I don’t often have a lot of time to experiment with food or drink creations, nor would I call myself a chef in anyway whatsoever, but I do still enjoy indulging in things I actually have to prepare a little instead of simply throwing something in the microwave. While I’m not as creative when it comes to food, I have been a bit more adventurous when it comes to drinks.

And so, thanks to my various open assignments that have largely been gravitating toward food photography, I happened to have some fresh ingredients lying around that I wouldn’t normally buy for myself, at least not together in one shopping trip, and in my attempt to find something to do with blueberries and rosemary, I created this drink.

The Blackberry Mule is a play on a Moscow Mule, although instead of using vodka, the main alcohol in this one is gin. It also uses a type of ginger ale that, from my understanding, can sometimes be difficult to find. But if you can find it, or something similar, it is definitely worth it.

Another key ingredient is going to be a bit of a product plug for a local microbrewery. If you’re ever in the Eastern Ontario region, stop by Top Shelf distillery in Perth, Ontario. They have a wide range of hard alcohols - most known for their gin and vodka - but some of their lesser-known products that I absolutely love are their bitters. They have such a range of unique and intriguing flavours, but one that I’ve found myself using quite frequently is the lavender one. It’s subtle, but still just noticeable enough to really give this cocktail some distinctness.

So without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients: