What cocktails do you love to drink in the summer? We survived the European heatwave with gin and tonics while traveling through the Amalfi Coast in July, and we love this Italian lemon thyme gin and tonic that we learned to make in Capri. I also love summer cocktails made with fresh strawberries.
Last summer, we took a drive up north on the coast to The Fork at Point Reyes Cheese Farm for one of their famous brunches. Before brunch began, we mingled in the garden as they passed trays full of mason jars filled with strawberry tequila cocktails. Ripe muddled strawberries are a beautiful thing in a cocktail. If you’re a tequila lover, you’ll want to try this refreshing cocktail on a hot day.
The Red and Black would be perfect to make a batch for a BBQ or to sip on at the pool. If you don’t like tequila, you could try switching it for gin or vodka.
Red and Black Cocktails
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 4 ounces ripe strawberries, hulled and halved
- 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ½ cup cooled syrup
- 10 tablespoons blanco tequila
- 2 lime wedges
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine sugar, water, and 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sugar fully dissolves, stirring; this takes about 1 minute. Cool completely. Strain syrup and discard black pepper.
- Muddle strawberries a medium-sized jar. Add lime juice, ½ cup of cooled syrup, and tequila and stir to combine.
- Swipe rims of 2 rock glasses, mason jars, or equivalent 11 or 12-ounce glasses with lime. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar, ¾ teaspoon finely ground black pepper, and salt in a shallow plate and dip rims in it to coat them. Carefully fill glasses with ice. Divide strawberry-tequila mixture between glasses, including the muddled strawberries.