The Statler Hotel at Cornell is going to support Finger Lakes Distilling and someone on their team recently inquired about a “Big Red Martini” featuring Vinter’s Wildberry vodka.
I began brainstorming “red” items: muddled berries (out of season), cranberry juice (boring), cinnamon schnapps (yes, Goldschlager is still in production) and then I remembered a drink I had made awhile back featuring gin and ruby red grapefruit juice, called the Ruby Blossom.
I shared my challenge with bartender Gene Jacobs and he quickly whipped up 2 cocktails.
Tuesday afternoon fun at the L'Ecole bar
In the foreground is the Ruby Blossom, all proportions the same, sub Wildberry for gin. In the background is an as yet unnamed Wildberry special:
2 oz. Wildberry vodka
1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. blood orange juice
splash simple syrup
splash fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
Combine all ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into chilled up glass and garnish with an orange peel.
Granted, neither of these drinks are red, but they taste good. Big Red Blossom? Maybe we’ll leave the naming up to the Statler.
A Thirsty Spirit 
The Cornell cocktail that’s red uses grenadine, so pomegranate juice might also work. When I was at Cornell, the Ithaca Brewery did not exist much less the distillery, so to get a local flavor, we got Bully Hill and other Finger Lakes wines.
Cheers,
Frederic (’93)
Frederic – thanks for the tip and thanks for reading!