Sparkling Blueberry, Preserved Lemon and Lavender Tonic Cooler
An original aromatic drink that combines a quick blueberry syrup with the savory-salty edge of preserved lemon, culinary lavender, and mild tonic water for a bright, elegant finish.
Ingredients
- 180 g fresh or frozen blueberries (for the jarabe)
- 120 ml water (for the jarabe)
- 70 g sugar (ajustar to taste)
- 2 g dried culinary lavender (no usar lavanda ornamental)
- 20 g preserved lemon (solo the peel, pulpa retirada and chopped fina)
- 45 ml fresh lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 720 ml mild tonic water, well chilled (for completar)
- 400 g ice (approximate, for servir)
- 40 g thin lemon slices (for decorar)
- 40 g extra blueberries (for decorar)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, water, sugar, and dried culinary lavender. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit bursts and the liquid turns deeply colored. If you prefer using temperature, keep it at a gentle simmer around 195-205°F / 90-96°C, without a hard boil.
- 2
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the finely chopped preserved lemon and fresh lemon juice. Let it steep for 5 minutes so the lavender and preserved lemon can infuse the syrup.
- 3
3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing on the blueberries to extract the liquid well. Discard the solids and cool the syrup until lukewarm or cold.
- 4
4. Divide the ice among 4 glasses. Pour the blueberry-lavender syrup evenly into the glasses.
- 5
5. Top each glass with well-chilled mild tonic water and stir gently so the drink keeps its sparkle.
- 6
6. Garnish each glass with thin lemon slices and extra blueberries. Serve immediately while very cold and fizzy, ideally at 38-45°F / 3-7°C.
Chef tips
For a cleaner flavor, lightly rinse the preserved lemon peel before chopping. If you want a stronger floral note, add an extra pinch of lavender, but use it sparingly to avoid bitterness.
Substitutions
You can swap the blueberries for blackberries. Mild tonic water can be replaced with sparkling water if you want less bitterness. The sugar may be replaced with the same amount of fine cane sugar.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageVictorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
Illustrative imageTeakhaus Teak Cutting Board
Stable base for chopping
- Stable surface for chopping
- Gentle on your knife edge
- Hand-wash and let it dry
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