Ute Londrigan experimented with her recipe over the years, but it was her move from Germany to New York state-with its network of small, tight-knit family farms and orchards-that brought her vision of capturing the flavor and memory of her homeland to fruition.
Ute's line of fruit liqueurs is an ode to family tradition, and an effort to make tangible her sense of home and belonging. Heimat New York works closely in partnership with New York's finest farms to source fresh seasonal fruit for their handcrafted, small-batch liqueurs. The process uses the whole fruit, and is on its way to being completely zero waste; there are no additives, colors, or preservatives, remaining authentic to nearly 100 years of German tradition. Ute's relationship with local farmers and growers is essential-she picks up the fruit herself-their rhubarb is from Long Island; blackberries, pears, and white peaches are from farms in the Hudson Valley; Raspberries are from just beyond the Finger Lakes; and Cranberries are sourced far north, close to the Canadian border.
Heimat New York produces only once a year, whenever the fruit is in season in New York; this allows the team to capture the fruit in the bottle at peak season.
Ute believes in the true versatility of fruit liqueur and its endless opportunities: it can be enjoyed neat or with seltzer; with Champagne or Prosecco; in a wide variety of cocktails, blended with whiskey, tequila, gin, cognac, and brandy; with tonic or ginger beer; and in dessert recipes; other days she'll use it in whiskey-based cocktails made with her husband, and when friends are over, they might make sangria or frozen margaritas.