At the Taste of Vail's Get Your Frost Off bartender mix off in Vail earlier this month, La Tour took home the People's Choice award for its blueberry jasmine cocktail. The drink, which was poured at the event by La Tour bartender and general manager Cody Kennedy, was a tasty combination of Belvedere vodka, fresh blueberries and jasmine-blueberry simple syrup.
Lourdes Ferzacca, who owns La Tour with her husband Paul, loved the drink, she said.
"It was fantastic," she said. "I'm usually their biggest critic, and I thought it was great."
The restaurant's beverage director, Paul DiMario, created the drink.
"They tried about 10 different drinks on us before the event, and that one was definitely the winner," Lourdes said.
We tracked down the recipe so you'd have it on hand for when the snow stops, the sun begins to finally shine and you're craving the perfect desk-side cocktail. You're welcome.
Intense blueberry jasmine cocktail
Creator: Paul DiMario, beverage director of La Tour Restaurant
- 1.5 oz Belvedere Intense Vodka
- 1.5 oz Jasmine blueberry syrup (recipe below)
- Lemon wedge
- Club soda
- Fresh mint and blueberries for garnish
In an empty soda glass add half a dozen fresh blueberries. Fill the glass with ice. Add the jasmine blueberry syrup and vodka. Squeeze the lemon wedge into the glass and fill with club soda. Gently stir the drink and garnish with fresh mint sprig and blueberries.
Makes: One cocktail.
Jasmine blueberry syrup
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- 3 Tablespoons Jasmine Tea
Combine sugar, water and blueberries in a sauce pan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Add tea and let simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes to taste. Strain the syrup to remove the tea leaves and blueberries. Let cool before using.
