“In this cocktail, we infuse Doc Porter’s vodka with blueberries from King’s Drive Farmers Market in Myers Park. Doc Porter’s is a grain-to-glass distillery in Charlotte. They harvest all their grain from a farm in Marshville, then send their spent mash to a local cattle farmer. We play around a lot with lemonade in the summer, and we do a lot with herbs behind the bar, so thyme lemonade just kind of evolved. It’s a super refreshing drink that reflects the peak of summer.” Brian Lorusso, Dogwood Southern Table & Bar, Charlotte
Doc’s Blueberry-Thyme Lemonade
2 ounces blueberry-infused Doc Porter’s vodka
3 ounces thyme lemonade
2 dashes lemon bitters
Blueberry-infused vodka
Freeze 2 pints of blueberries overnight. Place frozen blueberries in a glass container and pour a 750-mL bottle of Doc Porter’s vodka on top. Infuse for a minimum of 2 weeks.*
Thyme Lemonade
Simmer the slices of 8-10 lemons, a handful of fresh thyme sprigs, 1 cup sugar, and 3 cups water until sugar has dissolved. Stir, cool, and strain.*Sugar-Salt RimGrind equal amounts sugar and pink Himalayan sea salt with a few sprigs of thyme, then shake through a mesh strainer.Doc’s Blueberry-Thyme LemonadeRub a sliced lemon around the rim of a Collins glass, then dip into sugar-salt mixture. Fill with ice. Add vodka, lemonade, and bitters, then stir. Garnish with blueberries on a pick or a lemon twist.
