Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
March 26th, 2008
The Independent’s cheeky and clever head bartender, Evan Harrison, had a dream. He would take the cases of third-rate, Cluny blended scotch that somehow ended up in the restaurant’s basement, create a special menu of cocktails, and sell the drinks for $5. And the Independent said, “Yea brother, and we will donate the money from those scotch cocktails to Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services.”
That’s how Scotch for Old People came about. If you’re tired of cocktail events that take the easy way out by featuring premium spirits, if you want to relive that 1982 wedding reception in the VFW hall, if you want to know what your grandfather was drinking when he came back from Korea, then go to the Indo on the evening of Monday, March 31.
A special guest will join Evan behind the bar that night: drinkboston’s own Scott Howe, who, appropriately enough, hasn’t been on the stick since helping out at his dad’s bar in Worcester during high school.
Since the Indo is one of Boston’s best bars, Scotch for Old People isn’t just about cranking out Scotch and Sodas and Rusty Nails. Here are some of the rough-meets-refined tipples you’re in for:
Gretna Green
1 1/2 oz Cluny scotch, 1/2 oz green Chartreuse, 1 oz lemon, 1/2 oz honey
Inverness
2 oz Cluny scotch, 1/2 oz lemon, 1 tsp orgeat, 1 tsp curacao
Bobby Burns
1 oz Cluny scotch, 1 oz sweet vermouth, splash Benedictine
Cluny Sour
2 oz Cluny scotch, 3/4 oz lemon, 1/4 oz simple syrup
Gertsie’s Gick
1 oz Cluny scotch, 1 oz Lillet Blanc, 1/2 oz Drambuie
The Indo’s general manager, Jess Willis, says, “Scotch for Old People will run from 8:00 until we run out of scotch, or 1:00 a.m., whichever comes first.” Hint: Monday nights are popular with bar industry folk, who will drink just about anything on their night off, so it’s entirely possible the Cluny could be drained by midnight. See you there.
Tags: scotch, senior citizens
Posted in Events, Whiskey | 4 Comments »
March 26th, 2008
Anyone who was at the LUPEC Boston Tea Party knows that the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails throw a helluva party — and all for good causes. The group’s next event, Ladies’ Night, is this Sunday, March 30, at Toro in the South End.
The Ladies are taking this occasion to toast their forebroads — you know, people like Ada Coleman and Texas Guinan — in honor of Women’s History Month. All those who appreciate both broads and cocktails are invited to attend this coed gathering. No cover charge, no tickets. Just show up around 9:00 p.m. and enjoy a special menu of cocktails made with St. Germain elderflower liqueur (among other tasty drinks), plus Harpoon beer, free apps and a raffle. LUPEC Boston’s newly published book, The Little Black Book of Cocktails, will be on sale. The group will donate proceeds from the event to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Friends Boutique. Dress up in your cocktail-iest attire and stop on by.
Tags: LUPEC Boston, St. Germain, Toro, Women's History Month
Posted in Events, Liqueur | 2 Comments »
March 22nd, 2008
Easter’s here again, and that means that after you gather ’round with family and friends and celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior (and/or the more secular Visitation of the Bunny), you’ll need a good, stiff drink … with an egg cracked into it and shaken until deliciously frothy. Misty Kalkofen and a special guest bartender will be giving their arms a workout tomorrow night with a special menu of egg cocktails at Green Street. Get more details on the LUPEC Boston blog. See you there!
Posted in Events | 1 Comment »
March 6th, 2008
If you’re a fan of Esquire magazine drinks writer David Wondrich, and you bought his recently published book, Imbibe!, perhaps you’d like to get the book signed by the author himself. On Monday, March 10, Wondrich will be in Boston signing copies of his biography of Jerry Thomas, the father of American bartending. The signing happens from 12:30-2:00 at Stir, chef Barbara Lynch’s demonstration kitchen and cookbook library. Wondrich will join John Gertsen, who works with Lynch at the famed No. 9 Park, later in the evening to teach Stir’s monthly cocktail class. This installment of the class, Winter Warmer Cocktails (aka Who Needs Ice?), is sold out, but there are plenty more in the works — just click on “Calendar” at the Stir website.
Tags: David Wondrich, Imbibe, Jerry Thomas, Stir Boston
Posted in Bartenders, Books & resources, Events | 1 Comment »
March 6th, 2008
A little secret about Restaurant Week: while people who own restaurants may love it, people who work in restaurants don’t. They complain about the hordes of newbie customers who expect a level of dining and service for their $30 that may be a bit unrealistic, and who then leave a modest tip on their modest bill. Hmm. I suspect that these hordes are actually a few bad apples who tend to stick in a server’s memory until it all happens again next year.
Personally, I like Restaurant Week (March 9-14 & 16-21). A particular friend of mine and I take advantage of it every year and visit a restaurant we’ve never been to. We’re always happy with our food and service. And, because we feel we’re getting such a good deal on dinner, we start the evening off with cocktails and then order a bottle of wine with our meal. In short, we end up spending more on drinks than food, which is exactly what the establishments who participate in Restaurant Week are seeking out of this whole deal. So, if you’re a drinker, start making your reservation now. Wherever you end up, your server will likely treat you with gratitude after dealing with all those menu tourists.
Check out BostonChefs.com’s Unofficial Guide to Boston Restaurant Week for an A to Z list of participating restaurants. Several drinkboston profilees are on the list, including Bin 26 Enoteca, the Blue Room, Chez Henri, Eastern Standard, Les Zygomates, Mooo, Rialto and the Summer Shack. I will also recommend three other restaurants that happen to be workplaces of some of the ladies of LUPEC Boston: Flora, Toro and Tremont 647. Speaking of LUPEC Boston and Toro, they are teaming up for a March 30 event marking Women’s History Month. Check their blog for details.
Tags: restaurant week
Posted in Events | No Comments »
