IMAGE ©Risa Weaver-Enion - Risa James Photography

Purple Haze

Name: Purple Haze
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1 SERVING |
Ingredients: dried buttefly pea flowers; gin; fresh lemon juice; simple syrup; egg white

A Gin Cocktail Recipe

a cocktail recipe

	dried buttefly pea flowers
	gin
	fresh lemon juice
	simple syrup
	egg white

Purple Haze

A Gin Cocktail Recipe

a cocktail recipe

by Risa Weaver-Enion

risajamesphoto.com

Risa Weaver-Enion is a professional photographer based in Sacramento, California. Through her company Risa James Photography, she specializes in food and beverage photography, specifically cocktails. She works with small distilleries, wineries, and purveyors of cocktail accessories to create beautiful imagery for them to use in their marketing efforts. Her book, Cocktails for Everyday Drinking, was published in 2022 and is available at all online booksellers.
When she’s not photographing cocktails, Risa and her husband love to travel, both within the United States and internationally. Many of their trips have been wine-focused, but they’ve visited their fair share of distilleries around the world as well.
Anyone who wants to reach out to Risa to ask questions about photography, cocktails, or anything else, can find her on Instagram @risajamesphotography, on the web at risajamesphoto.com, or over email at risajamesphoto [at] gmail.com. She’s always happy to answer questions and give advice.

Everyone loves a vibrantly colored cocktail, and purple is easy to achieve without artificial coloring. You simply use dried butterfly pea flower to infuse your spirit, and you can achieve varying hues of purple. Combining the purple spirit with lime or lemon juice changes the pH to turn it a different shade of blue/purple.

TIME (ACTIVE) | 10 M
TIME (INACTIVE) | 30 M
TOTAL | 40 M

1 SERVING

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
JAR WITH A LID
CHEESECLOTH
FUNNEL
COCKTAIL SHAKER WITH STRAINER
JIGGER

To make purple gin, combine 1 tablespoon dried whole butterfly pea flowers with just over 4 ounces of gin in a small glass jar (this is enough for two cocktails). Close the lid and swirl. Steep for 10-30 minutes. The longer it steeps, the deeper purple it will become.

After reaching your desired color, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined funnel into a clean glass jar or bottle. Squeeze the flowers to release any absorbed gin. Discard the flowers and cheesecloth.

To make the cocktail, combine 2 ounces infused gin, 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, and 1 egg white in a cocktail shaker. Close the shaker tightly and shake (without ice) for about 30 seconds. Immediately remove the shaker top (so it doesn't explode) and add several ice cubes.

Tightly close the shaker and shake again for about 30 seconds. Immediately remove the shaker top and double-strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass or coupe. Garnish with a few dried whole butterfly pea flowers.

Drink cocktail immediately. Infused gin will keep indefinitely but the color will fade over time.

Simple syrup is an equal parts mixture of granulated sugar and hot water. Mix equal amounts together, stir to dissolve sugar, and let cool before using. Simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to about 3 weeks.

If you are vegan you can substitute aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) or an artificial foaming agent for the egg white.

4.8

butterfly pea flower

whole

This natural food colorant infuses a brilliant blue color into liquids. The further addition of acids like lemon juice will shift the color to purple!

0.3 oz - JAR$4

0.3 oz - REFILL$3

1.5 oz - REFILL$9

0.3 oz - JAR $4

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