Fresh blackberry-mint purée, pineapple juice, lime & sparkling water — Saffron Milwaukee
Saffron Milwaukee's mocktail menu is built around the idea that Indian flavour sensibilities — the layering of sweet, sour, and aromatic — translate beautifully into non-alcoholic drinks. The Blackberry Mint Colada uses no coconut cream (unusual for the colada format) and instead relies on the pineapple's natural richness and the mint-blackberry combination for its complexity. The result is lighter and more refreshing than a traditional piña colada while maintaining the same tropical-drinks DNA.
Fresh blackberries will give a brighter, more complex flavour than frozen, but frozen work well year-round. Press firmly when muddling — you want all the juice and seeds crushed. The seeds give the drink texture and depth. If the drink is too tart, increase the simple syrup slightly. Fresh-pressed pineapple juice makes this drink notably better than carton juice.
Saffron Modern Indian Dining in downtown Milwaukee is a genuine anomaly — a restaurant that brings the sophistication of a major-city Indian cocktail programme to the American Midwest. The bar team works with the kitchen to create drinks that draw on the same ingredients and traditions, making Saffron one of the most complete Indian dining experiences in the country.
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