For the past two Sundays we have been blackberry picking. Last weekend I took the boys out early Father’s Day morning and we had great success. I had my eye on some wild blackberry bushes that we always drove by on the way to preschool. I decided early Sunday morning was the best time to pick since these bushes are on a somewhat busy road with several manufacturing facilities, which means work traffic coming and going.

Father’s Day we managed to pick about a half gallon bucket full of wild blackberries. This time we got about three quarters of a gallon. We took Daddy along which helped. I also wore jeans this time. Picking berries is really a rough activity! I got all scratched up the first time. This time I managed to do better, though my arms still have a few marks. It is a small price to pay for delicious berries!

This time around there were also many more ripe berries. Bigger, juicier….mouth watering delicious. The boys helped too. Okay, they eat more than they actually put in the bucket! We managed to avoid any snakes or major falls which makes it a success! The bushes are near some ditches so there are many obstacles!

What does one do with all these blackberries? Well of course there is blackberry cobbler. We’ve had that twice now (post coming soon). Eat them fresh, in smoothies, freeze some for future use. Then there are cocktails. One of summer’s guilty pleasures, fresh fruit and mint combined to make a refreshing adult beverage.

Josh and I have had a couple different blackberry cocktails thus far this summer. What we make is pretty much a reflection of what we find in the liquor cabinet! This particular cocktail tasted similar to a blackberry mojito. It has the blackberries, fresh mint and rum. There is no simple syrup and instead of plain seltzer I used sparkling limeade. This is quite a tasty and refreshing summer drink. A sit on the porch and relax drink. Enjoy!!

**The boys also enjoy cocktail hour!  This time they had muddled blackberries with strawberry syrup, sparkling lemonade and seltzer.

Blackberry Cocktail
1/2 c. blackberries
5 mint leaves
4 oz. rum
10 oz. sparkling limeade
Blackberries for garnish, if desired

Muddle the blackberries and mint leaves in a mortar and pestle (or you could divide it in half and muddle directly in two glasses). Put the muddled mixture into two glasses, pour in the rum and the limeade. Top with and ice and garnish with a pick of blackberries.

Note: For the ice I prefer to use just one big piece of ice, it melts slower, thus less chance of watering down your tasty beverage. They make special molds for this, however, I find that my square silicone muffin cups work great!

Yields 2 servings