When our market garden strawberries are at their best, even the tops deserve a moment in the spotlight.
This vibrant seasonal Negroni puts a playful zero-waste spin on the Italian classic, transforming often-discarded strawberry tops into a fragrant infusion of bitter aperitifs. The result is a bright, ruby-hued cocktail bursting with sunny berry aromas, gentle bitterness and a softer, fruity finish – proof that the most delicious summer ingredients are the ones that leave nothing to waste.
For the Strawberry Top Bitter Aperitivo (700ml batch)*
To make the cocktail
Combine the Campari and Vault Bitter in a measuring jug with a capacity of at least 700ml, then add the reserved strawberry tops. Leave to infuse for approximately 36 hours, then strain through a fine sieve into an empty glass bottle, discarding the strawberry tops.
To make the cocktail, add the Cotswolds Dry Gin, Strawberry Top Bitter Aperitivo and Vault Forest Vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for 15–20 seconds until chilled.
Pour into a rocks glass over a large block of clear ice and garnish with a fresh strawberry.
Long before they reach the plate, our tomatoes begin in the warm soil of the market garden, growing steadily beneath the shelter of our polytunnels as the days lengthen and summer settles in.
There is a particular beauty to summer in the Cotswolds. Wildflower meadows sway in the breeze, village greens come alive with the sounds of the season – the crisp thud of cricket balls hitting willow and slow handclaps drifting across…...
For Ben Cobb, a move to the Cotswolds was never part of the original plan, but it quickly became one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
