Blackberry Limeade Recipes

Steps:

• Muddle 2 cups blackberries with 2 cups simple syrup (recipe follows) in a pitcher. Stir in 2 cups each fresh lemon juice and water; add ice and lemon slices.
• Simple Syrup: To make 2 cups simple syrup, bring 1 1/2cups each sugar and water to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Let cool.

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup blackberries, water, 1/2 cup sugar, zest and juice of 1 lime, and saffron in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Pour 2 tablespoons sugar on a saucer. Dip rim of champagne glasses in lime juice and dip in sugar to create a sugar-rimmed glass.
• Pour 1 tablespoon syrup into each champagne glass and top with about 4 ounces sparkling wine. Garnish with a blackberry and lime wedge.

Steps:

• Puree blackberries, lime juice, vodka, sugar, and marjoram in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids with a flexible spatula; discard solids. Puree can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Divide puree among 8 ice-filled glasses. Fill with seltzer; stir. Serve, garnished with blackberries, lime wedges, and marjoram.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups water and sugar to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and remaining water; cool slightly., In a blender, combine 1 cup of lemon mixture and the blackberries; cover and process until blended. Strain and discard seeds. Pour blackberry mixture and remaining lemon mixture into a pitcher; stir well. Add food coloring if desired. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve in chilled glasses over ice.

Steps:

• Lay a double piece of cheesecloth on a nonporous work surface (as the berries will stain a wide array of cutting surfaces and clothes, this may be best done outside or over newspaper and wearing an apron or smock).
• Place the blackberries on top of the cheesecloth and gather into a bundle like a hobo sack.
• Hold the sack of berries over a glass, stainless steel, plastic, or ceramic bowl; twist the top of the sack to squeeze the juice from the berries into the receptacle (this will yield about 1 cup very strong, tart, dark juice).
• Refrigerate the juice until needed; discard the purple mash.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the lime leaf, and the cardamom pod; bring to a boil.
• Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to a thin syrup.
• Remove the lime leaf and cardamom.
• Allow the sugar syrup to cool and then chill it.
• In a 1 quart pitcher, combine the blackberry juice, sugar syrup, and lime juice; stir to combine and then refrigerate until cold.
• To serve, stir the ginger ale into the pitcher; fill glasses with ice, and pour in the blackberry limeade.
• Garnish with slices of lime and blackberries.