As I peered into my kitchen at the end of a long week, I craved a craft cocktail to carry me through the weekend. Seeing that I desperately needed to take a trip to the grocery store, my mind began running through the possibilities for dinner. Some leftover naan, cottage cheese, and veggies came together for my take on a meatless pizza—but what to drink?
Then I spotted them. The half-full clamshell of blueberries in my fridge and a few Blood oranges on my counter. And thus, the Blood Orange Blueberry (B.O.B.) Whiskey Sour was born.
This bright and tangy beverage awakens the senses with a flavor combination that may not seem obvious at first, but creates a perfect pairing nonetheless. For my friends who prefer to keep their libations alcohol free, I would bet my bottom dollar that the Blood orange and blueberry purée could be swapped into myriad other beverages. Even added to my sparkling water, I’d say this recipe is a winner!
Such a dynamic flavor combination is merchandising gold in the produce department. I would suggest placing blueberries and Blood oranges near each other somewhere in the store, and maybe round out the display with some Bulleit Bourbon or other beverage accompaniments. You can thank me later.
½ cup fresh-squeezed Blood orange juice
½ cup fresh blueberries
8 oz whiskey
(I recommend Bulleit Bourbon)
4 fresh Blood orange wedges, for garnish
Prep Time: 15 mins
Servings: 4
1. Add the fresh Blood orange juice and blueberries to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a few minutes or until the blueberries become soft.
2. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for at least five minutes. Add to a blender and purée on high until smooth, then let the purée cool completely.
3. Add ½ cup of the purée and 4 oz of whiskey to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until combined.
4. Pour the cocktail into glasses filled with ice and add fresh Blood orange wedges as garnish. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining purée and whiskey, and enjoy!
