Cherry season hath arrived. So...yanno...you're going to be seeing a lot of cherry cocktails up in here because it is my sworn, solemn duty.

Coincidentally, the first of my chocolate cosmos is in bloom.

If you're not familiar with chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus), allow me to drop some anecdotal knowledge. I first stumbled across this magical little flower when I was at college in Santa Barbara. It was in an adorable little boutique nursery and I nearly lost my mind over the preciousness of the chocolate-brown flowers that actually smell just like chocolate. How is that even a real thing?? Well, it was, and it is. Still one of my very favorite things that crops up in the garden year after year, because, unlike most cosmos that are reseeding annuals, this little unicorn is a perennial that is propagated through its tubers. It is the gift that keeps on giving. And it makes for a pretty fantastic drink garnish.

C H O C O L A T E   C H E R R Y   P I S C O   S O U R

To make one cocktail:

• 1.5 oz. pisco

• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice

• .5 oz homemade cherry syrup (instructions below)

• 3 drops chocolate bitters, plus 3-4 more

• 1 fresh egg white

• 2 cosmos blossoms or pitted cherries to garnish

To make fresh cherry syrup, you'll need:

• 1 cup pitted and rough-chopped cherries

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for an hour. Using a muddler, gently mash the cherries, then strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container. Store in fridge for about a week.

To make your cocktail, combine pisco, lemon juice, cherry syrup, and three drops of bitters in a shaker over ice. Shake until well-chilled, strain mixture into a standby glass, dump ice from shaker, add back the cocktail mixture, plus egg white. Shake vigorously (and with a smile, damnit) until egg whites are frothy. Pour mixture into a coupe glass and garnish with two chocolate cosmos blooms (or some skewered fresh cherries), and 3-4 drops of bitters across the foam.

*Don't allow poultry on or near surfaces you consume food off of, or near food or drinks you intend to consume. Sanitize hands thoroughly after handling poultry and before you touch food you're going to put in your face.

*Exercise caution when consuming raw egg whites.

*Look both ways before crossing the street.