September 21st signaled the beginning of fall—but the thing is, summer isn’t ready to hit the road just yet. Temperatures soared over triple digits up north this past weekend, and strawberries, not pumpkins, lined the baskets at my local produce stand. I went in search of something seasonal to dream up a new cocktail with—and strawberries it was.

Whiskey seemed too heavy for the heat, and in the spring I created a bourbon-strawberry cocktail anyhow. Gin seemed like the perfect pairing, and in hopes of creating a variation of the negroni I actually enjoyed, I went to work with my berries.

I skipped the vermouth integral to a classic negroni and instead used the sweetness of the strawberry and tartness of balsamic vinegar to create a similar flavor profile. I could have probably let them soak in the vinegar for an hour or two to the same effect, but instead roasted them for just a few minutes over low heat.

The result is a vaguely sweet but still largely bitter cocktail—Campari can’t be overshadowed by much, so it retains its bite. It felt like the perfect sip for a hot summer day just teetering on the heels of fall.

____________________

Strawberry-Balsamic Negroni
makes 2 cocktails

• 2 oz gin
• 2 oz Campari
• 2 oz strawberry-balsamic syrup (recipe follows)

Assembly
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir rapidly until cold and slightly diluted, about 15 seconds. Double strain into two rocks glass filled with fresh ice. No garnish necessary.

Strawberry-balsamic syrup

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries, quartered
• 3 tbsp balsamic
• 2 tbsp sugar

Combine all ingredients in a skillet over low heat. Stirring frequently, allow sugar to dissolve in the vinegar and strawberries to begin getting mushy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, coaxing as much syrup from the fruit as possible. Makes about enough for two cocktails.

Barware notes: The rocks glass is from Crate & Barrel. The napkin was thrifted. The cast iron was handed down to me from Kyle’s nana (hi Nana!).

____________________

Sip + Skim 
my favorite finds this week, boozy and otherwise

• This post—from the cutest mom ever—on not identifying as a mom really resonated with me. Even though we don’t have kids yet, the eventual intersection (and reckoning) of me and parent occupies many of my wandering thoughts.

• I finally read the uber-hyped book of the summer, The Girls, and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. Cline’s writing is just plain bonkers good. Now I’m reading this (a coming-of-age novel set in NYC? No-brainer) and after that comes this. There will be tears.

• Have you watched the Tony Robbins documentary? I’m pretty sure I spent two hours with my mouth gaping open. Still unclear if I’m repulsed or inspired.

• Next time you’re looking for a thoughtful housewarming gift—which is to say, always—this guide is the ultimate.

• Cocktail inspiration aplenty is crowding my brain at the moment, but I’m itching to get my hands on some Pastis before all else.

• Get your fill of mellow, late summer/early fall jams from the band Bouquet, which I can’t remember how I discovered but am so glad I did.

• Two current favorite blogs: (1) Cake Over Steak—food blogger/artist/jane of so many talents—you’ll do a double-take to decipher her illustrations from photographs; (2) Bev Cooks—her Instagram captions/stories make me giggle, she has two adorable toe-headed twins who she pokes fun at, and her blog is a mashup of awesome. Trust me. (I made this recipe last week and it was 100%.)

• I’m starting a new item called “Things I Recently Added to My Amazon Wishlist”. This vegetable brush is supposed to be the b-e-s-t at scrubbing dishes, and this floss is the chicest dental product since, well, ever. (It comes in coconut and cara cara orange, people!)

• Always on the hunt for new podcasts, I’m getting ready to binge listen to In the Dark, the newest member of the true crime genre—it’s gotten fantastic reviews and has a great digital component to boot.

• Roundups and lists are my favorite—can you tell?—and Undrrated, a weekly compilation of music/reads/links/etc from women you either know or want to know, is a must-open.