Infused Campari With Frozen Berries
Campari, with its burnt, bitter citrus notes and syrupy, almost medicinal character, is not often referred to as “summer”. This special honor belongs to Aperol. But Campari can fly as well as his sweeter cousin. It pairs well with a spritz, but you can turn it into a fruity after-dinner refreshing drink by shaking it with frozen berries.
As you probably know, icy excitement does amazing things for Campari; it aerates and liquefies. And if shaken with frozen berries, the liqueur can be infused with a summer scent and a beautiful gemstone tint.
Frozen berries are best here, not fresh berries. First, they help cool the drink, but they also break down more easily than their fresh counterparts. (The water inside the berries expands upon freezing, tearing the cell walls of the fruit.) Simply shake the campari and berries with a little simple syrup, then add ice and shake again to cool and shake. If you want a frothy drink, simply strain the berry solids after shaking for the first time, then add one large ice cube and shake vigorously again. If you want a thicker, more silky drink, you can leave the solids on before final straining.
Berry-filled campari is good with ice, but you can also add sparkling wine (or soda) for splashing or add to lemonade. Any frozen berries will do – I used a mixture of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries; I would avoid strawberries because they don’t break down either.
To make Campari with Berries, you will need:
- 2 oz Campari
- 1/3 cup frozen berries
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
Add everything to a shaker and shake for about 30 seconds. If you want a more frothy end product, strain the berry solids, then add ice and shake for an additional 30 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a nice glass, add more ice and sip as it is, or add something fizzy on top.