Las Vegas Weekly

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Ginger has sprouted in the mixology world like a seed on Miracle-Gro. The ingredient’s rise in popular demand has taken on an Asian flair at the Mirage’s Japonais, where the new Berry-Ginger ($14) brings the kitchen to the cocktail glass.

Fresh blueberries and a touch of caramelized ginger from the pastry chef make this a must for summertime sipping. The refreshing libation was introduced to the menu several months ago by Japonais lounge manager Brandon Jones and is currently one of their biggest sellers. “A lot of drinks use fruit juice and syrups. In Berry-Ginger, I wanted to use all fresh ingredients,” Jones says. “Personally, I like to know what’s in my cocktail and strive to provide that experience for our customers.”

Berry-Ginger

Ingredients:

3 oz. Ty-Ku shochu

1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. agave syrup

8 blueberries

3 slices of cut ginger root

candied ginger (garnish)

Method:

Muddle cut ginger, lime juice and seven blueberries. Add agave syrup and shochu. Shake with ice. Double strain through a Hawthorne strainer and fine strainer into a martini glass. Garnish with one blueberry and a piece of candied ginger.