Sparkling Blackberry Limeade

In the summer, I really can’t get enough cold, fruity drinks.  They just scream summer to me.   When I’m having one, I can pretend I’m on vacation at a fancy beach drinking a fancy cocktail with my very good-looking husband (that part isn’t pretend, BK!).  Then I finish and see I’m on my deck and remember that I really need to do laundry because wearing a bathing suit to work isn’t an option, unfortunately.   Oh well.

Sometimes an adult cocktail is perfect, but sometimes I want to cool off without falling asleep like the adult cocktails sometimes (ok, often) cause me to do.  This recipe is one that tasted even better than I thought it would.  BK and I drank the entire pitcher in one day, and wished we had more.  The fresh blackberries and lime come together and are refreshing and delicious…we will be making this again very soon.

I used seltzer water instead of flat water and I don’t think I’d make it any other way.  You certainly could though!  I also decreased the range of sugar in the recipe because even though our blackberries weren’t that sweet, I wish I had added a bit less sugar.  I’d suggest starting with a smaller amount and tasting it as you go.

So drink this next weekend and pretend to be in the Caribbean.  I know I will.

Ingredients:

1 cup flat water
5 cups seltzer water
3 cups fresh blackberries
½ to 1 cup sugar
⅔ cup fresh lime juice
Lime wedges and fresh blackberries, for serving

Directions:

Blend the blackberries and flat water together until smooth.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher.  Add the seltzer water, sugar and lime juice to the pitcher.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish each with a lime wedge and a few blackberries, if desired.

Adapted from My Recipes, via Cook Like A Champion.