Happy Cabin Martini
I was never much of a golf fan before Happy Cabin. My Grandpa Bill used to watch golf on television religiously. “You’d be a great golfer!” he promised, muttering about back swings and scholarships. I didn’t relate at all to the perfectly-manicured lawns, pressed, collared shirts, and polite clapping. Happy Cabin’s location on the second hole of the Old Brockway Golf Course was neither here nor there for me. At first, I’d watch the game curiously from the deck, eavesdropping a bit. I wondered briefly if maybe my girls could get scholarships, quickly admitting they were about as interested in golf as I’d been. Eventually, I started looking into the history of the place, becoming more and more intrigued. When I learned that the course was built in 1927 and was once the stomping grounds of Rat Pack icons like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, I started to think about all the things that must have happened over the years right here in our own backyard. The stories those Jeffrey pines could tell. . .
Happy Cabin came with two black-and-white photos, one of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra from the early 60s, riding around Brockway in a golf cart, and the other of Dean Martin and Bing Crosby golfing, maybe even right behind the cabin on the second hole. The men are smiling and wearing vintage leisure wear. Bing is crouched at eye level, smoking a pipe and eyeing his shot. I imagine that, after a round, Bing, Dean, and their Rat Pack entourage retired to some dimly-lit lounge for cocktails. I picture them sipping on martinis. When it was time to stock the bar cabinet at Happy Cabinet, we included the usual beer steins, rocks glasses and wine goblets. Recently, I added martini glasses and a cocktail shaker to help capture that Forties vibe. I am now on a quest for the perfect martini—a “Happy Cabin Martini,” classic with a twist. For now, I will pass on this “classic” recipe, adapted from Bon Appétit. Stirred, not shaken. Preferably enjoyed on the back deck of Happy Cabin, steps away from the Old Brockway Golf Course’s second hole.
Classic Martini
INGREDIENTS
4 ounces gin
¾ ounce dry vermouth
1 lemon
PREPARATION
Fill shaker with ice. Add gin and vermouth. Strain into a chilled glass. Carefully remove a 1-inch piece of peel from the lemon and twist it over the drink. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass, float it in the martini, and enjoy.
To visit Happy Cabin during your trip to North Lake Tahoe / Tahoe Vista / Kings Beach, click here.
When I’m faced with basic lunch fare at the resort inching toward $20 a person, I start thinking of ways to cut costs. Portable picnics are an economical and fun alternative. Here are some ideas for kid-tested snacks and lunches you can tuck into pockets and day packs or stash in a locker.