Have you been out of town lately? Perhaps to a nice restaurant in some city much bigger than our humble home in the Golden Triangle? Did you go to all the nicest restaurants and order a decadent cocktail that cost about $16? I certainly did – on a girls’ trip to Atlanta.

Absolutely ridiculous price for a single drink, I know, but hear me out! I was perusing the menu innocently enough when my eyes landed upon something I just couldn’t resist. A Lemon Curd Fizz Cocktail – something completely novel to me. I’m an absolute sucker for citrus anything too, and with my favorite standard cocktail being a lemon drop martini, I knew this would be money well spent (in my personal opinion, okay).

To be so unique, it was made with just a few ingredients: real lemon curd, lemon juice, gin and soda water.

Four ingredients made this insanely juicy, sweet and sharp all-in-one cocktail that I’ve been thinking about for weeks now. Citrus lovers, rejoice.

Now that I’m back home in the world of semi-affordable living and mostly average cocktails, I decided to try my hand at my own unique, slightly jammy drink. Don’t get me wrong, we have some great bartenders and drinks available in our area, but there’s nothing like being able to order something you’ve never even seen offered on a menu.

But now, let’s make it happen in your own kitchen using a formula I’ve developed through trial and error.

First things first, got any preserves or jams hanging out in your fridge?

Anything from raspberry jam to strawberry preserves to even a fig butter (or, apparently, lemon curd) can be used in this little cocktail formula. Even hot and spicy jellies can make a great addition.

That’s right, jam and preserves are not just for spreading on toast.

For balance, almost every cocktail includes a sweet element, whether that’s simple syrup, vermouth, a liqueur or a sweet garnish rim.

Sugar, even in small amounts, enhances flavor. In a jam cocktail, the sugar from the jam or preserves provides sweetness, while the fruit adds flavor.

Jam also brings a bit of natural tartness, which pairs well in a sour. That combination can be especially effective.

For sour cocktails using the basic ratio of 2 parts spirit to 1 part sweet to 1 part sour, you’ll need to reduce the sour component slightly because jam and preserves already contain acidity.

In some cocktails, especially those using homemade blackberry or raspberry jam with noticeable tartness, you may use even less sour. In others, such as those made with sweeter strawberry jam, you may keep the ratio closer to the classic formula. Some experimentation is required, but at least you get to drink the results.

Now that we’ve got through a little bit of flavor explanation, let’s talk formulas. For a sour, combine 2 ounces spirit, 1/2 to 1 ounce citrus juice, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons jam or preserves and, if needed, 2 to 3 dashes of bitters. Add to a shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10 to 12 seconds and strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. For more on sour cocktails and their structure, head here.

If serving in a coupe or other up glass, double strain through a fine-mesh strainer. At home, a single strain is usually fine. Often it will take you longer to strain or double strain your cocktail than it did to make it. Since fruit jams and preserves have lots of pulp and whole fruit pieces in them, they can block the liquid straining out of the cocktail shaker. Be patient. Get what you can. And don’t be afraid to bump up your recipe a little if you find you have less cocktail than you wanted.

For a spirit-forward cocktail, combine 2 ounces spirit, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons jam or preserves and 2 to 3 dashes of bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake for 10 to 12 seconds, then strain into a chilled rocks glass over ice. You’re essentially just leaving out the extra juice, whether it be lemon, lime, etc.

Because jam is thicker than typical mixers, these cocktails should be shaken rather than stirred. A strong shake helps fully incorporate the jam into the drink, leaving you without floating pieces of preserves (something I’ve had happen during my own experiments.)

I know it sounds novel, but thankfully this is one of those times when it’s hard to go wrong with your experiment. You’ll almost always end up with something delicious. But my top tip is stick to jams, preserves, or fruit butters – don’t use jellies. They simply aren’t able to dissolve and pair with your spirits the same.

Armed with this basic formula, you’ll never see that near-empty jar of Bonne Maman the same ever again. For me, I had Maman’s Wild Blueberry preserves on hand so I whipped up a lemony, blueberry sour.

The wild blueberry preserves bring sweetness and a deep, jammy fruit note, while the lemon juice cuts through with brightness – exactly what the formula aims for. The vodka keeps it clean and straightforward, and the club soda stretches everything into something light, fizzy and a little dangerous in how easy it goes down.

What will you try first?

WILD BLUEBERRY BONNE MAMAN LEMON SOUR

Ingredients:
2 oz. Cathead Vodka
1 1/2 tbsp Bonne Maman Wild Blueberry Preserves
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
Club soda, to top
Ice
Optional: lemon wheel or blueberries for garnish
Instructions

Directions:
■ Add vodka, wild blueberry preserves and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
■ Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds. You want that jam fully broken down and incorporated – no lazy shaking here.
■ Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda and give it a gentle stir to lift everything together.
■ Garnish with a lemon wheel, a few blueberries or both if you’re feeling extra.

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