The Black Nebula Spritz - A Heritage Carrot Cocktail

The Black Nebula Spritz ... An elegant aperitif inspired by a heritage carrot, an old family recipe and a neighbour's garden.

Some recipes begin with a carefully planned shopping list, The Black Nebula Spritz begin with a message from a neighbour ...

Whenever Beverley invites me round to try something from her garden, I know I'm in for something a little out of the ordinary. This week, she shared a photograph of freshly pulled Black Nebula carrots on Facebook and casually announced that I was going to create something with them ... No pressure then.

I'd never cooked with Black Nebula carrots before. At first glance, they have deep aubergine skins, vivid purple stems but once sliced, they reveal an pretty jewel-like centre that seems too vibrant to belong to a humble root vegetable. Curiosity got the better of us and we tasted one ... The flavour surprised me. Sweet at first, then gently earthy with a pleasant bitterness that lingered on the palate. It instantly reminded me of the bittersweet elegance of classic Italian aperitifs. This wasn't a carrot destined to disappear into a roasting tray. It deserved to be the centre of attention.

As I carried them into the kitchen, another memory quietly appeared. Suddenly I was back in my Gran's kitchen. Shelves lined with homemade hedgerow wines, elderflower champagne and every imaginable country concoction quietly bubbling away in demijohns. Nothing was wasted. Every season offered another experiment. One of my favourites was her carrot whisky ... I also remember my cousin and me discovering that it was considerably more potent than we'd anticipated, resulting in two rather giggly twenty-somethings hiding beneath the dining room table. All I can say is ... It was good stuff.

Those memories stayed with me as I started experimenting. Instead of creating a side dish, I wanted to capture that same spirit of curiosity in a glass. The carrots were gently simmered with fennel and fresh orange peel, transforming into an intensely dark purple coloured syrup. Finished with dry vermouth, prosecco and a splash of sparkling water, it became something unexpectedly elegant ... A little Somerset ... A little Italy ... And somehow, it felt as though it belonged at a 1930s cocktail party.

Perhaps that's the joy of heritage vegetables. They quietly carry stories with them.

Sometimes they tell stories of forgotten varieties and old gardens. Sometimes they remind us of grandparents who never measured anything, yet somehow always knew exactly what they were doing. And sometimes ... they become a cocktail.

The Black Nebula Spritz

Serves 2

For the Black Carrot Syrup

Ingredients

• 190g Black Nebula carrots, scrubbed and sliced

• 300ml water

• ¼ small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 120g caster sugar

• 2 strips of orange peel

  
  

Method

1. Place the carrots, fennel, orange peel and water into a saucepan.

2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the carrots are completely tender.

3. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20–30 minutes.

4. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin without pressing too hard.

5. Return the liquid to the pan and stir in the sugar over a gentle heat until dissolved.

6. Cool completely before bottling.

   
   

The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for around two weeks.

To Make the Spritz

Ingredients

• 30ml Black Carrot Syrup

• 20ml dry vermouth

• 100ml prosecco

• 30ml chilled sparkling water

• Ice

• Squeeze of lemon juice

• Orange peel twist

Method

Fill a gin glass generously with ice.

Pour over the Black Carrot Syrup, followed by the dry vermouth. Top with chilled prosecco and finish with a splash of sparkling water and squeeze of lemon juice.

Express the oils from an orange twist over the glass before dropping it into the drink.

Serve immediately.

Jo's Kitchen Notes

Huge thanks to Beverley for growing such wonderful produce and for keeping my kitchen supplied with ingredients I'd probably never think to buy myself. Some of my favourite recipes have started with a simple message saying,

"I've got something I think you'll like..."