CRAFT by Under My Host® Issue No. 17 Made in America: Part II | Page 66

W W W. C R A F T BY U M H . C O M
SHE’S MY CHERRY PIE
Makes 6 drinks
Like a cherry pie or cobbler tricked out with spicy ginger and robust molasses, this
punch bubbles with ripe, fruity flavors that are sharpened with a touch of mouth-puck-
ering lemon and fizzy kombucha. Created by Shaun Gordon of 18.21 Bitters and the
James Room in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s the perfect offering for a barbecue on a swelter-
ing summer day. Keep in mind that the drink will continue to dilute as it sits on ice. 
36 pitted ripe cherries 
1 (3-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 
18 ounces water 
6 ounces fresh lemon juice 
4 ½ ounces 1:1 simple syrup (recipe follows) 
¾ ounce blackstrap molasses 
12 ounces light rum 
12 ounces chilled ginger-berry kombucha (such as GT’s Synergy Gingerberry) 
GARNISH: 6 cocktail picks, each speared with cherry and lemon twist 
Combine cherries, ginger, water, lemon juice, simple syrup, and molasses in a blender
and blend until uniform. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a 3-quart pitcher. Stir
in rum and refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 hours. 
When ready to serve, stir refrigerated mix well. Pour in kombucha and give the mixture
another brief, gentle stir. Add ice to pitcher and pour into ice-filled punch or collins
glasses, garnishing each glass with a speared cherry and lemon twist. 
SIMPLE SYRUP: IT’S SIMPLE 
Many folks are intimidated by the idea of simple syrup. It’s time to get over our fears:
no one wants a grainy mouthful of sugar in their drink. Plus, making simple syrup is
actually crazy easy, especially if you happen to have a resealable jar (such as a mason
jar) around. For 1:1 simple syrup, add equal parts sugar and hot water, seal, and shake
until dissolved. Let cool before using and store for up to several weeks in the fridge.
For 2:1 simple syrup, mix two parts sugar to one part hot water and proceed as above.
Easy-peasy.
Your simple syrup needn’t be so basic, though; many grocery stores offer entire shelves
of different types of sugar. Less-processed cane, turbinado, and demerara are a few
great ways to add a touch more complexity to your drinks.
Reprinted with permission from The One-Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients
and a Single Spirit by Maggie Hoffman, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of
Penguin Random House.