Photo : Claire Lower

Campari, with its burnt, bitter citrus notes and syrupy, almost medicinal character, is not often thought of as “summery.” That particular honor belongs to Aperol. But Campari can do summer just as well as its sweeter cousin. It goes great in a spritz, but you can fashion it into a fruity, refreshing after-dinner sipper by shaking it with frozen berries.

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As you are probably aware, icy agitation does marvelous things to Campari; it aerates and dilutes. And, if you shake it with some frozen berries, you can infuse the liqueur with summery flavor and a beautiful jewel-toned hue.

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Frozen berries, not fresh, work best here. For one, they help chill the drink, but they also break down more easily than their fresh counter parts. (The water inside the berries expands as it freezes, rupturing the fruit’s cellular walls.) Just shake the Campari and berries with a little simple syrup to infuse, then add ice and shake again to chill and agitate. If you want a frothy, fluffy beverage, just strain the berry solids after the first shake, then add a single, large ice cube and shake vigorously once more. If you want a denser, silkier drink, you can leave the solids in until the final strain.

Berry-infused Campari is good over ice, but you could also top it with sparkling wine (or soda water) for a spritz, or stir it into lemonade. Any frozen berries will do—I used a mixture of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; I would avoid strawberries, as they don’t break down as well.

To make berry-infused Campari, you will need:

2 ounces Campari

1/3 cup frozen berries

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Add everything to a shaker and shake for about 30 seconds. Strain out the berry solids if you want a frothier end product, then add ice and shake for another 30 seconds. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a pretty glass, add more ice, and sip as is or top with something fizzy.

Source: Lifehacker.com

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