Culture Clash 2017
Music creates a mood. It moves you. People identify and align with their musical interest with cult like enthusiasm. Nowhere is that more true than ‘Culture Clash’.
Created from Jamaican dancehall, culture clash created a space for artistic expression and national pride.
Red Bull and Adidas united for a musical competition of art late this summer. Four dj crews would battle in ATL for the crown and bragging rights.
More than three thousand attendees gathered at 787 Windsor place to experience entertaining legends.
Representing ATL, Mike Will Madeit including his artist: Rae Strummurd and a host of other US artists – from Jamaica: Team Unruly missing Popcaan, all the way from the UK: Disturbing London lead by Tinie Tempah and the only crew featuring a female – WondaGurl from Toronto.
Each crew had four rounds to prove themselves. Every round had a different theme. Crews were given between 8-15 minutes to jam out. The overall music genre was Reggae reflecting the roots of ‘Culture Clash’. Mike Will featured prominent Atlanta musicians like Crime Mob, OJ ‘The JuiceMan’ and Crime Mob.
The Unruly team bought traditional island realness playing hits songs by Popcaan that throw the crowd into a frenzy.
Audience members put lighters, cellphones, handkerchief, water bottles, etc. into the air. Air horns sounded as party goers danced to every beat, sweating and vocally expressing approval or distaste.
Some teams choose to use non musical methods to win over the crowd.
Mike Wills crew tossed t-shirts, hats, stickers and noise makers into the audience. In the final round, the Atlanta based crew threw about 10k into the crowd. A major faux pas – as the audience immediately booed diverting their support to the Unruly crew. Ultimately, the Jamaican based crew reigned supreme.
In a cocktail… Culture Clash was diverse and grungy. Its simple but full of passion just like this fruity Gin cocktail created by the beverage artists at Sweet & Chilis.
Tales of the Cocktail 2017
The phrase, ‘It’s a marathon not a sprint’ takes on new meaning at this five day beverage celebration.
Industry professionals descend on New Orleans to educate themselves in all that is trendy and new in the beverage market. Tales of the Cocktail started in 2002 and has since dominated the industry as a premiere beverage festival.
The French Quarter provides the perfect setting for alcohol induced activities. Pedestrians are permitted to walk all public streets, cocktail in hand.
We took full advantage of this, never feeling the need to ‘finish’ our current drink before leaving the bar or restaurant.
Our first taste of the Tales experience, was the Bacardi Party. The international brand brought more than just rum to the party. Grey Goose Vodka, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Cazadores Tequila served cocktails and provided interactive entertainment. The ladies of St. Germain place flowers in our hair and mini bottles in our pockets.
Guests were encouraged to add their mark on an active mural in the center on the party. Inside, the venue was transformed into in a jungle where trees moved and rum was sipped from coconuts. Silent Addy from Miami played a blend of reggae dancehall and New Orleans bounce music that kept the dance floor rocking.
Over the weekend, we visited smaller more curated events. Absolut Elyx brought the tropic to Tales. The space was covered in bright palm leaves that matched the clothing worn by the servers. Every corner of the ballroom featured specialty vodka cocktails expertly prepared and presented.
The main bar required a reservation for which we waited 45 minutes before being seated. We were given twenty minutes to enjoy one cocktail based on a menu made of emojis. The world renowned mixologist crafted beautifully complex cocktails full of whimsy and imagination.
Suze, a gentian liqueur hosted a reception around the corner that was packed with French influence. We enjoyed mini croque monsieurs and baby quiches feeling transported to the French countryside.
Tastings
The Monteleone acted as headquarters for Tales activity. We visited the tasting rooms to sample the variety of new spirits.
Pasote Tequila and Bazel Mezcal served in mini cocktails in the lobby that embraced the smoky spirit without any bitter aftertaste.
Disaronno, the Italian liqueur brought their global ambassadors together for a very unique tasting session. Each bartender served a cocktail that reflected their respective cocktail market. Super dope!
Festival Favorites
- Seeing/Meeting Industry Friends: We were able to meet beverage professional who we respect and admire in person.
- Local cuisine: We are local everyday, tasting NOLA. We dined at Borgne, Bombay Club, Ruby Slipper and Nosh. Each serving a different part of NO culture.
- So much swag: We love our brand apparel and the sponsors of Tales spared no expense with their product marketing. Suze gave attendees Parisian walking shoes while Absolut Elyx provided portable fans to beat the heat. So necessary.
Patron II
Being in Mexico is a magical experience.
As soon as you arrive, you know you are someplace special. The people are incredibly generous, despite popular reports. Being an African American woman, you tend to stand out in a crowd abroad, but in Mexico I felt welcome and respected.
This hospitality continued once I reached The Casona.
Patron Tequila invited 20 bar professionals from all over the country to participate in an immersion educational experience.
We were treated to 5 star accommodations on the grounds of the distillery. We dined on veggies grown on the property farm and sipped Tequila fresh from the still.
Our group included a mixture of barkeeps, restaurateurs and beverage experts. Patron opened the doors to their bottling room, showed us one of the seemingly endless agave fields; where the plant is grown and the barrel aging room.
Patron intends to dispel the rumors of cutting corners in production, show the true integrity of the brand and increase the groups knowledge of Tequila production.
Patron values its people as much as it values their product. Employees benefits includes healthcare, life insurance, transportation and frequent fresh food distribution.
The recently constructed Casona allows visitors to experience spa like treatment hours away from the city. Each guest room was spacious and equipped with top of the line technology, walk-in showers and plush bedding. My room featured a dining area, jacuzzi tub and large back patio.
The most rewarding aspect of the journey was the community service work.
Patron partnered with a local food bank to provide frequent food donations to deserving families in the area. Our group helped prepare the donations boxes for those who could not venture to the donation center location and handed bags of food bout to a patient group of mother in the early afternoon. Each woman was grateful and full of provide. Appreciative of the assistance while maintaining all her dignity. As a mother myself, I respect their desire to provide for their loved ones. I felt privileged to participate in the process.
Top 3 Faves of the Trip
- Hopping behind the bar at The Casona
- Late night Mezcal tasting at 100 rabbits
- New friends
Italian Spirits Tour – NORTH
The rooftop reception at Terrazza Plaza was an inspired welcome to the iconic city of Rome.
The Italian Trade Agency along with all 10 spirit producers hosted all the attendees to a mini ‘Taste of Italy’. The cocktail hour featured traditional Italian fare like fried squash flowers and prosciutto wrapped melons.
Beverages were served by two talented bartenders each using liquors created in Italy. Cocktails led to our coursed dinner punctuated by remarks from each of the brand owners or their representatives. Each more humble than the last and eager to show us their place of business.
With a headquarters located in downtown Milan, Lucano is positioned in the heart of Italian progress.
Their chic office features a massive bar showcasing the many Lucano product varieties. Opposite the bar is a library of spices and herbs used in Lucano’s signature Amaro.
After introduction to the Lucano family and a delish welcome punch, we were led to the boardroom for a custom lunch created by the in-house chef.
Leonardo Veno, fourth generation heir to their Amaro empire, explained that the distillery was currently under construction but showed us very descriptive visuals of the manufacturing process.
Amaro has been consumed by Italians as an after dinner beverage for centuries. The bitter herbal liqueur has been known to aid in the digestion of those famously robust Italian meals. Lucano uses a secret blend on gentian and angelica root along with about 30 other herbs to derive its one-of-a-kind flavor profile.
The educational session was followed by product sampling, trying nearly every Lucano product. My favorite was the Walnut Liqueur. Its subtle nutty flavor would compliment a Bourbon cocktail well.
Letizia Lucano, the youngest member of the Vena family, led us on a bar crawl along Navigli, a canal that runs through Milan.
Our first stop was Iter. The new menu featured cocktails inspired by Panama using Italian spirits. What a unique blend.
Stop #2 at Mag Bar was also an inspired experience. Everything from the menus that resembled a bank notes to serving cocktails garnished in Italian lira was unexpected and spectacular. My Madera Sour featured Mezcal and Lucano Amaro, it was delightful.
Rita’s was the 3rd and final stop on our bar crawl. Named among the top 10 best bars in Italy, Rita’s did not disappoint. They serve an assortment of snacks to compliment the cocktails. The location was packed as guest continued to convene at the cozy bar at the end of Fumagalli. We enjoyed a citrus forward digestif that was the perfect nightcap on a eventful afternoon in Milan.
It’s hard to distinguish the Nardini Distillery from a futuristic space travelling vehicle.
Expertly designed to awe onlookers, the office and lab are affectionately referred to as “The Bubble”.
What lies beneath is equally as impressive. A massive theater and reception area allows the brand to entertain all invited guest in chic Italian fashion.
We were lead by Antonio Guarda Nardini, 5th generation Grappa distiller. He escorted us through the manufacturing, bottling and aging rooms. While Nardini produces exquisite Aquavites and Aperitifs, it is most famous for being the oldest Grapperia in Italy.
Grappa like Cognac or Tequila has a special categorization due to how and where it is produced. A product must be produced in Italy using the pomace from grapes grown in Italy in order to be deem a Grappa.
The stems, sticks and pulp remaining after wine-making is referred to as pomace. Additionally, the spirit must be free from any artificial color or flavoring.
Nardini Distillery is located just outside of the beautiful town of Bassano Del Grappa, 3 hours outside of Milan. The aptly named city looks like something out of a fairy tale. In the heart of the city founded in 995, runs the Arno River. Ponte Vecchio is a historic stone bridge that connects one side of the canal to the other.
At the head of the structure sits the original Grapperia Nardini where the brand has sampled and sold grappa since 1779. Walking the streets of Bassano felt as if we were transported to medieval time, in only the best ways.
We arrived at Garage Nardini Osteria for a typical Italian lunch spanning almost two hours long. The meal included el dente risotto topped with raw Scilician Red Shrimp and glasses full of white wine. Antonio retold stories of his family’s history and his world travels. A truly intriguing man producing an exceptional spirits.
The home of Maraschino Liqueur, Luxardo Distillery has a long history of producing fine Italian spirits founded in 1821.
Luxardo has been a pioneer in the Italian spirits industry. The company produces over 2 dozen liqueurs not including their line of syrups, jellies and fruit garnishes. While the cherry based liqueur is what Luxardo is most well known for, Sambuca, an Anise flavored liqueur, is their most popular export.
We were lead through the facility by Matteo Luxardo, sixth generation distiller. The family distillery has seen its fair share of hardship.
The original distillery in Zara was commandeered during World War II. Ultimately, two of the Luxardo brothers were murdered leaving the family and brand in a tenuous state. Luxardo then relocated to its existing location in Torreglia. Surrounded by monasteries and their proprietary cherries.
Luxardo manages each step of the production process from squeezing and aging cherries all the way to bottling and shipment. Master distillers take the skin, stems and sticks from their Marasca cherry trees.
After sufficient rest in wooden barrels, the mixture is then distilled using a neutral grain spirit. While the Maraschino Liqueur taste more like almonds than ripe cherries, the distinct flavor and twine wrapped bottle makes the brand recognizable on any bar.
We met the Ramazzotti Team at Bulk.Bar in downtown Milan– a chic restaurant with an impressive bar location in the heart of Chinatown.
Ramazzotti Brand Ambassador and dapper gentleman, Alejandro Mazza, led us through a product tasting while Laura and Giulia educated us on the history and spirit of the company.
We then joined the head bartender for a cocktail demo and tasting. Ivan created unique craft cocktails using Ramazzotti Amaro, Sambuca and the newly released Rosa. We met the owner of Bulk.Bar, Giancarlo Morelli who shares our penance for eyewear.
We reconvened at Savini located in the Galleria right next to The Duomo. The traditional Italian meal featured shaved ham, fresh fruit and creamy risotto. Dessert was phenomenal, a mixture of pastries, chocolates and other beautiful confections. There was plenty of Ramazzotti Amaro to aid our digestion of our hearty meal for after dinner drinks.
The talented bartenders at The Stage crafted us delicious cocktails using Ramazzotti and modifiers from their impressive bar. The view from the second floor window overlooked the modern plaza located outside. Piazza Gae Aulenti has become a tourist attraction and community hangout space.
The last venue we visited was 1930 Cocktail Bar. Recently named of the of top bars in the world. We were lead to the undisclosed location for a private tasting.
Bar manager/owner unraveled a scroll like cocktail menu carefully explaining each option. Each cocktail was presented in a very unique fashion, pleasing the eyes and palette.
After journeying by coach, we arrived in the small town of Cocconato.
The Bava Winery can be seen from the street. The distillery is a mixture of classic Italian home structures and industrial warehouses. Instructed by Roberto Bava, the winery produces much more than sparkling wine.
Mr. Bava informed us that his family took over ownership and operation of Cocchi distillery in 1978. His family feels privileged to carry on the Cocchi legacy while introducing products under the Bava brand. Roberto showed us throughout his facility.
The brand uses several techniques to extract juice from the grape with adding any crushed pits to the ‘mash’. Pits or seeds can contain poisonous properties, so vinters take extra precautions to remove this element. One method employed by Bava, uses water pressure to gently squeeze all the liquid from the fruit. Genius!
The Cocchi distillery could actually double as a Vermouth museum.
Roberto has a vast library of rate and old Vermouths. Cocchi is a member of the Vermouth Di Turin Institute which has a mission to valorize, promote and enhance the quality of the Turin Vermouth, the market deployment through the synergistic work of all producers. We then ventured to the tasting room located near the distillery gift shop. We sampled a variety of Vermouths and Sparkling Wine paired with aged cheese; some as old as 25 years. We were encouraged to detect the subtle differences between each combination.
For a late lunch, the group was lead into Cocconato township. A town with a population around 1600 people, possess all the old world charm of a traditional Italian town. For example, the residents were preparing for a donkey race; a celebration that dates back to the 13th century. Our meal lasted around two hours complete with Bava red and white wine. An assortment of pastas and anti-pastas ending with a selection of desserts including panna cotta, fruit custards and of course, Tiramisu. We left Asti full of bubbles and a rich knowledge of Vermouth culture.
Top 3 Faves:
- All the amazing regional food.
Each city had unique flavors and traditions.
2. New friends
I learned so much from the other beverage professionals on the trip.
3. Swag
Bringing back a little piece of Italy.
Many thanks to everyone who helped organize the spirits tour. It was a trip of a lifetime.
www.nardini.it
www.cocchi.com
www.luxardo.it
www.ramazzotti1815.com
www.amarolucano.it
www.italianspirits.ice.it/
www.thespiritofitaly.com/
Holiday Cheers! Dinner Menu
No need to dread entertaining friends and family this holiday.
Keep it simple and fun. Use that extra time to bond with your loved ones. Instead of making a large elaborate meal; design a creative and memorable menu complete with dishes and cocktails that will excite taste buds and stimulate conversation.
We teamed up with Elise from @cookinwithbooze to design a creative and easy 3-course Holiday meal Infused with a little something extra -booze. Perfect for those who enjoy a certain kick in each dish and sip!
For Starters
This Amaro based cocktail was meant to set the tone for the evening. Intended as a mellow cocktail, ‘Bi-Coastal’ – uses Bacardi 8 to add spice aroma and rich color to the mixture. A bit of citrus is added for acidity and the apple juice to round out the flavors. I strongly believe apple juice is under used in cocktails.
Its mildly sweet light taste make it a perfect compliment to aged spirits like this Bacardi 8. Apple juice like apples come in a variety flavors based on the type of apple. Sample an assortment of apples to determine your favorite variety.
Bi-Coastal
1 oz of Montenegro
1 oz of Bacardi 8
2 oz of Apple Juice
¼ oz of Lemon Juice
Garnish – Amaro soaked Apple slice/Lavender leaf
Add ingredients to mixing tin. Fill tin with ice; shake passionately. Strain mixture into coupe glass. Place garnish. Take #GentleLadySips
Main Dish
Gin is such a great palette cleanser. The herbal notes seem to wash out all previous taste while you breath in fresh floral ‘smells’. Fortified by Ginger Liqueur and pineapple juice; this cocktails purpose is to let the main course shine.
Season’s Best
1 oz of Gin
¾ oz of Domaine di Canton
2 oz of Pineapple Juice
1 oz of Honey Syrup
½ oz of Lime Juice
Garnish – Lime Peel
Add ingredients to mixing tin. Fill tin with ice; shake passionately. Strain mixture into rocks glass full of ice. Place garnish. Take #GentleLadySips
Elise created a cheeky way to remix a classic holiday dish.
Dessert
Lastly, the dessert cocktail was curated to be substantial. A drink that would feel like the conclusion of some transformative; a celebration of some great triumph – as getting together with family sometimes is.
Our Courvoisier based Digestif, lovingly called, ‘Cherry Bomb’ combines the very old school with new aged sensibilities.
Cherry Bomb
1 oz of Courvoisier
1 oz of Bacardi 10
1 ½ oz of Orange Juice
½ Cheerwine Syrup
2-3 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
Garnish – Bourbon Cherry/ Lime Peel
Add ingredients to mixing tin. Fill tin with ice; shake passionately. Strain mixture into chilled coupe glass. Place garnish. Take #GentleLadySips
Make sure to visit www.cookinwithbooze.com for all the details on each dish. Elise explains who she infused a little booze in each course.
www.bacardi.com
www.courvoisier.com
www.docporters.com
www.goldbugcollection.com
www.amaromonte.com
www.cheerwine.com
www.cookinwithbooze.com
Toyota #letsgoplaces Tour: Durham
Even though we are well into the new year, we have some unfinished business from 2017.
During the month of November we had the opportunity to travel to 3 cities: Durham NC, Washington DC, and Charlotte NC. We were very excited about this trip, because it was the first 10 day excursion since we’ve done since the “Satisfy Your Thirst Tour” with South Carolina PRT. We reached out to Toyota, and they were thrilled to sponsor this trip with a 2017 Avalon Tour! So for this adventure, we had to name our tour the Toyota “Let’s Go Places Tour!
Before we left we had to get our car!! Toyota was so amazing, they brought the car to our front door the day before we left.
The Avalon Tour was spacious, comfy, tech friendly, and easily carried all of our items!
The first day we traveled to Durham, NC.
Durham is an up and coming city, that is revitalizing their downtown. We had the pleasure of staying at the 21C Hotels and it was an amazing experience.
The 21c Hotel has been in Durham since 2015 in the historic Hill Building (an old bank). This hotel brand is notorious for re-purposing old buildings in medium sized cities. They also have an amazing museum that features art from the owners’ private collection. These museums are open to the public.
All of the 21c Hotels have a flock of signature of limited edition sculpted penguins by artist collective, Cracking Art, which are on permanent exhibition at all the hotels. The Durham location has fuschia penguins that are so cute! We had to take a photo with one!
The next day, we went to do yoga and a tour of Fullsteam Brewery.
The yoga was very relaxing and our instructor helped us get out some much needed kinks… after that, we met with the Sean Lily, owner of Fullsteam Brewing to check out the place. Sean showed us an amazing time when we visited. We sampled a few beers, (10 to be exact) three sodas, and a few Kombuchas because….. why not?!
The most interesting beers were local and seasonal: a persimmon beer and a sweet potato beer.
North Carolina has been the top producers of sweet potatoes since 1971. Sean even makes sure that his employees know about seasonal foods as well as different beer trends BEFORE he hires them!
Fullsteam Brewery also has an amazing kitchen!
We had wings with sorghum sauce and gnocchi that was made perfectly!
After we stuffed our bellies, Sean took us on a tour of the facility. It’s fascinating to see how passionate he was about his beer process. It was even better to taste some of the fresh beer before carbonation!
We went during a weekday, but Sean says that they have an awesome weekend crowd with live music! The entire experience was incredible and we can’t wait to get back to Durham to see what Fullsteam Brewery is doing next!
After we left Fullsteam Brewing, we went down the street we went a few blocks away to Durham Distilling.
Melissa and Lee Katrinic are not only married, former scientists, they are also the founders of Durham Distilling, founded in 2013. They wanted to make amazing southern spirits that incorporated art and science, and that’s exactly what they did.
Melissa, who was our lovely host, also manages the distillery. She told us it took them tasting approximately 250 gins over a year to even figure out what gin flavor they wanted!
The small batch gin process starts with Gertrude. Who is Gertrude you ask? Well she’s just a 230 liter German copper pot still. Melissa named her still Gertrude after her grandmother who always told her to “NOT HAVE A CONNIPTION!” Now, she’s has 2 kinds of conniptions: Navy Strength, and American Dry.
Gertrude runs EVERY day, and since she has a custom design, the product results in a clean, flavorful gin. There is also a custom designed trey for the essential gin botanicals like cardamom and juniper. The more delicate botanicals are individually vacuum distilled at room temperature to maintain flavor consistency. They do this with their 20L evaporator. Durham D. is the only Distillery that has vapor and vacuum for the production of their spirits.
Conniption Navy Gin
The Conniption was the first time we ever had Navy Strength Gin. A navy strength gin is a powerful alcoholic expression of the juniper informed spirits, typically 57% alcohol by volume (ABV). That means that this gin is over 114 Proof! That’s a strong gin! But the flavor is incredible. We were very impressed.
Conniption American Dry Gin
The Conniption American Dry gin is has a lower ABV (44%). Its processed with herbs like coriander, Angelica root, cardamom and of course juniper. It also has a very crisp, clean, flavor.
Durham Distillery is the #2 gin producing distillery in the U.S.
Cucumber Vodka
Although, we are not huge vodka fans, their vodka is pretty awesome! Since they use cucumbers in their evaporator to naturally flavor the vodka, it’s the ONLY cucumber vodka that’s not flavored with extracts! How amazing is that?! It was delicious by itself, and even BETTER as a cocktail.
Damn Fine Liqueurs
These liqueurs incorporate ingredients sourced locally from the Raleigh-Durham area. They use Slingshot Coffee Company, and Videri Chocolate Factory products to make ALL NATURAL liqueurs. There are 3 flavors: Coffee, mocha, and chocolate and they are all terrific!
We had so much fun at Durham Distillery with Melissa and we can’t wait to go back! We hear they have CANNED cocktails now! Can’t wait to try one of those. If you’re ever in the Triangle area, please check them out!
We loved exploring the up and coming beverage scene in Durham and we can’t wait to go back! Cheers! Now, where are the restaurants and bars?!?!
