blueberrybuck2
It started as a novel idea: How about a book that focuses not so much on the alcohol itself but the mixers that bring the craft cocktail experience to life? The people behind cult favorite Fever-Tree, known for its tonics, set out to gather what they felt were unique recipes from bartenders across the world that best complemented not only their top sellers but anything from lemonade to cola to ginger beer and more.
After putting out feelers with restaurant owners, distributors and celebrity fans (Ferran Adria, perhaps the most famous gastronome of our time, and Ashton Kutcher, the living embodiment of a good time, both threw support behind the book), the curated collection was published this fall in Fever-Tree: The Art of Mixing. And, a recipe from Barry Larkin, bar manager at The Continental in Naples, earned one of those coveted spots. The hardcover is for sale at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other retailers, so you can make Larkin’s Blueberry Buck at home for the dozens of house guests who will no doubt pass through your doors in season. Or, you can stop by the bougainvillea-draped cocktail haven and steakhouse on Third Street South and have the master himself pour you his blueberry- and sage-infused Banyan Reserve Vodka, ginger beer (Fever-Tree, of course) and freshly squeezed lime juice over tiny snowballs of ice in a festive copper julep.
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