I’m so glad that it’s time for me to share another cocktail recipe here on Just Us Four because this Plum Thyme Smash is so good it has to be shared! This drink was inspired by two of my favorite summertime events- a trip to our local orchard and my wedding anniversary.
I’ll get to how those two things resulted in the most delicious drink ever (hint, hint, it involves bourbon), but first let me introduce myself! I’m Christin, and by now you may know me as the monthly cocktail contributor here on Shannah’s blog. I’m also the cupcake baker, cocktail shaker, and picture taker behind the blog Blue Crab Martini. I’d love it if you stopped by to visit me sometime! You can follow my kitchen adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Last week we ventured out to the local U-pick orchard in search of summer’s finest peaches, but instead we came home with a big basket of plums! We were making our way through the endless rows of peach trees when we spotted them- trees so loaded with ripe, purple plums that their branches touched the ground. Of course we snagged some peaches, but plenty of these juicy treats made their way into our basket too!
Would you look at those ripe and juicy plums?! Yum!
It just so happens that the very next day was also my 9th wedding anniversary (I’m still trying to figure out how nine whole years have flown by, whew). It was the middle of the week and going out to eat wasn’t an option, so I decided to bring the restaurant to us instead! I went all fancy-pants to impress my hubby and made a three course meal complete with a corn chowder starter, a main dish with sweet potato grits and ancho chili grilled shrimp, and finished it off with homemade peach sorbet.
Just like any fine restaurant, our meal needed a special cocktail to marry all of the flavors together. Bourbon is one of my hubby’s favorites and since we had an abundance of fresh plums, I decided to combine the two and see what I could shake up.
This Plum Thyme Smash is a refreshing way to let summer linger on just a bit. You can use any variety of plums (I’ve tried it with two different varieties and both were equally tasty). Aside from the fresh plums and bourbon, there is another element that makes this drink so tasty- a homemade thyme infused simple syrup. The tangy plums mixed with herbal, fresh, earthy thyme makes for a truly unique flavor combination
Sipping on this Plum Thyme Smash made our anniversary extra sweet, and I hope you’ll share it with your special someone too! Cheers!
- 5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 plums, any variety but the riper the better
- 4 oz bourbon
- To make the thyme simple syrup, begin by combining the water and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved, then remove from heat and add in the thyme sprigs. Let the syrup cool. Can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for several days.
- To make the Plum Thyme Smash, add the plums and 2-3 TBS of the thyme simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until the plums are broken down and all of the juice has been extracted.
- Add the bourbon and fill the shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled.
- Then pour the drink mixture into two ice filled glasses.
- Garnish with a slice of plum and a sprig of thyme. Cheers!
