Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Fun with Cocktails: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic - Taste of the ...

Posted by Lauren Tempera our

1 our "mise en place" for the class

a beet suspicious: incredible! No 3 London dry gin, campari, fresh lemon/beet juices with agave. the rim is goat cheese & ground pistachios and in the glass is horseradish foam. you bite the chive, lick the rim and fall into bliss with the beet juice.

2 a beet suspicious: incredible! No 3 London dry gin, campari, fresh lemon/beet juices with agave. the rim is goat cheese & ground pistachios and in the glass is horseradish foam. you bite the chive, lick the rim and fall into bliss with the beet juice.

Adam mixing up the Gascony Smash

3 Adam mixing up the Gascony Smash

Gascony Smash- 15 year old Armagnac, hum liquor (made with hibiscus, ginger, cardamom & kaffir lime) & ginger beer. With many southeast asian flavors it's summery & refreshing.

4 Gascony Smash- 15 year old Armagnac, hum liquor (made with hibiscus, ginger, cardamom & kaffir lime) & ginger beer. With many southeast asian flavors it's summery & refreshing.

Foaming!

5 Foaming!

The American Pill: Old Potero single malt rye, fresh lemon and maple syrup turned into a foam and poured over a dehydrated slice of orange. To drink: sprinkle the orange salt on the foamed orange, take a bite & bite the candied bacon. You can't help but smile it's so good.

6 The American Pill: Old Potero single malt rye, fresh lemon and maple syrup turned into a foam and poured over a dehydrated slice of orange. To drink: sprinkle the orange salt on the foamed orange, take a bite & bite the candied bacon. You can't help but smile it's so good.

Franceso talking about the importance of high-quality spirits

7 Franceso talking about the importance of high-quality spirits

Build your own gin gimlet: we were given a choice of three herbs to add to our gimlet. lemon verbena added a fresh and bright flavor to the classic drink (and all you had to do was slap it in your hand once to release the oils- so easy!)

8 Build your own gin gimlet: we were given a choice of three herbs to add to our gimlet. lemon verbena added a fresh and bright flavor to the classic drink (and all you had to do was slap it in your hand once to release the oils- so easy!)

Making the flamb?ed Pineapple Francis

9 Making the flamb?ed Pineapple Francis

Dessert in a glass with the Pineapple Francis: fresh pineapple flamb?ed with aged rum and assam tea. Mixed with maraschino, orange liquor, green chartreuse and topped with creme Chantilly flavored with the botanical spirit, hum.

10 Dessert in a glass with the Pineapple Francis: fresh pineapple flamb?ed with aged rum and assam tea. Mixed with maraschino, orange liquor, green chartreuse and topped with creme Chantilly flavored with the botanical spirit, hum.

The Astor Center has been turned into the official bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. As long as you're taking a class there, you're welcome to peruse the main area and grab a cocktail.

11 The Astor Center has been turned into the official bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. As long as you're taking a class there, you're welcome to peruse the main area and grab a cocktail.

12

The Donatella: sherry, gin, blackberry and raspberry puree, lemon and blood orange juices & maple syrup.

13 The Donatella: sherry, gin, blackberry and raspberry puree, lemon and blood orange juices & maple syrup.

Last week kicked off the Manhattan Cocktail Classic here in NYC, a weeklong series of events and classes hosted by the top industry leaders in wine and spirits. I was lucky enough to attend Drink How You Eat, a class dedicated to proving the cocktail is more than just a simple drink. Focusing on quality and seasonality, hosts Adam Seger and Francesco Lafranconi redefined what a cocktail is and could be. With hot movements catching steam such as farm-to-table, seasonal, local (and all those other $5 food words), people are eating more consciously but still won?t think twice about pouring subpar liquor (and cocktail mixes!) because it?s ?just going into a cocktail.? A quote from their presentation really resounded with me, that ?quality is a choice over many different alternatives,? and it?s true. If we consider these concepts to be important with our food, there?s no reason we should ignore our beverages.

We were able to see, smell, and taste firsthand what went into every cocktail?aged teas, fresh bitters made with tonka beans, and spirits such as 15-year-old Ch?teau du Busca Hors D?age Tenareze Armagnac and the botanical spirit, Hum. Adam and Francesco spoke about what could be considered cocktail ingredients?salad dressing? Jam? Teas? All fair game (who knew?)?and proved that the cocktail is more than something just for imbibing but instead is complex; it can be paired with savory and sweet food, and can even take on the personalities of meals. We watched them create a variety of cocktails they were speaking about: seasonal and creative, made with specific thought and flawless execution.

The class exceeded my expectations, with some of the cocktails leaving me nothing less than speechless (I?m talking about you, A Beet Suspicious). Next time you?re out to dinner, dessert, or drinks, skip the wine list and go for the special cocktail; it may be the best part of your meal.

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Source: http://testkitchen.marthastewart.com/2011/05/fun-with-cocktails-the-manhattan-cocktail-classic.html

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