Dark Sparklers

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Chef Andrea Reusing of The Durham Hotel in Durham, North Carolina, uses peak-season black plums to give the rich syrup in this cocktail its striking deep-purple color. "I just want a cashmere sweater in that color!" she says.

By Andrea Reusing

Updated on September 1, 2015

Active Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Yield:

16 cocktails

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

4 small black plums, quartered and pitted
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Sparkling wine, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the sparkling wine with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the plums are very soft and the syrup is deep purple, about 20 minutes.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. You should have 2 cups. Let the syrup cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
For each cocktail, pour 1 ounce of syrup into a flute and top with sparkling wine.

Make Ahead

The black plum syrup can be refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Originally appeared: September 2015

Dark Sparklers

Ingredients

Directions

Make Ahead

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