Who says the holiday has to end with 2011?

A few weeks back we asked you to tell us what seasonally and locally inspired cocktails you’re drinking now, with the idea that the reader with the best answer would score two tickets to our winter Good Spirits, the next in a series of seasonal cocktail parties we host in tandem with Edible Manhattan. As usual your answers put our own drinking habits to shame.

There were rye juleps made with maple syrup, gimlets with Breukelen gin, Hudson Valley cider spiked with Hudson Valley vodka, lots of Tuthilltown rye and Baby Bourbon.

Whitney and Kelly offered up the The Original Appalachian Hot Toddy. That’s “Boiled Cider Syrup, Johnny Mash Hard Cider (Hill Top Orchards, Richmond, MA), and Cornelius AppleJack (Valatie NY). Heated, and served in a hollowed out apple with a cinnamon stick.”

Meanwhile Khicks9 told us about their  Maple Fig Bourbon cocktail. That would be “1 mission fig – cut into quarters and muddled with maple syrup. Add orange juice, bourbon and a tsp of balsamic vinegar on ice and you have a TREAT.”

But our favorite is from a reader named Sam who wrote in with this beauty: “A dram I’ve crafted myself and which I coined the Si Se Puede Ponche, in honor of the seasonal farmworkers who pick apples in NY (and elsewhere). It consists of reposado tequila, a touch of mezcal, homemade apple cider (a pain, but totally worth it), hibiscus tea, lemon juice, vanilla syrup, and Bittermen’s mole bitters (made in BK!). I’m quite proud of this punch. Not only does it tell a story that is very near and dear to me, that of the migration of many hard working and honorable folk from Mexico into the US, but it’s delicious and warming. Salud!”

Salud indeed! That’s Spanish for “cheers,” people. So Sam handily wins those two free tickets we promised to the event: Back then we didn’t even have a date for the shindig, which’ll feature the handiwork of local distillers and bartenders, plus the best of nearby farmers and city chefs. But now we do: We’ll hopefully see Sam (plus one!) on February 28th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Soho studio space at 82 Mercer Street in Manhattan.

We’re still booking attendees, but  we know already that from Brooklyn, Williamsburg’s Huckleberry Bar and Red Hook’s Fort Defiance will be serving, and from Manhattan, Dutch Kills, Whitehall, Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto and Perry St. Better still, discounted Early Bird tickets are on sale now. So even if you didn’t score free tickets like Sam, you can get your own on the cheap right here if you act fast.

Local liquors like this one live large at our seasonal cocktail parties, as will you.

You know how the holidays are, before you know it, it’ll be February. And that means one thing: Good Spirits, our series of seasonal cocktail tasting events and our first event of Edible’s first event of 2012. It’ll feature distillers and bartenders, the best of nearby farmers and city chefs.  (If you’re new to Good Spirits, you can check out photos from last year’s bashes here, here and here.)

We’re still booking attendees,but  we know already that from Brooklyn, Williamsburg’s Huckleberry Bar and Red Hook’s Fort Defiance will be serving drinks and food, and from Manhattan, Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto and Perry St. 

It’s all taking place on February 28th from 6 to 9 p.m. downstairs at 82 Mercer Street in SoHo.  Discounted Early Bird tickets are on sale now: Hurry and score your $35 ticket here today!

Tuthilltown is usually one of our favorite guests at Good Sprits.

Our biggest events of the year are the annual Uncorked and Good Beer, two massive tastings that focus on locally made wines and the region’s best craft beers and breweries, as well as the foods that go with them. But we don’t want to give local distillers and liquor importers short shrift, and that’s why we put together a series of smaller cocktail-centered fests called Good Spirits. Our next is slated for the start of next year, and it’s still in the early planning stages.

Will it be focused on traditional cocktails made with modern spirits? Your Manhattans and Brooklyns and Martinis? Will it be a chance for a budding group of mixologists to show off their new creations?

We’re not sure, but we wanted to get our creative juices flowing by asking you what’s your favorite thing to drink right now. A local rye on the rocks? A hot toddy with pear bitters at Bourbon & Branch? Your own creation with roasted beets and Brooklyn gin? Let us know here in the comments and you could win tickets for two to our first cocktail pairing party early next year. Extra points for Manhattan-made ingredients, seasonality and of course, a great story.

Photo by Gabi Porter for Metromix. Comb's Vodka infused with Darjeeling tea, lemon and a dash of Benedictine topped with prosecco | Fort Defiance

In case you missed a) our first 2011 Good Spirits cocktail pairing party last night or b) last night’s handiwork from Gabi Porter, one our very very favorite non-Edible shooters, here’s the ultimate party photo gallery courtesy Metromix. We’re tempted to give a free trial subscription to any reader who can point out an Edible editor, the founder of Good Beer, a NY Food Film Fest honcho, an Edible spirits writer turned barkeep and restaurateur, and a former Edible Brooklyn Back of the House profilee.

P.S. Free trial subscriptions also to those who guessed where that headline comes from.

Sips will be provided by Good Spirits veterans Tuthilltown Spirits, Prairie Vodka and Compass Box, as well as newcomers St. Germain and Comb Vodka and Gin. Tastes are being delivered by usual suspects Fort Defiance, Northern Spy Food Company, and Fette Sau, as well as Good Spirits virgins Goat Town, Lani Kai, Craftwich, Macao Trading Company. We promise, you’ll be glad you reserved your spot, and one for a friend to help you imbibe. Tickets are $40 and include a full night of food and drink experimentation.

(It’s at the Bell House just off the F line and the BQE in downtown Brooklyn, and luckily there are still a few $40 tickets left, though they’re going fast.)

There’ll be grub from The Vanderbilt, No. 7, Fette Sau, Walter Foods, Mile End, Fort Defiance, The Farm on Adderley and Palo Santo, paired with cocktails made with best-of-class booze from Tuthilltown Spirits, Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery, Rhum J.M., Death’s Door, Compass Box, Vertical Vodka, Chartreuse and Illegal Mezcal. And seriously, St. John’s notes on the night are so sounding so damn good–as are the drinks and dishes–we just can’t keep them to ourselves on this sunny spring afternoon. So check em out:

The Vanderbilt, with Rhum J.M.

EAT: Vanderbilt beef jerky

DRINK: Bali Ha’i, a Tiki-style refresher with Rhum J.M., spiced pineapple, homemade gingerale, lime and spices

Frizell says: If you’ve been following cocktail trends this year, you know Tiki is “the new black” in New York City. As the novelty of super-serious cocktail dens and intense, austere mixologists wears thin, bar goers find relief in the lei-strewn bosom of all things Tiki—Mai Tais, Fog Cutters, Singapore Slings, and all the juicy, full-flavored drinks made popular by the legendary restaurateurs Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic in the mid-20th century. Here the bartender builds a spicy refresher based on aged rhum agricole from Martinique, known for its funky, intensely grassy character. And beef jerky—why not?—goes well with anything thirst-quenching.

No. 7, with Chartreuse

EAT: Uni cheese and crackers, herbs du Provence, basil

DRINK: Rose petal gin, Campari, Chartreuse

Frizell says: Here’s a drink that pairs powerhouses of the cocktail world—Campari, the bitter and bright red Italian aperitif, and Chartreuse, the intensely herbal French liqueur. When mixing with these flavor bombs, a little goes a long way; they can add worlds of complexity to a cocktail with just a teaspoonful. In that way, they’re like uni, or sea urchin, which here lends its wild brininess to a mild soft cheese.

Fette Sau, with Tuthilltown Spirits

EAT: Duroc pork belly on a polenta crisp

DRINK: The Gardiner, made with Hudson Corn whiskey, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, Fette Sau rub rim

Frizell says: We know bourbon and barbecue go together—that one’s easy. Here, Fette Sau is working with the Hudson Corn Whiskey—which is essentially a bourbon before it’s been aged in oak barrels. The Gardiner follows in the footsteps of other sour-style drinks, like the daiquiri and the caipirinha—a little lime juice and sugar are used to punch up and round out the flavor of the base spirit (and in this case, the citrus will also help cut the unctuousness of the pork belly). The spicy rim on the glass is the rub that the chef uses on the meat before he cooks it low and slow.

Walter Foods, with Death’s Door Gin

EAT: Blue Point oyster and pomegranate mignonette

DRINK: Death’s Door Pimms cup

Frizell says: What the mint julep is to the Kentucky Derby, the Pimm’s Cup is to Wimbledon. Besides calling to mind neatly trimmed lawns, cucumber sandwiches, and linen trousers, the flavor should evoke both an English strawberry picked on the last day of spring and a good cuppa. It’s ripe and juicy, but never blowsy—its tannic structure keeps its upper lip stiff. Add the salty minerality of a good Blue Point and a tart mignonette, and you’ve got a perfect day by the seaside.

The Farm on Adderley, with Vertical Vodka

EAT: Butcher’s meatballs (pork, beef and lamb) with roasted parsnip and pickled fennel

DRINK: Vertical Vodka, house made ginger soda, citrus

Frizell says: There’s a golden rule in the cocktail world: If it was good enough for Granddad, it’s good enough for you. My granddad drank Manhattans, but plenty of his contemporaries drank Moscow Mules, the ginger beer highball that helped kickstart America’s love of vodka in the 1940s. Here’s a spin on that classic, paired with a dish that hits the trifecta of cocktail party food: meatballs (fatty and rich) with roast parsnip (sweet) and pickled fennel (salty).

Palo Santo, with Illegal Mezcal

EAT: Conejo (rabbit) en mole verde and jabali (wild boar) en mole negro

DRINK: Illegal Mezcal Joven and Reposado neat, each paired with a sangrita (traditional Mexican chaser)

Frizell says: In one corner, we have Oaxacan mezcal: perhaps the most intensely flavored spirit in the world—at times smoky, musty, stony, and lush—and for those that acquire a taste for it, absolutely irreplaceable. In the other corner, we have Oaxacan mole: considered by some to be the acme of traditional Mexican cuisine, these vibrant, complex sauces can contain dozens of ingredients and come in infinite varieties, from the deep, dark mole negro to the zesty mole verde. Who can make peace between these two luchadores de sabor? Enter sangrita, the friendly and bright combination of tomato juice, orange juice, lime, and spices.

Fort Defiance, with American Fruits Distillery

EAT: Deviled eggs with smoked black pepper and radish sprouts

DRINK: Warwick Bramble, made with blackberries, gin, lemon, and American Fruits Black Currant Cordial.

Frizell says: The Bramble is a modern classic; it was created about 20 years ago by a British bartender named Dick Bradsell, and has since found its way onto just about every cocktail menu in London. The original recipe calls for creme de mure, a French blackberry liqueur, but I use American Fruits’ wonderfully tart Black Currant Cordial, made in Warwick. Like a pair of madras slacks, the Bramble is a little gaudy, but perfect for a spring garden party, and it looks great next to chef Bobby Duncan’s deviled egg.

Tumbador Chocolate, with Dallis Coffee and Compass Box Whiskey

EAT: Selection of Tumbador bon bons, including passion fruit, lime, coffee cardamom, molded caramel, green tea, honey, coconut & lemongrass, nougat, 55%, pear black tea

DRINK: Mocha Highland Rebellion, made with espresso, whiskey, and half & half topped with chocolate foam and grated cacao nibs

Frizell says: Coffee, chocolate, and Scotch—a classic after-dinner troika, in any combination. Tumbador Chocolates has suggested whisky-and-coffee pairings for each of their dozen or so seasonal bon bons, and you may be tempted to try them all, but prudence is urged; choose wisely. You can’t go wrong. Perhaps begin with the evening’s only dessert-style cocktail—the Mocha Highland Rebellion, which combines all three of our post-prandial players in one decadent glass.

PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES

EAT: Mile End’s smoked meat and salumi sandwiches

EAT: Rick’s Picks, assortment of pickled items

Frizell says: Little salumi sandwiches and zesty pickles are a cocktail party no-brainer, just enough to sharpen one’s thirst to a rapier’s edge. En garde, my friends–the game’s afoot!

Here’s a reason to head to Brooklyn on April 6th: Good Spirits Number Two. (Read about the inaugural here.) The Borough of Kings version of our winter cocktail pairing event is slated for the first Tuesday in April at the beautiful Bell House in Gowanus, and like the Manhattan version, features fine spirits and some of the borough’s best food.

There’ll be grub from The Vanderbilt, No. 7, Fette Sau, Walter Foods, Mile End, Fort Defiance, The Farm on Adderley and Palo Santo, paired with cocktails made with best-of-class booze from Tuthilltown Spirits, Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery, Rhum J.M., Death’s Door, Compass Box, Vertical Vodka, Chartreuse and Illegal Mezcal.  Tickets are just $40, and if you enter the code “cocktail” we’ll include a one-year subscription to Edible Manhattan or Edible Brooklyn for free. In the meantime, get the details on the drinks and the dishes right here.

Last night Edible Manhattan hosted its inaugural Good Spirits event, which is something like our summer Good Beer fest and our Brooklyn Uncorked wine shindig in May, except this time we honed in on cocktails.

Taking over the lovely E. 22nd St. restaurant called Almond for the evening–they have a massive pool table and some sweet leather couches in the back room, FYI–we had six Manhattan chefs with serious street cred prepping dishes paired with six  drinks, like the La Sombrilla Rosa, made with smoky single-village Sombra mezcal, Campari and freshly-squeezed juices from a triple-citrus punch of grapefruit, lemon and limes.

Okay, the line for its pairing–the sweet fresh corn tamales topped with shrimp, chipotle butter and avocado pico de gallo, made allll night long by the folks from Rocking Horse Cafe–was the longest of the evening, but it was worth it, especially if you could suck down a few La Sombrilla’s as you waited. (Which is what we did, at any rate.)

A few other crowd faves: The shaved persimmon, fennel and hazelnut salad from Il Buco chef Ignacio Mattos, paired with the Il Buco Sour, made with Tuthilltown Distillery Hudson Four-Grain Bourbon, fresh persimmon, lemon juice, thyme, simple syrup and Sagrentino Passito. And the lamb with celery root puree and and kumquat-basil marmalade from Almond washed down with the J.M. Ginger, made with J.M. Rhum Agricole Blanc, fresh pear puree, ginger-infused simple syrup and red wine sorbet. And the smoked venison carpaccio from with hummus, pine nuts, green apple and cinnamon chile oil from Ilili with the Sidon Rose, made from Tuthilltown vodka, green apple juice, rose syrup and a splash of soda.

In fact you can see all of the dishes and their paired drinks here, along with tasting notes from Jim Meehan, the drinksman behind PDT and Food & Wine magazine’s cocktail guides. Last we saw him last night, actually, was in the tamale line…

Dear Local Gourmands,

The line stretched to the back of the bar at K&M on Saturday for the BK Farmyards Pie Cook-off cum fundraiser.  Bakers from around the borough toted homemade masterpieces draped gingerly with dish clothes, protected by vintage cake carriers, nestled into nifty wire travel racks. I’d woken up thinking about pie and hadn’t stopped for ten hours straight– the end result was an improvised creation I called the Happy Hour Pie– apples drunk with a honey/whisky/butter glaze over a layer of goat cheese. Pie, as it turns out, makes a terrific bar snack.

My roommate made a killer pear and cardamom pie, my friend Noah carefully crafted a pie of chocolate and sweet potato swirled together. The watering hole that was once a pierogi plant was packed to the hilt, bloggers video taped themselves as they got on line to submit their entries, documentary makers filmed the event organizers as they counted  wads of cash from the supporters/eaters that streamed through the door.

The crowd tried to play it off like this was just for fun, but an intense undercurrent of competition was palpable. Ten hours, two Greenmarkets, a call to my mother, and an afternoon cocktail to calm me down had gone into my pie alone.  Sixty-two similar stories showed up–all bakers who have made their way (along with their recipes) to Brooklyn from hometowns around the country.  Variations on Southern cream pies, Midwestern summer berry pies, blue ribbon county fair pies were lined up for thoughtful inspection.

As we waited for the judges to do their jobs, stories of grandmothers and Thanksgivings past filled the room.  The music blared, the beer flowed freely, and eventually the crowd dove in.  I’m sorry if you missed it–the results were tremendous. Best of all, BK Farmyards, the folks who brought us together, raised some serious dough, and I’m not talking about crust. The organization that aims to bring communities together by creating  farms out of urban spaces push an educational agenda that includes eating seasonally, growing food locally, storing and preparing food, species biodiversity, and food democracy: “We aim to build a local food network that enhances the health of our culture, our people, and our environment.” You can still donate funds to help out with the creation of their 1-acre farm at the High School for Public Service that’ll be coming up this spring.

All best,

Jeanne

Tickets, $40

Edible Manhattan and Brooklyn hosts their first annual cocktail party at Almond restaurant on 22nd St. Six local restaurants will pair food with six cocktails, including one made with the amazing local Tuthilltown hooch, another created with Rhum J.M. from Martinique, a beery quaff made with Heartland Brewery’s new keg series, a grapey mixer with Wolffer Estate Vineyards verjus, a concoction mixed with Dallis Coffee elixir, and more. Space is limited, so purchase tix now.  Enter the code “cocktail” and the hosts will include a one-year subscription to Edible Manhattan for free.

Tuesday, January 26, 6-9

155 Varick St.

The local chapter of Slow Food celebrates it’s first monthly cocktail meeting of the year at City Winery.  Get together with like-minded local foodies who appreciate the “Slow” movement to talk about ideas and projects for the year ahead. For this evening of revelry City Winery will be extending their “Crush Hour” special: $15 for a carafe and $5 for a glass or tasting flight of any house-made tap wine.

Tuesday, February 16, 6:30-8pm

Rooftop farmer and founder of Growing Chefs, Annie Novak, leads a series of classes at the Brooklyn Kitchen Labs on how to start your own edible urban garden.  Over the course of four class sessions she’ll guide students through the necessary winter-time tasks, seed ordering, and plot preparation to make way for a successful growing season ahead.  Sign up now as this course is sure to sell out fast!

Thursday, February 18, 6:30pm

Reservations required, purchase tickets here

The Museum of the City of New York, in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance and Mississippi Development Authority/Division of Tourism, will host a discussion focusing on how The Great Migration transformed the culinary culture of the North. Leading the discussion are Jessica Harris, author of a forthcoming history of African-American foodways, and one of the 50 founders of the Southern Foodways Alliance. In 2007, she took leave from Queens College (where she is a full professor) to assume the Ray Charles Chair at Dillard University in New Orleans. And Ted Lee, one of the James Beard award-winning Charleston Lee brothers. Ted, along with his brother, Matt Lee, is at work on a book of essays about New York City food culture. The work will certainly examine the influence that South Carolina natives have had on New York, but at its core, the book will be a celebration of the multicultural delights of our nation’s culinary capitol. John T Edge will moderate the discussion.

Sunday, February 28, 8:30am-6pm

Teacher’s College, Columbia University

The great thing about the off season (as it were) is that it gives us all a little down time (or at least time indoors) to plot and plan for the year ahead.  Take part in Just Food’s annual CSA in NYC Conference on February 28 to converse with farmers, food activists, and advocates from around the city and state to talk about how to start a CSA, how to strengthen the one you are a part of, issues facing regional farmers, and how we can all maximize our roles in the movement to increase access to locally grown food throughout the city.

Tickets on sale now for Good Spirits at the Bell House, April 6. Learn more here.

At Good Spirits, Edible’s cocktail pairing event, we match mixology-minded chefs and food artisans with spectacular, storied spirits (plus some beer, wine and coffee for good measure), asking them to strive for liquid symbiosis.

In our estimation, the resonance between tastes and tipple goes far beyond mutually beneficial flavors. We believe getting to know craft spirits at your neighborhood speakeasy or dive bar is no less relevant than following your cauliflower back to the farm, or your bagels, lox and cream cheese back to the baker, fishmonger and dairy.

Get the pairings from our first Good Spirits on January 25 at Almond NYC–with commentary from master mixologist Jim Meehan–here.

For our inaugural Good Spirits event in 2010, we paired six restaurants with six amazing spirits at Almond on E. 22nd St., and captured commentary from master city mixologist Jim Meehan, of PDT.

Here are the results of their handiwork:

ST. GERMAIN & GRAMERCY TAVERN
Chef Mike Anthony, Bartender Jeremy Lawry
EAT: Celery root and carrot terrine with pickled apples
DRINK: Orange Blossom, made with St. Germain, Fee orange bitters, Wölffer Estate Vineyards sparkling wine, orange twist.
St. Germain is a French-style artisanal liqueur made from fresh, handpicked elderflower blossoms.

MEEHAN SAYS: A sparkling aperitif cocktail is a smart pairing with Chef Michael Anthony’s bright, balanced cooking. Orange pairs well with carrots; the herbal bite of the celery will be lifted by the elderflower liqueur, and the bright apple notes in the wine should marry nicely with the pickled apples in the terrine.

TUTHILLTOWN HUDSON FOUR-GRAIN BOURBON & IL BUCO
Chef Igacio Mattos, Mixologist Blythe Lang
EAT: Persimmon, fennel, and hazelnut salad
DRINK: The il Buco Sour, made with Tuthiltown Hudson Four-Grain Bourbon, fresh persimmon, fresh lemon, Sagrentino Passito, fresh thyme, and simple syrup
Tuthilltown Hudson Four-Grain Bourbon is distilled twice from corn, rye, wheat and malted barley, and aged in small barrels.

MEEHAN SAYS: The New York Sour: a whiskey sour with a float of red wine, started appearing in newspapers and cocktail books around turn of the twentieth century. This twenty-first century New York Sour ups the ante with the addition of fresh persimmon and thyme. It seems as though the cocktail is the main course here!

RHUM J.M. & ALMOND NYC
Chef Jason Weiner, Bartender Steve Barth
EAT: Crepinette of lamb neck with celery root puree and a kumquat-basil marmalade
DRINK: J.M. Ginger, made with J.M. Rhum Agricole Blanc, fresh pear puree, ginger infused simple syrup, house made red wine sorbet, and a ginger sugar rim.
Rhum J.M. is an agricole style rum made from free-run sugar cane on an 18th-century estate in Martinique.

MEEHAN SAYS: Food and wine were seldom seen apart until cuisine savvy bartenders started butting in. Sometimes the best cocktail pairing with a dish is either your favorite cocktail or your most daring drink. In this case, it seems the chef decided to bring wine to his cocktail party: we’ll see if there’s room for everyone.

HEARTLAND BREWERY & NUTS + NUTS
Brewmaster: Kelly Taylor
EAT: Roasted, flavored cashews
DRINK: Cornhusker Lager, Indian River Light, Mr. Atlas Imperial Pale Ale, Sumatra Porter
Heartland Brewery, New York City’s first American-style brewpub, offers classic and seasonal beers created onsite by brewmaster Kelly Taylor, including a new limited-release keg series.

MEEHAN SAYS: Amidst all the high fallutin food and cocktail pairings, the humble conglomeration of beer and nuts: two old friends, will be a beacon of reason in the night.

SOMBRA MEZCAL & ROCKING HORSE CAFÉ
Chef Jan Mendelson
EAT: Tamal con camarones, a roasted sweet corn tamal with Mexican white shrimp, chipotle butter and avocado pico de gallo
DRINK: La Sombrilla Roja, made with Sombra Mezcal, Campari, fresh grapefruit, lemon, and lime
Sombra Mezcal is a micro-batch, single-village spirit made from organically farmed espadin agave from the high Sierra of Oaxaca, Mexico.

MEEHAN SAYS: Oftentimes, a country’s native spirit pairs best with the regional cuisine: in cooking terminology, if it grows with it, it goes with it. In this case, the chef has diligently chosen Mezcal, an agave-based relative to Tequila that is distilled from the fermented honey pressed from fire roasted espadin agaves. If the smoky Sombra doesn’t tame the tamal, the bittersweet Campari and citrus surely will.

TUTHILLTOWN SPIRIT OF THE HUDSON VODKA & ILILI
Chef Erik Osol
EAT: Smoked venison carpaccio with hummus, pine nuts, green apple, and cinnamon chile oil
DRINK: Sidon Rose, made with Tuthilltown Spirit of the Hudson Vodka, green apple juice, rose syrup, and soda.
Tuthilltown Spirit of the Hudson Vodka is produced from 100 percent Hudson Valley apples, at New York’s first post-Prohibition distillery.

MEEHAN SAYS: In northern Europe, vodka is traditionally paired with caviar and pickled fish because of its ability to cleanse the palate between bites: not even the most flavorful wines can compete. In this pairing, the floral apple vodka highball should be a refreshing backdrop to the dish that provides sweet subtlety to the spicy chili and smoked venison.

HENDRICK’S GIN & RESTO
Chef Bobby Hellen
EAT: Fennel and juniper lamb bacon with beet and caremized yogurt.
DRINK: Will-o’-the-Wisp, made with Hendrick’s Gin, Green Chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, thyme infused simple syrup, and peach Lambic Belgian beer.
Hendrick’s Gin is a small-batch gin, hand-crafted in Scotland, and infused with cucumber and rose petals.

MEEHAN SAYS: A daring dish deserves a complex counterpart. The herbal bite of the gin, thyme syrup and bittersweet Chartreuse will pair nicely with the beets and juniper as the acidity of the Lambic and yogurt attempt to tame the gamy bacon. This one’s a peach.

DALLIS COFFEE, LONG ISLAND BRANDY & GUS SODA
with RONI-SUE’S CHOCOLATES & WILLIAM GREENBERG DESSERTS
EAT: Manhattan, Dark and Stormy, and Margarita cocktail-inspired chocolates, tea and honey lollipops by Roni-Sue’s Chocolates
EAT: Black and white cookies from William Greenberg Desserts
DRINK: Dallis Coffee (brewed in Bodum press pots) with Sono Rinata Long Island Brandy, as well as assorted GuS Sodas.
Dallis Coffee, a 100-year-old coffee roaster in Ozone Park, Queens, sources beans from around the world to supply cafes, restaurants, bakeries, delis, catering companies and universities throughout New York City; Long Island Brandy is made with 100 percent merlot wine from Peconic Bay Winery in Cutchogue, and distilled at Long Island Spirits in Baiting Hollow; GuS sodas are distinctive and adult-appropriate, made with real juice and real flavor extracts, in refreshing varieties.

MEEHAN SAYS: Pastry chefs have been cooking with spirits for over a century.  In the past few years, New York pastry chefs such as Johnny Iuzzini, Sam Mason, Pichet Ong and Will Goldfarb have taken it to the next level with cocktails as their muse in the kitchen: make room for Roni-Sue’s cocktail confections. The Italians take their espresso with grappa after dinner: it’s called Café Corretto, or coffee corrected. I can’t think of a better way to end my night.

Still, that’s tougher than you think, since we’re pretty psyched about our six-pack set-up, which includes love matches between Gramercy Tavern and St. Germain; Almond and Rhum J.M.; Resto and Hendrick’s Gin; Rocking Horse Cafe and Sombra Mezcal; Ilili with Tuthilltown Distillery vodka; and Il Buco and Tuthilltown whiskey. Plus Roni-Sue’s is kicking in with cocktail-inspired chocolates, AND master city mixologist Jim Meehan (of PDT fame) will be there holding court with cocktail commentary and guidance–”Don’t spill!”–during the shindig. (Okay, he’ll actually be way more informative.)

Word is we’re already approaching sold-out status, so snap up your $40 pass now. If you enter the code “cocktail”–and really, there’s no reason not to–we’ll include a one-year subscription to Edible Manhattan. See you there, right? It’s Monday, January 25th, 6-9 pm at Almond Restaurant, 12 E. 22nd St. just off Broadway.