Pressed Blueberries

I was recently recommending the new Blueberry Stoli to Shannon, since I was pretty sure she would love it, when the subject of what to drink it with came up. My long winded recommendation led Shannon to suggest I blog about my bar knowledge. I don’t know that I would call my knowledge ‘extensive’ but I will share this particular suggestion with the Half Street readership at large.

The new favorite drink on the Half Street is a vodka press, or pres (short for Presbyterian). Its actually pretty old fashioned, although many people aren’t familiar (like me about 2 months ago!). A press is any liquor served with club soda and sprite (or any lemon-lime soda). Originally it was actually club soda and ginger ale, but I think its been modified since many bars took ginger ale out of their little Bev-Gun-thingyees-with-all-the buttons-that-spurts-out-various-things (yes that is the technical term). By NO means can I claim this little nugget of knowledge as my own. In fact, the joys of Blueberry Stoli were introduced to us by Half Street Friend Roger, and the press concept was explained to us initially by our favorite Friday Happy Hour bartender, Julie. She serves up vodka presses (with the all important lime) most Friday’s for the Half Street at our favorite pizza joint, Candelari’s. I researched the history of it using the ever helpful Google. I don’t typically like vodka drinks, but I found this to be very refreshing. Not to mention the press seems like a great way to try the plethora of flavored vodka’s on the market these days…and feel cool while you’re ordering a drink.

In case you’re wondering where the name comes from:
The Presbyterian started as a non-alcoholic drink that was made to look like an alcoholic drink (the ginger ale and club soda looked like your generic high ball) so that non drinkers could drink without fear of being called out by their friends (some things never change). And then the alcoholic friends discovered it was even TASTIER with a splash of actual alcohol in it! Genius.