Fresh Strawberry Jus Sparkling Cocktails

A few weekends ago, Alyssa and I were sitting at the dining table chatting about farmer’s markets and berries and sour vs sweet cherries. I’d been lamenting (for at least the millionth time) my aversion to the texture of berries when her eyes lit up- an idea! She’d JUST been perusing Alice Water’s The Art of Simple Food 2 and had come across a perfect, simple recipe for just my challenge: FRESH STRAWBERRY JUS.

Obviously, this was the best idea ever so we scampered off to the farmer’s market to buy a flat of berries and get to work. But how could we make the idea even BETTER? Partner with Mionetto Prosecco to create delightful sparkling cocktails, of course!

To get started making this jus, grab a bunch of strawberries. You’ll need at least a heaping pint to yield about one cup of jus.

Clean your berries as usual, then cut off the tops and blemishes. If you’d like, go ahead and hull them- I tried the jus both ways and it was delicious no matter what. Then, cut the strawberries in half and fill up a quart sized jar about 3/4 full.

The original recipe called for 2 tablespoons of sugar to be added to the berries, but this year’s haul is so sweet it wasn’t even needed! To avoid oversweetening, add only 1 tablespoon of sugar to the boiling process below- you can always add more when the jus is ready.

Now all you’ll need is a little time, a medium/large pot and some patience! Add the jar to the pot and pour in water to cover 2/3 of the jar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let boil for at least 30 to 45 minutes, adding more boiling water if needed.

You’ll need to boil the jar until the berries get very pale and a lot of red liquid is released. The first jus took almost 90 minutes to finish, but my second batch was done in only about 45, so definitely keep an eye on it!

Once you’ve got pale berries, use a cheesecloth or flour sack towel-covered strainer to strain out the jus from the berries. You’ll want to leave the berries to strain for at least an hour or two to make sure all the jus is released.

Pairing this jus with Mionetto Prosecco was just the right idea- it creates simple sparkling cocktails that are plenty fancy, but not just for special occasions! This prosecco cocktail is just the thing for sitting in the backyard with some lady friends, know what I mean?

For each cocktail, add some of the jus to the bottom of the glass. I suggest at least one to two tablespoons to start.

Top off the jus with a pour of chilled Mionetto Prosecco!