thesipologist

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Team HIDI 6

There are a few events that happen each year that truly bring the food and drink community together. One of those, and a true favorite of mine, is the Team HIDI event supporting The Giving Kitchen. They raised $719,090 this year, which not only goes toward supporting their mission but also gives them seed money to "put our new strategic plan into action and to expand GK into other counties and across Georgia by 2020." While at the event, I was able to speak with several of the bartenders in attendance about their drinks, their feelings on Team HIDI, and what they are scheming for the year ahead. All photos by Erika Botfeld.

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Mercedes O'Brien, Cocktail Director at Gunshow. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? As my first year involved with Team HIDI, I was honored to sign on when some seriously great leaders in the community reached out to me. John Wayne and Miles are beyond fabulous for wrangling up all the talent Sunday's event had behind it and it was such a pleasure to service a community that gives so much of itself each and everyday. Turn' Up Tokyo: Hat Trick Gin, Scarlet Turnip Vinegar, Soured Grapefruit, Dolin Genepy, and Southern Togarashi. My process for coming up with my drink ran in line with Gunshow's philosophy of seasonality, cultural references, and experimental food preparation. Over the span of two weeks, we fermented the turnip vinegar from scratch. The final product called on Japanese influences and a flavor affinity for grapefruit. Delving further into local goods and seasonality, we constructed a togarashi spice blend using southern ingredients: collards in place of seaweed, anson mills benne seeds instead of sesame, and dehydrated satsuma peels from a local farm. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI to me means a celebration of the life, strength, and generosity our service industry breathes each and every day. We are far greater together than alone. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? In 2018, there are a lot of big projects in the works for Red Beard (stay tuned). On a more personal note, I am looking forward to being involved in some magnificent organizations and events and all the future success and endeavors my friends in the industry have ahead of them.

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Demetri McDonald, Beverage Manager and Terick Alexander, Bartender at Holeman and Finch Public House

How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? Holeman has been involved for years and donates back to the community frequently. It is a passion of Linton and Gina Hopkins. We were given tequila and cocci americano. Terick and I wanted to do refreshing and herbatious style cocktail, that we named the Amarillo What does Team HIDI mean to you? I have many friends in the industry and if one falls on hard times it's great to know that there is an organization and community that will support our family. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? Growing! Growth is most important. Building new and better relationships with people while making our industry the best it can be!

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Adam Rowe. Bar Manager at Leon's Full Service in Decatur, Georgia. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is the third team hidi that I have had pleasure of attending and making drinks at. We were given a base spirit and a modifier to work with. I had the pleasure of using Richland Rum and Lustau Vermouth. I decided to riff on a cocktail that was on our menu at Leon's (which itself was a riff on a Scofflaw) and changed a few other elements to complement the products I was using. Butler and Dale 2 dashes of scrappy's chocolate bitters 1/2 oz. lime 1/2 oz. spiced cranberry grenadine 1/2 oz. lustsu sherry vermouth 1 1/2 oz. richland rum shake/serve up/microplane a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg on top/enjoy What does Team HIDI mean to you? Humility. The amount of restaurants and staff that donate their time to make this event happen is quite astounding. It is heartwarming to see everyone so happy to be a part of something that offers a helping hand to those in need. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? How much The Giving Kitchen will grow. Team Hidi, of course. New restaurants. --

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Amber Aristy. Whiskey Specialist and Manager of Mac McGee Irish Pub in Decatur. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? I've been involved with Team Hidi in small ways over the years, but this was the fist one where I operated my own table. I got involved this year because I was doing a similar blind tasting at another event where I ran into Kristie, and she approached me later about doing the tasting for Hidi. I was happy to comply, and super excited to be there. We didn't present a cocktail as Mac McGee is very whiskey focused, instead we did a blind tasting showcasing Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, ASW Ameireaganach Single Malt, and Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team Hidi is absolutely my favorite event of the year. Supporting my industry colleagues is incredibly important to me. It's a beautiful thing that we have an organization that gives us a way to actively support each other. Even more amazing that we have an organization which has the singular purpose of making sure we can stand back up if we fall. It's a comfort to us all and as I've said a hundred times through the planning process this year: Anything for The Giving Kitchen. Anything at all. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? This year I'm looking forward to spending a lot of dedicated time to development and education. I hope to really cement the whiskey program at Mac McGee until it's a beautiful smoothly running machine. I'd also like to develop a system open to the industry to help educate those curious on whiskey production, tasting, and mixing.

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Jeff Stockton, Bar Manager at Golden Eagle. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is my second year working the Team HIDI event on the bar side. Last year was alongside Kellie Thorne and Empire State South, and I was extremely happy to join again this year representing Golden Eagle. We wanted a drink that would be refreshing (didn't anticipate all that rain!) and sort of in the vain of a Pimms cup, yet with some more booze and bitterness. Cucumber and Falernum with Aperol created a nice melon-like quality. And I have always loved a little absinthe mixed with the aroma of cucumber on top. Constantinople 1.5oz RM Rose Bourbon .5oz Aperol .25oz BG Reynolds Falernum (or housemade) .75oz Acidulated Orange Juice (Fresh Orange juice with added citric and malic acid) Dash Bitter Truth Decanter Bitters Cucumber wheel Add all ingredients into shaker with cucumber disc, shake hard and double strain onto fresh ice. Optional spritz with absinthe and angostura on top.  What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI is one of those events that makes me love the Atlanta hospitality community, and The Giving Kitchen as a whole. The talent and generosity of all of those involved really makes me proud to work in the food/beverage industry. I feel extremely lucky to be part of a restaurant that supports TGK and hope I can continue to participate each year! What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? I am really excited to excel further in the industry, challenge myself, and learn new things daily with this new team working at Golden Eagle. And I look forward to actually getting to go to an Atlanta FC game and get my garden going. 

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kellie Thorn. Bar Manager at Empire State South.  How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? Well, I have been involved with Team Hidi since year one, and I feel very fortunate to still be a part of the event at year six. We were assigned St. George Botanivore Gin and Amaro Montenegro. Citrus season is in full swing, and we had access to some really lovely Fukushu kumquats, so we decided to make a syrup with them and accent the floral and citrus notes of the assigned spirits. Turn Down for Quat 2 oz St. George Botanivore Gin .5 oz Amaro Montenegro .75 oz Kumquat and Vanilla Syrup .75 oz Lemon Juice Combine all ingredients with ice and shake. Fine strain over fresh ice. Top with 4 drops of Bitterman's Tiki Bitters. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. What does Team HIDI mean to you? This event is incredible because it shows how strong Atlanta's sense of community is.  What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? Hugs and breaking records.

What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kate Flowe, Bartender at Staplehouse. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This was my first team HIDI and I was so pumped to be a part of it so I jumped in when we got our spirit assignment. I lucked out with two of my favorite spirits that go great together, so the workshopping was just filling in the blanks. I'd want a long drink at an event like this, Cara Cara oranges were in season, and I thought adding a little ginger juice to the mix would be a great way to win over the scotch-o-phobic. The original highball was made with scotch, so we named it Team Hidi-ball: 1.25 ounces great king street artist blend scotch .5 Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao .75 Cara Cara orange stock .25 ginger syrup topped with sparkling water What does Team HIDI mean to you? Being a part of Team HIDI this year was unbelievably humbling and so much fun. It was wonderful to see so many friends, colleagues, and supporters in one place. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? In the next year I'm looking to turn attention back to my wine studies, expand the offerings at our upstairs project, Paper Crane Lounge, and take the time to attend some beverage-focused seminars in Chicago and Charleston this summer.

photo by The Sipologist 1. What's your name, restaurant name, and position? Kevin Cornish, Beverage Director at Canoe restaurant. 2. How did you get involved with the Team HIDI event and what was your process for coming up with the cocktail? What's the name and recipe of the drink? This is my first time working with Team HIDI.  It was amazing. I was at the Tastemakers bar, and was asked to really highlight the spirits of ASW. I chose to use the Ameireaganach single malt, truly a unique take on American whiskey.  I made a Sazerac, mixing the ASW whiskey with a touch of simple syrup, and a dash of Peychaud’s Bitters. I mist the glass with some St. George Absinthe and then garnished with a lemon twist. 3. What does Team HIDI mean to you? Team HIDI really inspires me to do more to give back to the Atlanta restaurant community.  It was great to see so many people coming out to support what Team HIDI does.  So many times people in our industry get hit with hardships and really have no way of recovering on their own. 4. What are some things you're personally looking forward to in the next year? This year I’m excited to continue my wine studies, and I hope to get my second level certification from the court of master sommeliers.

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Stay Gold, Ponyboy: bourbon, grapefruit, honey, campari, allspice, bitters at The Pinewood in Decatur, GA

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A special shoutout to this crew at Cucalorus who helped me kick off Cuctails with a great experience. Folks had to talk to Karl & Virginia (the two on the right) to get a code, knock on the door (worn by Paul), and then be lead to me making Manhattans and Jen reading tarot cards. Such a fun evening! These four are the best. 

Also, we're doing a shot of whiskey out of a pint glass. :) 

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Cuctails 2018

For the third year, I put together the Cuctails program under the Cucalorus film festival. It consists of experiential events, workshops, bar popups, and a VIP passholder lounge that takes place every day of the festival in multiple venues. I was fortunate enough to have some great sponsors (and people) this year and want to give a shout out to Billy Mellon & Ashley Tipper for their spaces, Amanda Charles, Scot Sanborn, Scott Smith, Trey Herring, Esteban McMahan for their tasty booze and posi spirits. Huge thank you also to the bartenders Paul Hart, Curtis Huff, Craig Nelson, Sam Gabrielli, Kevin Barrett, Luke Carnevale for teaching everyone about cocktails. The entire Cucalorus staff that makes this thing possible, including Jamie Webb, Blair Middleton, Dan Brawley, Joey Toler, and Carolyn Maher. Josh Parrish killed it on the VIP lounge side of things, along with all of his volunteers. Thank you also to Mister Bartender for their immense help at two of our biggest parties. And lastly, to Virginia Newcomb, Paul Hart (again), Karl Jacob, and Jen West for helping to make our Cuctails kickoff party exceptional and spooky. 

Here are some photos:

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Milano Torino in Naples to wrap up our honeymoon! 

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A couple of cocktails in Rome at the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, please! 

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This Fernet Branca poster from yesterday's Mod Party is top notch! 

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Robert Simonson discusses the cocktail revival through 59 images.. and here he is discussing Dale DeGroff.

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Caught up with Chris Hannah just before War of the Sling at French 75 with Cherry Heering and Deaths Door Spirits

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Old Forester lineup at Sloss Fest in Birmingham, AL. Sign me up! 

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Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, 2017.

One of my highest priorities as The Sipologist is to celebrate and discover the art of the cocktail with old and new friends alike. There are only a few events per year that are must-do's for me, and one of those is certainly the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Based in my home city, it's the perfect opportunity to deep dive into food and drink topics of interest while experiencing the stories behind their creation. The educational tracks are top notch and I always leave thirsty for more. 2017 attendees had the opportunity to rub elbows with the likes of cocktail expert David Wondrich, the brothers of Belle Meade Bourbon in Nashville, and the founders of Cure in New Orleans. If you've ever had a desire to expand your culinary network, this is the festival to do it. 

The seminars I attended this year were informative and ranged from beginner to intermediate - perfect for a broad range of interest levels. I especially looked forward to hanging out on the terrace between events, as that's where I had some of my most enlightening and intimate conversations with industry experts. Of course the whole festival was kicked off with a killer event called Destination Delicious hosted at ASW that featured a Louisiana seafood spread with regional crab, shrimp, crawfish and oysters. Thirds, please? A couple of the delicious cocktails for the party were created by celebrated Atlanta bartenders Mercedes O'Brien, Eric Simpkins, and Brendan Town, as well as a few visiting bartenders Jayce McConnell and Bob Peters.  Cheers to the 7th Annual Atlanta Food and Wine Festival! It was one for the books.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Interview with Kathy Black-Dennis of Swizzle & Shake

While down in Savannah a couple of months back, I made a quick trip to Tybee Island. While there, I was pleased to stumble upon Swizzle & Shake, a vintage bar goods shop. I met Kathy Black-Dennis and talked to her a little bit where her idea came from and how she ended up at Tybee. Make sure to give her a visit next time you're down that way. 

What was the first cocktail you ever had? The first cocktail...hmmm. Bourbon on the rocks. I grew up in Kentucky so not a real cocktail, just a very solid choice. Coming of age in the 1970's it was probably something tiki and fruity!

What's your favorite cocktail nowadays? Favorite cocktail today....I am always trying new cocktails, but my tried and true is a Hendrick's Gin and Tonic, extra lime or Bourbon on the rocks. The Bourbon varies because I like trying new ones. So many interesting choices today. I love going to bars where they do flights-I'm experimental!

How did you get into selling vintage barware? Tell me about your path to where you are now. I started collecting vintage barware  ten years ago. I fell in love with the elegance of the 1930's sterling silver shakers, the fun of the kitchy 1950's shakers and the overall variety of shapes and sizes of the shakers. I then  expanded into flasks, jiggers and accessories. My husband, Gary, really jumped into the flask collecting and he is responsible for most of the great finds in that category. I  enjoy researching the barware-there are some interesting stories....if only all the shakers could talk! Collecting barware started as a hobby, became a passion and now a business. As I was collecting, the shakers started overtaking our condo in Washington, DC and my office. The name "Swizzle and Shake" came to me one day while commuting to work. I mulled over the idea of opening a shop for a few years. I did not have any retail experience whatsoever. I decided on Tybee because I wanted to move to the beach and I loved Tybee.  All the stars aligned on a very sad day for me. After two years of being on a wait list for space, the call came on the day my mom passed away from pancreatic cancer. Gary and I had left our jobs to take care of mom. At a very vulnerable time I started the wheels in motion, then opened on May 22, 2015. I like to think she has a hand in this adventure.  I love to travel so I get to combine work (not really work) and pleasure wherever I go.

It's been a lot of fun and a lot of work, but I love it! I meet people from all over the world, I still get to buy barware and it "keeps me out of trouble" in retirement! The really hard part is when I sell a piece I absolutely adore. I have actually interviewed prospective buyers of some of my really special pieces to make sure they are going to love their purchase as much as I do.

When did you open your shop in Tybee? We opened Swizzle and Shake on May 22, 2015. It is a constantly evolving shop with new cocktail culture and vintage items. We carry very unique items for both the professional bartender as well as for the at-home cocktail enthusiast. I have return customers so I try to keep the shop fresh. The shop has everything from a plastic cocktail shaker you can take to the beach for $6.50 to a 1929 sterling silver shaker for over $650.00 and everything in between!  There are fun items for our out of town visitors, as well as exquisite shakers for the serious collector.

Any exciting plans for the future you'd like to share? Exciting plans-I just hope to continue to have fun, to introduce my guests to cocktail culture and give back to the Tybee community through philanthropic events.

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An Author Interview: Clair McLafferty

I recently had the opportunity to ask Clair McLafferty, author of The Classic & Craft Cocktail Recipe Book: The Definitive Guide to Mixing Perfect Cocktails from Aviation to Zombie, a few questions about how the book came about and her path in cocktails. I've known Clair for a while, and aside from being a nice human, she's also extremely knowledgeable about cocktail culture and process. The book really is a great guide through not only cocktails, but barware, and technique as well. You can grab your own copy here. 

Mary Katherine Morris Photography

The book does a remarkable job of indexing the entire world of cocktails, from the ingredients to the glassware. Can you touch on your process for researching and executing the flow of the book? I wish I could say that the flow was all my idea, but when the publishing company contacted me about writing a book in seven weeks (phew), they already had an outline in place. That was a huge help for me in structuring my approach, since it allowed me to break the subject matter down into small, easily manageable chunks. I'm a Type A nerd, so I immediately broke the outline down into a color-coded Excel spreadsheet [laughs]. Every time I finished a section, I changed the color and updated the total word count.

The research part was fun, and I did a lot of it while I was sketching out the content for each of the sections. Much of that time was spent poring over my library of cocktail books, but I also spent a couple evenings going through articles I had already written to find sources for information I'd need again.

In the intro of the book you describe your path from becoming a cocktail consumer, to learning more about the process, to eventually bartending yourself. What was your favorite component of bartending? What drink did you discover back then that you still enjoy today?  My favorite part was introducing customers to cocktails and seeing their faces light up when they realized they liked cocktails. I miss being behind the bar every day.

I was so fortunate to find many, many drinks that I still love. The most enduring (and what's become the most expensive) has been discovering how much I love whiskey. My collection has grown and grown and taken over the basement.

Did you learn anything new while writing the book that you hadn't known before? I learned a lot about mezcal and rum and how the two spirits work with different flavors. I also discovered that making oleo saccharums by muddling citrus peels with raw sugar is super easy and makes some delicious punches.

What's the plan for the book now that it's out in the world? Push it, push it good.

In all seriousness, promote it through social media and traditional media, schedule some signings (anybody in ATL want to host?), and generally get the word out.

What's next for you on the writing side of things? That's a good question. I'm still trying to figure that out, but I'm planning to dive into my second book in the near future. I'll also be trying to pitch out some articles.

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Team Hidi 5 Unites Bartenders

Team Hidi, now in its 5th year, has brought together an amazing collective of chefs, bartenders, artists and community in order to raise money for The Giving Kitchen. The Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance grants for Atlanta area restaurant workers facing an unanticipated hardship. This year, the event raised over $500,000 and I had the opportunity speak with several of the bartenders about their drinks and what Team Hidi means to them. Have a look below. 

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position?  Ben Richardson. Staplehouse. Bartender. What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Thing 1 & Thing 2 Thing 1 recipe:  1.5 oz gin, .75 oz Aperol, .5 shrub, .5 tonic. We made a giant batch of this (300 portions) and diluted by 25%. So a cup of water per quart of base. Then we carbonated it. Thing 2  recipe: 1 oz grapefruit, .5 oz bourbon, .5 oz Cynar, 3 oz pilsner. We batched everything but the pilsner and poured 2 oz of base and topped with 3 oz pilsner. What was the process like for coming up with the drink? It kinda fell in to place fairly easily. For Thing 1 I had made this shrub hoping to use it for HIDI. When we got assigned gin and Aperol it seemed like a no brainer. I had the idea of doing some sort of cinchona syrup but our new AGM Melissa Davis happened to have a homemade batch of delicious Kaffir lime tonic that worked perfectly. For Thing 2 we got someones allotment because they were not going to be able to make it to HIDI. It was bourbon and Cynar. Melissa and I were talking about how the Stiegl Radler is the best thing to drink for these kind of events because it's low octane and really refreshing. So we took the idea of a grapefruit radler and applied that to our bourbon and Cynar. We taste tested both of them to figure out ratios but it went through very little tweaking. We kinda knew what we wanted before we started mixing and they were both fairly straight forward. Thing 1 wasn't inspired by anything in particular other than thinking certain thing would taste good together. Thing 2 was for sure a grapefruit radler. 

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta?  I think it is incredible. It is a true testament to how tight knit the restaurant community is. I didn't know at least 70% of all the folks working the event but I have full confidence it wouldn't be hard to strike up a conversation with any of them. Team HIDI and TGK are very tangible example of how powerful community can be. Out of tragedy goodness was born. And that goodness continues to build momentum each year. That is truly incredible

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Evan Milliman, Ticonderoga Club, Bar Manager. I was working with my wife. Amber Aristy Milliman What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Lost Voyage

Recipe: 1.5 oz clément vsop the agricole, .5 oz yzaguirre Rojo reserva vermouth, .5 oz becherovka, .5 oz lemon, .5 oz spiced lemon cordial, .25 oz Campari What was the process like for coming up with the drink? The inspiration for the drink was to take a old rum sling/sour and give it a spiced and savory finish. The Campari came in as a bitter element when I was searching for a way to balance the acidity without adding any extra perceived sweetness. Overall I loved the drink myself, but tasted it around my staff and bar partners. Simply bc feedback and constructive criticism should always be welcome. Sometimes the flavors one person likes doesn't translate into a crowd pleaser. And with so many people at an event like Team Hidi you want your drink to be pleasing to all not just the cocktail aficionado.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta?

This was only the second Team Hidi I've participated in, but boy howdy how it's grown since year 1. It's just a joy to be able to come out and do what you love and be surrounded by people who love what we do. All the while knowing that every ounce of energy going into the event is out of love and kindness for helping others. That's what community is all about. I just hope the event continues to grow and maybe one day our community will be a national one, hell maybe even international. The more people that can be reached and helped when in the most dire of circumstances the better the world will be as a whole. Because that's what being part of a global society is all about. Bettering the world for our fellow people. ________________________

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Stephen Racheff, Holeman and Finch Public House, General Manager What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Dry Personality

Recipe: 1.5 oz Gin, 1 teaspoon st. George Raspberry liqueur, .5 oz vanilla thyme Demerara, .5 oz lemon juice, .25 oz grapefruit juice, 8 dashes bittermens tiki bitters What was the process like for coming up with the drink? It was tough. We went though about 20 variations. I knew the profile I wanted, but even though the raspberry is delicious it over powers any drink very quickly.  We finally found the base, but couldn't get which bitters to use so we tried every bitters we could until tiki bitters just hit he spot.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? It is an amazing event and this is my second year. We have been going through some transitions and Holeman and Finch, but no matter what I knew we had to be a part of it. It is about showing people the gratitude for supporting our industry. The giving kitchen gives a lot, but it's the people that come to these events our patrons that make it possible for TGK to do what they do.

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What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Erik Ellickson, Muss & Turner's/Eleanor's, Lead Bartender

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Old Man Martinez

Recipe: 1.5 oz High West American Prairie Bourbon, .75 oz Miro Rojo Vermouth, 1 barspoon Cynar, 3 dashes Orange Angostura Bitters, 1 Luxardo Maraschino Cherry. Stir in glass, strain, add ice, garnish with cherry. What was the process like for coming up with the drink? I wanted to showcase what Eleanor's is all about in terms of creativity, originality, and the ability to call back to crafting/riffing on classic cocktails. The Old Man Martinez features the flavor profiles of an OLD Fashioned, a MANhattan, and is proportionally designed like a Martinez.  

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta?Team Hidi is an inspiring event that proves year in and year out that the Atlanta restaurant industry as a whole is a force to be reckoned with. It brings out the best of us in terms of creativity, hospitality, and generosity.

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Bobby Dudley, SOS Tiki Bar, Bar Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Pretty Pomelo

Recipe: 1.5 oz Avion Blanco, .75 oz Lime Juice, .5 oz Giffard Pampelmousse, .5 oz Cocchi Americano, .33 oz SOS Tonic Syrup, B.S. Punt e Mes, 2D Jamaica #2 Bitters. Short shake and strain into a Collins glass, top with soda and garnish with an orchid and parasol.

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? I just wanted to make a nice refreshing, light grapefruit & Tequila cocktail. There are many variation on this flavor profile, most notably the Paloma cocktail. This was a basic variation on that adding a bit of bitters and fortified wine to spice things up a bit. I sat down at Victory Sandwich Bar, Decatur on the Tuesday afternoon before Team Hidi and had my buddy Joe mix this cocktail up a couple of times  during his shift while we honed it in. Just a sunny day drinking Tequila. Thats what we wanted everyone to feel drinking this cocktail.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? Team Hidi is first of all the coolest, most fun event I’ve ever been part of. It was truly a pleasure to work the event, and I cannot give a more props to everyone that organized and executed. I was honored to be part of such an important event for our community, and I think that that is where the charm to Team Hidi lies. The mood in the room is electric. Everyone is smiling and laughing. You can feel all the good will both in the volunteers and in the patrons. It feels good to be a part of something good, plain and simple.

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Navarro Carr, The Sound Table, Bar Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Johnny Blood

Recipe: Rittenhouse Rye, Pommeau de Normandie, Lemon, Blood Orange Cordial, Angostura Bitters

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? Yes, I collaborated with the owner of the Sound Table (Karl Injex, who made the cordial) and my partner at the event (Cameron Reno).  We did go thru several variations..but mainly simple proportion changes.  I originally looked at the Scofflaw Cocktail for inspiration.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? I think the event is amazing!  So much talent under one roof, and all for a great cause.  I would buy a ticket to this event if I wasn't working it.  

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Adrian Fessenden-Kroll, Kimball House, Bartender

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Hopped Blood Orange Daiquiri

Recipe: Diplomatico Anejo, Aixa Bianco, Lime, Blood Orange Sherbet, Simcoe Hop Tincture

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? The drink came from David Chapman's creative mastermind. He started wanting to do a take on a Scofflaw, which turned into something more like a daiquiri.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? The guys I work for were all good friends with Ryan, and are still great friends with Jenny. I think what they are doing with Team Hidi is like nothing else you can find in any other city. The Hospitality community here is already so strong, it's amazing to know that we have this to bring us even closer together and to know that people are there for you, always, no matter what life throws at you. ________________________

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? David Chapman, Kimball House, Head Bartender

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Hopped Blood Orange Daiquiri

Recipe: 2 oz Diplomatico Anejo Rum, .75 oz Aixa Vermouth Bianco, .5 oz lime juice, .5 oz Blood orange sherbet (a rich syrup flavored with citrus zest with juice folded in), 2 droppers of simcoe hop tincture

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? Coming up with the drink was fun. I was assigned a really good aged rum and white vermouth to mix with. I wanted something refreshing with those ingredients, so I referenced the classic Scofflaw cocktail, which combines rye whiskey and dry vermouth with lemon juice and grenadine. I basically just took our specs for that drink and translated it to a rum drink that ended up tasting like a good daiquiri. In order to play off the rum a bit more and because it's citrus season, I swapped out the grenadine for a rich blood orange component. I love rum and citrus together, so this is a good time of year to work with the two. I added the hops to dry the drink out a bit more and add a pleasant, subtle bitterness in the finish.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? I love team Hidi. This was my second time working it, and I never want to miss it. It's a big party, but it's also a physical reminder of the community we as restaurant workers are a part of and the responsibility we have to each other. You look around the room while you're putting up really good drinks and food as quick as you can, and it's full of industry friends and regulars, and all the while there are people throwing up auction paddles and putting up huge amounts of money so The Giving Kitchen can continue the work of looking after us and keeping us on our feet if something goes wrong in any of our lives. The people who run TGK and the love they have for this city and its restaurant workers is the reason you get that group of talent in the room every time. Thanks to the TGK and all their volunteers for putting on the most fun, positive, and worthwhile event every year. ________________________

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Brandon Kemp, The Bookhouse Pub, Bar Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? El Camino

Recipe: Resurgent Rye, Cynar, Campari, New Orleans Coffee bitters, Antica Carpano, Del Maguey Vida floater, Orange twist

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? I was inspired by simple plays on manhattan's and the boulevardier cocktail.  Mild and bitter tones with a beautiful soft finish.  

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? Team Hidi has been an event that I hold dear to my heart.  The ability to spring forth so much talent and love into one event is overwhelming-I mean GOD!!! There is not another event like.  Its why I love this industry.  

What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Kellie Thorn, Empire State South, Bar Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Safe Passage

Recipe: Great King Street Scotch, Fino Sherry, Green Tea, Coriander, Lemongrass, Lemon Juice

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta? Team Hidi is such a special event. A lot of us donate our time and talents throughout the year for various causes. This event gives an opportunity to raise money to help people in our vibrant hospitality community, and it is always an honor to get to serve beside all of these legends.

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What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Adam Rowe, Leon's Full Service, Bar Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Dutch Revolt

Recipe: 1.5 oz Highwire Hat Trick Gin, .5 oz Boosma Cloosterbitter, .25 oz (3:1) Honey Syrup, .5 oz. Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice, .25 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice, 20 drops of Hop Bitters. Shake/double strain/garnish with a grapefruit peel

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? This cocktail came together pretty quickly. The first version was a touch too sweet for what I wanted so I dropped the honey and added a bit more bitters. The cocktail could be traced back to several classics but was not directly inspired by them.

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta?

I am honored to be a part of a community of talented individuals that help to make Team Hidi happen every year. It shows how much we all appreciate one another and care for each other's well being. I look forward to being a part of Team Hidi for many years to come.

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What's your Name, Restaurant Name, and Position? Dan Durnell, Amer, Restaurant Manager

What was the name and recipe of your cocktail? Goose Got Me Loose

Recipe: 1.5 oz Fords Gin, .5 oz Gran Classico, .75 oz lemon juice, .5 oz Grapefruit sherbet (a syrup made from grapefruit juice and grapefruit oleo saccharum), .75 oz Goose Joose ( a Gooseberry syrup made with 5 oz gooseberries, 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar, blended)

What was the process like for coming up with the drink? Gin and citrus were born for each other so us being given fords gin and gran classico ( an orange forward amaro) my partners and I felt that a shaken sour cocktail would be best. Like most drinks we like to showcase to the public, this drink went through many variants. Each of the varients was a sour but balanced with different ingredients. We settled with a gooseberry syrup as gooseberries were something new to us at the time (and we love new toys) and we felt that a tart and earthy fruit would work nicely in a sour, thus we have "Goose Got Me Loose"

What are your personal thoughts on the Team Hidi event and it's ability to bring together such talent in Atlanta?

It’s hard to fully explain the how appreciative we are that the Giving Kitchen is an available resource for our staff and the wider restaurant community. The Team Hidi event was a great showcase to see the faces of many of the beneficiaries of the Giving Kitchens charity. What better way to raise money for such an essential charity than to eat great food and drink great drinks.

[thesipologist]

I'm back at Cucalorus this year, hosting Cuctails - a wondrous set of delectable cocktail workshops, experiences, and concoctions taking place throughout Cucalorus. Check everything out here: http://www.cucalorus.org/filmlist.asp?thread=Cuctails

[thesipologist]

The New Orleans Sazerac at Bend & New Orleans Film Festival

The New Orleans Sazerac continues it successful festival circuit this fall with the Bend Film and New Orleans Film Festival this October. You heard that right, our short doc is returning to home turf to celebrate with ALL of the Sazeracs. Follow our journey between October 7 - 15 on Instagram. The event in Bend will be an intimate experience at The Oxford Hotel during the opening night reception. In New Orleans, we are pulling all of the stops with a partnership with Seed&Spark and the Sazerac Company. We'll be taking part in the Taste Of New Orleans party in the lawn of a Garden District home. Additionally, we'll have a happy hour just after our screening on Saturday Oct 15 at 3:30pm at the Ace Hotel bar. It's always the perfect combination to pair a screening of the film with a tasting of the actual drink. 

Cheers!

[thesipologist]

The City Cocktail Series

Riding on the Cannes coattails of The New Orleans Sazerac, we are in full development on a new project called The City Cocktail Series. We want to expand upon the things that we loved about TNOS while bringing to life unique city drinks with a colorful history. We can't disclose too much at this time, but needless to say that we are very inspired to take this new initiative on.