Honoring ‘The Peanut Man’
Mount Pleasant resident and entrepreneur, Anthony Wright brought entertainment back to food service. Tony made appearances at local area football games; singing his signature tune while slinging boiled and roasted peanuts; all seasoned with his original and secret recipe.
The Peanut Man was not only a voice for his community but also a voice of an era. Mr. Wright pioneered the concessions market showcasing the diversity of peanuts and creative ways to market your brand and products using charm and personal know how.
Gone too soon and will be missed, we paid tribute to the legend with this cocktail, Tony Montana
Tony Montana 1.5 oz of Tequila .5 oz of Lemon Juice 1 Barspoon of boiled peanut juice Add ingredients to mixing tin. Shake passionately. Strain cocktail into chilled martini glass. Garnish with boiled peanuts. Imbibe respectfully.
Dish + Martini Glass www.westelmcharleston.com
Cocktail Photography by John Mi’kal Goforth
You are missed!
www.tonythepeanutman.com
Black Southern Belle Collective Conference – Charleston 2017
Charleston plays host to several conferences and festivals. Our favorable weather and variety of venue spaces makes our coastal city an ideal wedding location. Brides, grooms and their families alike come to our Holy City for inspiration and tradition.
Black Southern Belle (BSB) is a lifestyle brand that spreads African American heritage and the traditions of women living in the South. The online magazine shares images of beautiful and stylish women of color celebrating different aspects of their lives in the South.
BSB social media pages features Belles of all shades draped in pearls and pride, true visions of proper southern ladies. Creator and founder, Michiel Perry host a 2-day conference educating brand managers and interacting with lovers of southern culture.
The conference consist of social mixers at exclusive locations around Charleston like the Historic Rice Mill and the newly renovated Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory. Local caterers, bakers and bartenders offered attendees bites and sips; showcasing what their company can add to your next event.
We also had the opportunity to meet some very talented brand developers. Swank Desserts served her gold dusted macaroons alongside Callie’s Hot buttered biscuits. Angela Belt, an interior design wiz captivated us with her style and local event coordinator, Candise Hilse dazzled us with her ability to carry a conversation whilst managing refreshment replenishment.
The day of training began with a tea and coffee bar with gourmet cookies from Grey Ghost Bakery. The morning sessions were lead by different groups of panelists discussing marketing to diverse audiences and using events to grow your business. We spoke on two panels; Social Media Networking and Adding a Special Client Touch.
Both classes were well attended and the audience asked interesting questions about brand collaborations and social engagement both integral parts of business building.
At noon, we were treated to a lunch of tomato pie bites, salmon and beet salad, followed by a slice of pumpkin cheesecake. Our mid-day meal was lead by a panel discussion moderated by Kim Alston, The Advertising Diva.
The lunchtime panel included a shoe entrepreneur and Senior Advisor at the United States Department of Commerce. The group provided invaluable food for thought while we dined in the courtyard of The Gadsden House.
Top 3 of BSB
- South Carolina State Shaped lunch menu by SASE-Ink
2. Pure Leaf signature cocktail!
3. Seeing such a diverse and empowered group of women!
www.blacksouthernbelle.com www.saseink.com www.pureleaf.com www.thetinytassel.cm www.luxurysimplified.com www.thecedarroom.com www.anerisphotography.com www.yojevents.com
Black Girl Magic in ESSENCE Magazine!
We partnered with ESSENCE Magazine to create three cocktails inspired by Black Girl Magic. Pick up a copy of the February Magazine from your local supermarket to get the recipes to our celebratory cocktails!
Thanks ESSENCE Magazine for the opportunity to share a few of our home bar tips and custom cocktails
www.essence.com
Cocktail Bandits give 4 Tips to Prepare for #CHSWFF
And just like that, Charleston Wine and Food Festival is only ONE WEEK away!! We are so pumped about this year and we can’t wait to share all of our food and bevvie experiences with all of you next week…
But FIRST, we to share some tips on how to prepare yourself for 5 days of eating and drinking BEFORE the Festival. We have gone for the past 3 years and we think these tips will prepare your mind, and body for the week!
1. Hydrate!!
The FIRST thing one should do before attending #chswff, or any food and wine fest, is drink plenty of water and green juices/smoothies. Since the festival is in seven days, this is the perfect time to prep your body by filling up on healthy fluids. During #chswff, there will be so many different foods and beverages to sample so it is IMPERATIVE to hydrate so your body can handle the pounding it’s about to receive from the week!
2. Exercise!
Similar to hydrating, engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day, a week BEFORE THE FESTIVAL will give you more energy and stamina during the week of the events. There are over 100 events around the city with plenty of eating, drinking AND walking… so prepare that body to enjoy everything that #chswff has to offer!
3. Check the weather!
This city is very temperamental in March, it could be freezing one day, a pure sauna on the next, and raining the day after. Checking the weather before #chswff will determine what to wear for each event. The goal is to be comfortable and have fun.
4. Pre plan each day!
There are events happening all over the peninsula and beyond during the festival. We have seen so many attendees miss events that they paid for because they didn’t know how far it was from their previous event. Don’t let this happen to you. Review your schedule for the week and devise a clear plan of action each day. Create your own customized schedule and map around the events you will be attending for #chswff. Between events, check out other Charleston attractions that are in the area. We have plenty of art galleries, retail stores, and the College of Charleston is only a block away from the tasting tents. Do your research, make a solid plan for each day… FOLLOW that plan, and enjoy Charleston Wine and Food!
We hope that these tips make your experience with #chswff even BETTER than expected! We are a part of the Social Media “Street Team” this year and can’t wait to see your smiling faces around the city!
Lexus CFW Pre-Party/Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail Competition
The Lexus Charleston Fashion Week pre-party/ Next Top Cocktail competition at Republic was one for the books this year! There was amazing food, gorgeous fashions and of course delicious cocktails.
We love every thing about Charleston Fashion Week but we are the “Curly Ladies who talk Cocktails Daily, so we want to spend time talking about the 6 cocktails that were up for the title of Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail.
The first two cocktails were presented by Steven Huddleston of Prohibition. The Ciroc Mango cocktail called, the “Charleston Washout” was a beautiful blue color and was garnished with palmetto leaves that represented the Holy City. It’s was a beautiful cocktail and it tasted just as good as it looked!
His second cocktail made with Crown Royal Vanilla, was named “Early Morning Roll Call” included barrel aged cold brew coffee, chocolate walnut bitters, Crème de Cocoa and Tolerance liqueur; garnished with 3 barrel aged coffee beans. It was just like all of Steven’s cocktails…. Yummy and creative!
Ryan Welliver of Cocktail Club created a coconut milk based cocktail called “Kid that Can’t Read Good”. The Ciroc Mango cocktail brought savory sesame seed oil and sweet flavors together with ease! He also used these wonderful geisha glasses that were perfect for his Asian inspired cocktail. 
Keith Gasque of Cherrywood BBQ, made a Ciroc Spicy Mango Mule. The sugar-cured jalapenos paired well with the mango notes from the vodka… and we love ANYTHING with spice. It was a Moscow Mule with a makeover.
Mimi Welmeth of the Cocktail Club made this incredible cocktail with Crown Vanilla called “The Red Stiletto” and it was as sexy as it sounds. This drink also included a house made brandied cordial, lemon juice, and was topped with lavender & thyme foam. The lavender flower and thyme garnish were the perfect accent to such a beautiful, aromatic and delicious cocktail. 
Last, but certainly not least, Katie Daniel of Poogans Smoke House curated a Crown Royal vanilla cocktail named the “Charleston Crown Affair.” This spirit forward cocktail included local Amaro and tart cherry saffron bitters. It was very balanced and garnished with an orange crown and brandied cherry. It felt like sipping royalty. Haha!
After the cocktails were made, the bartenders made special samples of each drink for the guests of the party… Nice touch!
The 5 bartenders worked really hard on their presentations. It was obvious because the judges had to deliberated for quite some time choosing the winners. (But, it had to be done!)
The pre-party was a success! There were emerging designers that will be participating on the runway, gorgeous designs, and of course cocktails on cocktails on cocktails!! The judges had a hard time choosing from all of those fantastic drinks the bartenders created but the winner can’t be announced until Fashion week which is March 14-18, 2017. See you then! #charlestonfashionweek
www.crownroyal.com www.charlestonfashionweek.com www.republicreign.com www.ciroc.com
Margaritas are special
February 22nd is National Margarita Day. We love tequila in all its forms but Margaritas are special. Fresh juice with a taste of salt just reacts to the agave spirit better.
We’ve created a couple craft margaritas to expand your palate and your love for Tequila!
Blue Lagoon Margarita Hornitos Plata Blue Curacao Cranberry Juice Lime Juice Wild Hibiscus Pyramid Salt Flakes
Minute Margarita Hornitos Plata Hooch Limeade Soda Mike's Hot Syrup Granna's Gourmet Bloody Mary Rimmer
Add Hornitos Tequila and hot syrup to mixing tin. Shake passionately. Rim glass with Bloody Mary salt. Add ice to glass. Pour in mixture. Top with Hooch. Enjoy responsibly.
Thank you!
www.hornitostequila.com
www.oandohooch.com
www,grannasgourmet.com
www.mikeshothoney.com
www.b-lure.com
Summer’s Corner
Rarely do we leave the peninsula, even more rarely do we venture as far as Summerville but when we were invited by our girls at Touchpoint Communication to a new development community with on-premise community garden and full cafe, we had to check it out.
Moreover, our good friend, JA Moore is head chef and creator of several menu items. We were elated to sample JA’s dishes as he was trained at the acclaimed Johnson & Wales before the institution left Charleston.
Chef Moore served elevated cafe options including warm sweet potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with lavender jam. The savory, creamy and sweet combination was a southern twist on traditional lunch fare. And to whet our whistle, Chef prepared us Riesling wine cocktails dipped in honey and garnished with mint!
Co-hosting our afternoon was JA’s charming wife, writer and Charleston PR girl, Victoria.
She shared some of her favorite things about Summer’s Corner including the on-location farmer’s market and resident garden full of okra and herbs.
It great to seeing growth in area’s outside of downtown. Summerville is vastly becoming a viable alternative to Charleston living.
AFWF 2016
We were welcomed back to Atlanta Food & Wine Festival with much enthusiasm. Not only were we there to represent South Carolina Parks Recreation & Tourism and their new app but also participate in all the festivities. Stella Artois and Lexus were major sponsors, so we were looking forward to their interactive brand displays.
Thursday Night, we convened at American Spirit Works for the opening tasting event. We prepared cocktails featuring a South Carolina handcrafted beer, soda, mixer and spirit. Bartenders from other states like Louisiana represented their pride by preparing signature cocktail like the classic Sazerac. Live music encouraged attendees to move about the space to sample the South. Outside the venue, Bulleit Bourbon set up a mobile bar area along with custom lounge trailer.
Saturday afternoon we shared our experiences on the Satisfy Your Thirst tour to a sold out audience. Over the course of 10 days, we tasted our way through from the lowcountry all the way to the upstate sampling handcrafted juice, soda, vodka, moonshine and more, all made in South Carolina.
Our guide, a recently created and released smartphone app that charts every beverage provider in South Carolina. We had the privilege of meeting the creators of some of the brands, all with a unique story to share.
We paid homage to their commitment to excellence by crafting three cocktails to represent our journey. We used Hooch, Six & Twenty, Firefly Vodka, Blenheim Ginger Ale, Bittermilk cocktail mixer and beer from River Rat Brewing. Each showcasing a different aspect of the tour and of our state.
In between events and trips to the tasting tents, we visited the ‘in city” vineyard built just for the festival – It’s the first of is kind, in the United States! We popped into the BevCon pre-conference VIP party and shared exquisite shots of Tequila with master distiller German Gonzalez in the lobby of the Loews hotel! AFWF brings out the best in Southern food and beverage together.
Before departing on Sunday, we had cocktails and conversation with Mashaun Simon of NBCBLK. We shared our experience as black women in the culinary industry. We impressed upon him the amount of exposure and support we garner from participating in festival like AFWF.
Link to full article here:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-chefs-mixologists-inspiring-next-generation-n587581
Perfect way to finish a full weekend of culture and culinary adventures.
THANK YOU
www.scptr.com www.discoversc.com www.atlantafoodandwine.com www.nbcblk.com www.fireflyspirits.com www.fireflydistillery.com Katie Marie Photography
Los Muertos
Day of celebration to honor loved one lost – Dia de los Muertos. This Mexican holiday represents vibrancy and love. November 1st and 2nd is a time for family and friends to gather for festive food, drinks and dancing. Marigolds have long been used in ceremonies and rituals to pray respect to the deceased. We used handmade marigold flower crowns and marigold scented candles to pay homage to the Mexican tradition.
We invited our friends and family to join us at Apartment A to have a Sauza Tequila cocktail we created to celebrate the occasion. Our cocktail reminds us of the best parts of life: adventure, opportunity and love. We served the “Last Dance” from a Mikasa pitcher as everyone enjoyed tacos and danced to bachata.
Below are a few of the other cocktails we created using Sauza Tequila, Menage a Trois Berry Vodka, Cocktail Crate Syrups and Hooch limeade soda.
Megavirus
Sauza Blanco Tequila – Six & Twenty Cream Whiskey – b’Lure Blue Hibicus extract – Lemon Juice – Cocktail Crate Ginger Bee syrup
Rebirth
Sauza Reposado Tequila – Sage Liqueur – Rose Extract – Lime Juice – Tonic Water – Black Lava salt rim
The Ritual
Crown Royal Vanilla – Amaro Montenegro – Menage a Trois Berry Vodka – Hooch Limeade Soda – Wild Hibiscus Syrup
THANK YOU
www.sauzatequila.com www.b-lure.com www.cocktailcrate.com www.oandohooch.com www.amaromontenegro.com www.crownroyal.com www.sixandtwentydistillery.com www.apartmentachs.com www.creechsfloristinc.com
Holiday Mix
The Holiday Season is upon us. Let’s celebrate with an evening of amazing food, great music, delicious drinking and lots of dancing! Come enjoy Southern food prepared by Charleston area chefs. and Beverages will be provided by local and regional craft breweries and distilleries while enjoying the company of new and old friends.
Live music and dj. Showcase of local artisans.
Ticket includes access to food and beverage tasting tables.
Food from Carolima’s, Chef Washington on Lavender Lounge, Chef JA Moore of Summers Corner, TR Creations, Hannibals and others.
Tastings from Hooch, Snafu Brewing, Bell’s Brewing and more.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization.
holidaymix.brownpapertickets.com
#EatDrinkMix
