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| UPCOMING HAPPENINGS OF INTEREST
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Sunday, Jan. 31st: Hearts for Haiti Benefit at Bar Celona, Brooklyn
$40 donation, open bar
Email if interested in attending.
Feb. 15th: The Cocktail Lab w/ Jonathan
Astor Center, NYC
some tickets still left!
Sunday, Feb. 21st: USBG/LUPEC Winter Ball!!
Monday, Feb. 22nd: USBG Day of Volunteering
Feb. 25-28: South Beach Food & Wine Festival
February: USBG Feb. Mixer
LOOKING AHEAD
March 15th: Don Q Rum Cocktail Competition
March: USBG March Mixer
April: Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America Convention, Las Vegas
May: Manhattan Cocktail Classsic
June: The NY Bar and Wine Show
Want to list your event here? Email me. |
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Booze Briefs:
What's New?
Dave Wondrich is the formost expert on cocktail history. He paid a visit to the Pegu Club in the SOHO neighborhood of Manhattan.
Here's what happened:
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We were all shocked to hear about the devastation caused by that terrible earthquake that hit just outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. As bar and restaurant professionals, we feel a need to give back and to send whatever aid we possibly can over to the poor brothers and sisters who are suffering there.
We would like to personally invite you to a benefit event happening this Sunday, January 31st at Bar Celona in Brooklyn.
You'll see some of your favorite NYC bartenders mixing up drinks for a good cause. Don't forget to pay a visit to the LUPEC and USBGNY bars.
The donation is $40 at the door, and gets you an open bar from 6-10pm.
Hope to see you there. ~~~
The Empire Room, a magnificent Art Deco cocktail lounge set to open in the Empire State Building in the coming weeks, is seeking knowledgeable bar staff. A full understanding of classic cocktails and proper service is a must!
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Bartenders - are you still listening?!
It's competition season. If feels like every season is competition season, right?
Well, you can't complain, especially with all the great prizes being offerred during Feb. and March.
Here is your ultimate guide to this season's cocktail contests:
February 8th, 2010: Deadline to submit your cocktail for the 42 Below World Cup. Finals are in New Zealand! Go to www.42below.com to enter.
Wed, Feb. 10th: Brugal Rum Coctel di Amor Competition - submission deadline passed.
Feb. 22nd, 2010: Punch Cocktail Competition for Tales of the Cocktail. Win a trip to Tales and your drink as the official drink of the festival!
March 15th, 2010: Don Q Rum Cocktail Competition. Submission details to come shortly...
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The USBG NY Chapter
Goings-on...
Check out this blog post about one of our most recent USBG NY Chaper mixers:
**The USBGNY/LUPEC Winter Ball is right around the corner! You won't want to miss this 80's/90's style prom soiree, complete with live band, food, spiked punches, and make-out room.
This event will only be open to USBG or LUPEC members and their guests.
Not a USBG NY Chapter member? Go to www.usbg.org to join now!
Is your brand interested in sponsoring one of the NY Chapter's monthly mixers, luncheons, or other events?
The USBGNY Council (from left to right): Treasurer Brian Van Flandern, VP Allen Katz (who is currently beardless), President Jonathan Pogash, and Madame Secretary Charlotte Voisey. |
Business Class:
Fort Defiance
Red Hook, Brooklyn
My love affair for this Cafe/Bar is well documented in the following blog post:
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Business Class Part Deux:
Landmark Tavern
Livingston, NJ
In this special section, I would like to profile a local hang-out, along with their local bartender. By local I mean local to where I grew up - New Jersey. The Landmark Tavern is an 18th century building that was once a stagecoach stop. Inside, much of the charm is as it was more than 200 years ago. The food is upscale pub, and the drinks are well-made.
A good pal, Matthew Schulze, is the bartender at Landmark. Packed on most weeknights and jammed on all weekend nights, Matt slings beers, bourbon, and blissfully crafted cocktails on any given night.
While masterfully plying his craft, Matt has time to come up with signature drinks of his very own. I've included one below, and it seems like it's just in time for Valentine's Day.
Thanks, Matt!
Pomegranate Gimlet
(adapted from Matthew Schulze, Landmark Tavern)
1 1/2 oz. London Dry Gin
1 oz. Freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Fill with POM pomegranate juice
Directions: Build ingredients in a Collins glass with ice. Stir briefly.
Garnish: 1/2 lime shell and pomegranate seeds
Serve with a long spoon.
More info on Landmark Tavern can be found HERE. |
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I Dream of Punch!
HOT HOLLAND PUNCH
This punch was my favorite one from the Punch seminar I spoke of earlier in this newsletter. It mentioned in "The Flowing Bowl - When and What to Drink" by William Schmidt. It's simple, potent, and incredibly warming. The recipe below is a direct excerpt from Schmidt's book.
Check it:
Strain the juice of three or four fine lemons; mix it with one pound of powdered sugar, and one bottle of fine Holland gin; let it stand well covered in a warm place until the sugar is dissolved; add two and a half quarts of boiling water, stir all thoroughly and serve. The Holland Gin is Bols Genever, of course.
Yup, that's it folks.
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Jonathan Pogash is a beverage consultant, educator, and mixologist for bars, restaurants, and liquor brands.
Join the Cocktail Guru List.
Cheers,
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