#NYSOM Happy Hour: We believe in celebrating, and have a tradition of ending each work week with a New York State-inspired cocktail. Here's our guide to mixing and sipping The Blue Line Martini.
“The Blue Line Martini”
We hate to admit it: summer is quickly coming to a close and we’re feeling a little blue. Blue as in blueberries and the Blue Line, that is. It’s the height of blueberry season and there’s still time for plenty of outdoor recreation across the State. So, in honor of this week’s cocktail — The Blue Line Martini — cross the Adirondack Park’s boundaries (referred to as none other than the Blue Line) to enjoy hiking in the High Peaks, boating in its many lakes or simply kicking back in an Adirondack chair (with a cocktail in hand, perhaps).
The Blue Line Martini was created by sisters Kim and Pam Ladd, authors of “Happy Hour in the High Peaks,” a book that highlights 46 of the best bars and cocktails among the 46 High Peaks. Their Adirondack-take on the classic martini is a nod to two of the area’s staples: blueberries and the 6.1-million acre ADK park, the largest in the United States. See? There’s nothing glum about this week’s spirits, even if we can count the remaining weeks of August on one hand. After all, we have the autumn launch of the NYSOM Magazine to look forward to. Hear hear!
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. Blue Line Gin
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- ¼ cup pureed blueberries
- 1 tbsp. sugar (optional)
- 1 slice lemon
Directions: Puree blueberries then combine ingredients over ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses and garnish with a lemon slice.
Optional: A squeeze of fresh lemon complements and enhances the blueberry flavor. Or, for a sweeter martini, add 1 oz. limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur).
Need new cocktail glasses? Don’t forget to serve up your aperitifs in Tom Stoenner’s hand-blown tumblers, available on the NYSOM Marketplace.
Recipe provided by Happy Hour in the High Peaks.
Photo: "Blueberries" by Gloria Cabada-Leman is licensed under CC BY 2.0
With reporting by Audra Herman.
Leave a comment