The black & brut cocktail

Being a food blogger has a couple of side effects on your lifestyle. You constantly covet the brunch table with the most natural light. You spend an inordinate amount of time hovering around the produce section trying to decide whether the red or yellow pepper will look best in your photos.  You get recognized at bars a couple of times, and start thinking you are WAY cooler than you actually are. And you get a hell of a lot of email.

For me, most of the email comes from readers. Strong, hopeful readers who identify with the struggles I wrote about during my divorce, and want to share their stories. But every once in a while,  I’ll get emails from brands.

Usually it’s pretty irrelevant. (Apparently, my blog is in high demand to promote sex toys.) But when two classy, yet boozy brands invite me to participate in a COCKTAIL MAKING CHALLENGE that comes with an after party, I do not hesitate to accept.

Because I’m not a crazy person.

The entry you are reading is in no way funded by the Veuve Ambal and Hella Bitters, only the ingredients provided are. The commentary, recipe, and responsibility for tipsy-ness are my own.

I wear them proudly.

I’m not ashamed to tell you that making this cocktail was a messy process. Like, getting drunk on taste testing, throwing a minor hissy fit, and cleaning the kitchen thrice kind of messy. But I wanted this cocktail to really shine, and I wasn’t going to stop until it was perfect.

No matter how many cocktails I had to drink myself.

No matter how many naps I had to take to sleep off my taste testing hangover.

This was a journey I needed to take. Alone.

A war zone of ingredients later, I could not be more thrilled with this Black & Brut. The blackberry is delightfully ripe and in season for spring. The floral notes in the St. Germain perfectly tie the bitter to the bubble. I drank three of these babies in one sitting and contemplated going back for more.

I am seriously in love, you guys. You have got to try this. This is not a drill.

In any case, I am so glad that this competition happened and honored that Veuve Ambal and Hella Bitters chose me to participate. Thank you. You made this all possible. Look at this beautiful cocktail baby we just birthed together.

…too far? Too far.

Moving on… drink responsibly. And never use me as your life model. Except now, because I made this cocktail, and you should, too.