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Makes
about 2 cups grape syrup; recipe for 1 cocktail
Author Notes
I wish I could think of a sexier title for this drink, because it's balanced and delicious, and I would like to encourage you to try it. I made a batch of grape-thyme syrup this weekend, and then had help from a friend (who is both a cocktail guru and a gin enthusiast) in fashioning this drink. Mix the leftover grape syrup with seltzer and citrus for a healthy, sophisticated soda. —Cristina Sciarra
Test Kitchen Notes
With a delightfully delicious and super easy-to-make grape and thyme syrup, this cocktail is grape, err great! The lemon adds a necessary counterpart to the sweetness of the grapes, while the vinegar adds a touch of zing. The best thing about this cocktail is how impressive it is without any real effort. And the ingredients lend well to experimentation, so you can always add a bit more syrup and less lemon if you want something a bit sweeter. —figgypudding
Ingredients
- Grape-Thyme Syrup
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1 bunch
Concord grapes
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1 cup
sugar
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1 pinch
sea salt
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3 sprigs
thyme
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3 cups
water
- Concord Cocktail
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2 teaspoons
grape-thyme syrup, plus more for the glass
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1 1/2 ounces
gin
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1 1/2 teaspoons
white peach balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon
fresh lemon juice
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1 sprig
thyme
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1 dash
lemon bitters
Directions
- Grape-Thyme Syrup
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Rinse the grapes, and then add them to a medium-large pot, along with the thyme. Pour in the sugar, the pinch of salt, and the water. Turn the heat to medium low, and give everything a little stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
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Let the fruit cook slowly for about 30 minutes, or until the syrup coats the back of a spoon. Strain the grapes and thyme through a sieve, so just the syrup remains. Move the syrup into a glass or bottle, and then into the fridge until chilled. (You can make the syrup the night before; it will store in the fridge for about 5 days.)
- Concord Cocktail
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Spread about a teaspoon of the grape-thyme syrup around the bottom of your glass.
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Add all of the ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake, shake, shake, until the drink is thoroughly chilled. Pour the drink through a strainer, into the the syrup-prepared glass. Enjoy!
Cristina is a writer, cook, and day job real estate developer. She studied literature, holds an MFA in Fiction Writing, and completed the Basic Cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She lives in Jersey City with her husband--a Frenchman she met in Spain--and their sweet black cat, Minou. Follow her writings, recipes, publications and photography at theroamingkitchen.com.
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