Cocktail of the Month: Blues Traveler

Earlier this month, I watched an old recording of Blues Traveler playing their self referential, meta mega-hit “Hook” in studio for Howard Stern. As May progressed, I knew I wanted to feature blueberries and bourbon for my first cocktail.

Somewhere along the line, the two ideas melded in my head. The blueberries and the Blues Traveler.

If John Popper were a drink, I'd like to think he’d have a little something sweet and a little something bitter and be oh-so-velvety smooth. Thus, I created this robust blueberry concoction for you to sip as we usher in summer. Enjoy and here’s hoping the hook will bring you back. Eh? See what I did there?

The Blues Traveler

2 oz bourbon*

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz blueberry puree OR 6ish blueberries macerated into .75 oz of simple syrup

.25 oz amaro (nonino is my favorite, but use what you have, and if you don’t have any, you can skip this. I did my first run of this cocktail sans amaro and it tasted just fine)

1 egg white

5-6 basil leaves

Ice

• Muddle basil leaves at the bottom of your shaker tin, reserving one for garnish

  
  

• Add the liquors, purée, citrus juice, and egg white into the tin and dry shake. (For those non-mixologists, a DRY SHAKE is when you shake your ingredients vigorously WITHOUT ice. This froths the egg white, lending a smooth mouthfeel and a cocktail with a beautiful foam atop.) Please don't fear the egg white. I promise it's safe and delicious and worth it.

  
  

• Add ice to shaker and shake again

  
  

• Strain into a chilled coup glass (if using fresh blueberries, you may want to double strain to avoid any chunks)

• Garnish with a basil leaf and blueberries

*A note on bourbon: I prefer Angel’s Envy, Bulleit, or Woodford for mixed drinks because they’re dynamic, quality spirits without being so expensive that it negates logic to bury them in a cocktail. They're also in the 85-90 proof range, meaning they add flavor without adding heat. Use your favorite—or try tequila or gin if those are more your flavor. There's actually a whiskey called Traveller (that's Traveller with two Ls, where as Blues Traveler only uses one—the english language is fun, ain't it?). Feel free to make this cocktail the Traveller Blues Traveler if you want to be extra meta. Personally, I had to draw the line somewhere.