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Bon Appétit

Grape-Tarragon Spritzer

By Bryant Terry
Grape Tarragon Spritzer recipe
Photo by Oriana Koren, food styling by Lillian Kang, prop styling by Jillian Knox

This flavorful drink is perfect for a fall garden party. The idea for it came about after I used frozen grapes from our freezer to cool down some sparkling water since we didn’t have any ice. The anise-like flavor of tarragon syrup goes well with sweet, refreshing grape juice. Topping off the concentrate with sparkling water and adding frozen grapes makes it a modern, fun treat. —Bryant Terry

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients

Tarragon Syrup

1 cup raw sugar
¼ cup (packed) finely chopped tarragon

Spritzer

1½ lb. seedless red grapes, preferably organic
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 cups sparkling water, chilled until almost frozen
Tarragon sprigs (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Tarragon Syrup

    Step 1

    Heat raw sugar, tarragon, and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until mixture is hot to the touch and sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container or small bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 30 minutes.

    Do ahead: Syrup can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.

  2. SPRITZER

    Step 2

    Freeze one third of grapes on a large plate until frozen solid, about 3 hours.

    Step 3

    Purée remaining grapes in a blender until mostly smooth. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing on solids to release as much juice as possible; discard solids. (You should have about 1¼ cups juice.)

    Step 4

    Stir in lemon juice and ¼ cup tarragon syrup. Pour in sparkling water and stir gently to combine. Taste and add more syrup if needed to sweeten further.

    Step 5

    To serve, place a handful of frozen grapes in each glass, pour in spritzer, and garnish each with a tarragon sprig.

Cover of Byrant Terry's Black Food cookbook
Adapted with permission from Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes From Across the African Diaspora by Bryant Terry (4 Color Books). Copyright © 2021.

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TagsCold DrinkBeveragesTarragonHerbs & SpicesGrapeFruitFallSummerEasy5 Ingredients or FewerVeganVegetarianNonalcoholicSimmerBon Appétit
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