Fig + Honey Cocktail

I love this cocktail so much.  I don't play around much with figs (I think my childhood hatred of fig newtons put me off of figs), but after making this recipe I really want to explore fig recipes more!  We’ve got folks in our neighborhood with a giant fig tree and I’m always curious as to when they are perfectly ripe… and if they’re actually going to harvest them, cuz I will gladly volunteer. I love the earthy flavors that the figs add to this cocktail, I think they really ground all the flavors, plus I’m a sucker for a bomb looking cocktail garnish.

Fig Puree

• 1 cup fresh figs, rinsed & halved

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons water

• Juice of half lemon

Add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. You can make this ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  Recipe makes enough puree for about 4 cocktails, but you can multiply for larger quantities.

Cocktail recipe

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fig puree

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 2 oz ginger ale

• 1.5 oz gin

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Add the fig puree and honey to a cocktail shaker. Stir it together with a spoon until it is well combined. Add ginger beer, gin, and lemon juice and fill with ice. Shake until frosty and strain the mixture into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a halved, skewered fig!