Blue Moon

The Blue Moon cocktail is a recipe that disappeared from bar menus at least four decades ago, since the ingredients that made the cocktail unique were difficult, if not impossible, to find. It is made with gin, lemon juice and either creme de violette or Creme Yvette.  The former is a very specialty liqueur that could only usually be found in very specialized liquor stores, while the latter was pulled from production completely. The makers of St Germain decided to revive the Creme Yvette in 2009, and that made drinks like the Blue Moon possible once again. It made its way into Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails, which is where I first saw it. The liqueur is made with violet petals, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and cassis, as well as honey, orange peel and vanilla. The only thing is that it has a distinctive red-purple color to it that is decidedly not blue. The blue-violet color of the “original” drink comes from creme de violette alone.

Color aside, the Blue Moon made with Creme Yvette has a great flavor profile. The mixture of berries, flowers and citrus in the liqueur go extremely well with gin (especially if you are using a high quality gin), so they each come through in the finished drink. Adding fresh lemon juice gives the cocktail a bright, refreshing quality that makes it perfect for a spring or summer evening.

Glassware: Coupe
Method: Shake

Ingredients
2 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Creme Yvette
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

Pour ingredients into a mixing glass and add ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.