Blended fruits create summery drink
Restaurant Eugene’s South for the Winter was a pleasant surprise. It has an appealing sweet and refreshing flavor akin to a basket of ripe, juicy berries on a summer’s day, a drink that will keep you coming back for more. Their Eugene Cup #1 was crisp and assertive on my palate. A wonderful blend of sweet fruit countered by the warmth and spiciness of the Pimm’s #1 and ginger ale. A combination sure to make this drink a crowd pleaser when entertaining and a go-to personal choice as the summer approaches. Will they share the recipes? — Aubrey Lenyard, Decatur
Sadly, Restaurant Eugene is no more, but Hopkins & Co. beverage director Alicia Yandell shared these recipes from earlier times.
South for the Winter
Make strawberry puree by blending fresh strawberries with just enough sugar to sweeten to taste. Add a pinch of salt as well. A pint of strawberries will yield about 1 cup of puree, enough for just shy of 6 cocktails.
- 1 1/2 ounces strawberry puree
- 3/4 ounce Mint Simple Syrup (see recipe)
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- Soda
- Mint sprig, for garnish
- Fill a shaker with ice and combine puree, simple syrup and lime juice. Shake and then strain into a large rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Top with a splash of soda and garnish with mint. Serves: 1
Nutritional information
Per serving: 45 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), trace protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium.Eugene Cup #1
The seasonal fruit puree called for here is indeed that, seasonal. Depending on when you enjoyed this drink at Restaurant Eugene, the pureed fruit might have been peach, melon, plum, apricot, fig or strawberry, or whatever else was ripe and delicious.
- 2 ounces Pimm’s #1
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce Garden Simple Syrup (see recipe)
- 1/2 ounce seasonal fruit puree
- Ginger ale
- Cucumber slice, mint and lemon slice, for garnish
- In a cocktail shaker, combine Pimm’s, lemon juice, simple syrup and fruit puree. Shake and pour into a Collins glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with cucumber slice, mint and lemon slice. Serves: 1
Nutritional information
Per serving: 204 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium.Mint or Garden Simple Syrup
The herb or herbs you add to this syrup determine which cocktail it matches.
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- Small handful mint or small handful mixed herbs such as marjoram, mint, bronze fennel, oregano, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a simmer, stirring. When sugar is dissolved, add mint or mixed herbs and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain, discard herbs, and refrigerate until needed. Makes: 1 1/2 cups
Nutritional information
Per serving: (1 tablespoon) 33 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), trace protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodiumFrom the menu of … Restaurant Eugene (now closed), 2277 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. https://hopkins-co.com/
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you'd like to make at home? Tell us and we'll try to get it. We'll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put "From the menu of" and the name of restaurant in the subject line.
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