Violet Estate Recipe

In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until sugar dissolves and berries begin to burst (about 6–8 minutes). Do not boil vigorously — you want juices released.

Remove from heat. Stir in chamomile flowers and lemon zest. Let the mixture steep, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour to extract floral notes from chamomile.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids (or reserve for syrup). You should have a concentrated fruit infusion.

Stir in apple cider vinegar until fully combined. Taste and adjust acidity: if too sharp, add up to 1–2 tablespoons simple syrup or a pinch more sugar; if too sweet, add a teaspoon more vinegar. Chill the shrub in the refrigerator before using. Yield ~10–12 oz.

Dry shake (no ice) the gin, elderflower liqueur, blueberry-chamomile shrub, fresh lemon juice, aquafaba, and lavender bitters in a cocktail shaker for 20–30 seconds. This builds a stable foam from the aquafaba.

Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for another 15–20 seconds to chill and dilute.

Double strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass using a fine-mesh strainer to remove ice shards and any remaining solids. The foam should be thick and silky on top.

Garnish: thread 4–6 fresh blueberries onto a cocktail pick and rest across the rim or float them on the foam. Add a single edible lavender sprig and a lemon twist laid over the foam. Optional: add a tiny additional dash of lavender bitters on top of the foam for aroma.

Serve immediately. Enjoy the balance of floral elderflower, bright blueberry-chamomile acidity, and silky aquafaba foam.