proud of what I have been able to accomplish
with Rubbing Sugar in the last year,
and it’s weird knowing that it’s over and completed. This was definitely one of
my fulfilled dreams over the course of my college career.
But the only thing
completed is the academic portion of my project—I wouldn’t dream of
discontinuing my baking blog. Besides creating Rubbing Sugar for my Senior Honors Project, I really wanted to
create it for myself. I love having a creative outlet involving food,
photography, and writing, and I am so thankful that there have been people
viewing the fruits of my labor. It was so exciting seeing pictures of friends
recreating my recipes.
One of my last
news packages from OC News that I’ll
be posting covers my trip to HopScotch Tavern in Downtown Fullerton. While
there, the manager made me a variation of a hot toddy, and it was delicious. So
I thought I would try to create a drink of my own. And what better way to
celebrate graduation than with a good cocktail?
Blackberries have
been delicious lately—huge and perfectly sweet. I pureed them and combined them
with some fresh mint from my yard and a bit of lemon to make a thick and sweet
Blackberry-Mint Cordial. I must say the color is stunning—a deep, inky purple
with some hints of pink. 
My original plan
was to utilize the cordial to make both a cocktail and a non-alcoholic drink
that would be bubbly and light and perfect for the summertime. I experimented
with club soda, lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, Prosecco and vodka…and then I ran
out of cordial. Consequently, I don’t have a good cocktail recipe to share. But
I think the next time I make my Blackberry-Mint Cordial, I’ll try playing with
Smitten Kitchen’s Blackberry
Gin Fizz. I’ll be sure to share the results, but if any of you experiment
with my cordial recipe in the meantime, please share your recipes with me!
So, here’s to an
ending as well as a new beginning. As my dad would say, “Salute!”
Blackberry-Mint Cordial
Mint Syrup:
1 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. mint leaves, washed
1-3” strip of lemon rind, pith removed
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Blackberry Puree:
2 c. blackberries, washed and dried
1/4 c. sugar
- In a medium saucepot, combine the water, sugar, mint leaves, and the lemon rind and juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the blackberries and remaining 1/4 c. of sugar in a food processor or blender and puree the fruit until smooth.
- Add the puree to the syrup and continue to let the mixture simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring every so often. Take the pot off the heat and let the cordial cool for about five minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a heatproof container (like a glass jar), cover it, and refrigerate it overnight. This will give the cordial the chance to really soak up all the flavors of the mint and lemon as well as to thicken.
- The next day, strain the seeds, mint leaves, and lemon rind out of the cordial and transfer to a clean container.
To serve, place a small amount of blackberry cordial in the
bottom of a glass and then top it off with ginger ale. Give the drink a gentle
stir and adjust the flavors to your liking.
(*Several pictures are screenshots of the Rubbing Sugar promo video by Frank Ramsey, which can be seen here.)
