Valentine’s Day Confidential
• August 15, 2013

Valentine’s Day Q&A

In preparation for Valentine’s Day, we contacted a few of our favorite couples about their relationships, memories and plans for this year. We asked:

1. What are you two doing for Valentine’s Day?
2. What was your best romantic gesture or stunt?
3. What do you two love most about each other?
4. Where was your first date?

Here are their responses:

Geoff Tracy and Norah O’Donnell

= Duh, is that coming up again?! Quite un-romantically, I’ll be in D.C., watching the restaurants on Feb. 14, and Norah will be in NYC going to bed early to get ready for her 4 a.m. wake-up call to do “CBS This Morning.” I should probably send flowers, right?

= Back in the day when I was courting her (freshman year at Georgetown University) I would leave little love notes hidden in her dorm room that she would find throughout her week. Fortunately, she never filed a restraining order.

= I love and respect her hard work and success in her career and life. I also find her drop-dead gorgeous.

=The Dubliner in 1991. It was a group of eight of us. An older gent with a few missing teeth was flirting with Norah. She asked me to get her out of the situation. I said I would but she had to go along with whatever I did. She agreed. I then told the guy I was about to ask for her hand in marriage. He didn’t believe me. So, I got down on my knee in front of the whole restaurant and asked her to marry me. She had to say yes. People bought us drinks and congratulated us all night.

Robin and Jeff Jones

= Not sure yet …

= I sent him on a scavenger hunt throughout the house with puny valentines cards to find his gift. It was fun … he found it endearing, but I cannot remember what the gift was.

= Each other’s company!

= A lunch date (I was checking him out to see if he was nighttime date-worthy) at a local tavern in Frederick, Md., called Jennifer’s.

Kiki Ryan and Tim Burger, to be married in March

= Sadly, we are going to be apart. Ironically, I’m going to the most romantic city in the world – Paris – with some of my bridesmaids for my bachelorette party.

= He recently showed me he had saved the receipt of chocolate and wine that he bought for our first day.

= That as long as we’ve got each other, we can handle anything.

= He brought over red wine and dark chocolate over to my apartment, and we watched “No Country For Old Men.”

Richard and Charlotte Shields

= We will be having dinner at 1789 Restaurant … nothing better.

= Best romantic gesture: Husband hijacking my iPhone or computer and posting on my Facebook how much I love him. He doesn’t even need to hijack it … I proclaim it everyday.

= What we love the most about each other is our limitless desire to spend time with each other, our family and friends and how we both find joy in every moment spent together in anything.

= Our love and life is uniquely a Georgetown story: We met at Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart at Georgetown University where Richard was the wedding singer, and I (Charlotte) was the bridesmaid for my brother’s wedding. Our first kiss was in the courtyard in front of Dahlgren Chapel. First date? The Tombs. First time going to church together was at Holy Trinity where Richard was singing in 1974.

Erika Gutierrez and Rodrigo Garcia, to be married in March

= We enjoy spending quality time together at home. So, we will cook dinner together, watch movies at home and hang out with our miniature pinscher Ricky.

= On the weekend we got engaged, Rodrigo took me to Little Palm Island and proposed while we were on a walk after dinner. It was so romantic, so perfect. He planned everything out so beautifully. I will never forget it.

= The way we both support each other in our personal and professional lives. We are each other’s biggest fan.

= Rasika

Jack and Kay Kendall Davies

= We will be in London and going to one of our favorite restaurants.

= Best romantic gesture or stunt: When Jack proposed to Kay at the top of L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

= Kay has learned to love hockey, and Jack has learned to love dance.

= First date: A wonderful dinner at a not so wonderful restaurant, surrounded by noisy tourists with children.

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Q&A with RAMW President Kathy Hollinger
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With just over a month under her belt as president of Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), Kathy Hollinger is excited to move forward. She assumed the position Dec. 15, 2012, succeeding Lynne Breaux, the organization’s former president.

Hollinger was previously Agency Director and Film Commissioner of D.C. Motion Picture and TV Development, and founded Storyboard, LLC, a strategic communications agency dedicated to improving visibility for clients in both the private and public sectors. She has also worked for Comcast Cable, the Council of the District of Columbia, and American University, as an adjunct professor of entertainment communication. She has a Master of Arts in Public Communication and Public Policy from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Arts from American University. Hollinger’s background and experience in strategic communications, public relations, marketing, external affairs and advocacy, namely, have equipped her with the knowledge and ability to help lead RAMW while working to represent and advance the restaurant industry in the District.

Hollinger shared reflections with The Georgetowner about her new presidency and the organization’s future, as well as her interests and personal life.

How have your past experiences helped to prepare you for this position as president of RAMW?

I think that the common thread is advocacy. I think in every position that I’ve been in, I have had to be an advocate for an industry. A lot of what the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington is about is focusing on that type of advocacy, to make sure that we are helping to position these restaurants to succeed, and continue to succeed, and focus on growth and ways to better serve and address the needs of industry stakeholders. I did that with film in the film community. I did that with Comcast and Comcast’s business interests. So, people who have worked locally and in this market understand that advocacy really is defined in many ways, but a lot of it has to do with representing the best interests of that industry at the time.

I think that having the opportunity to work in private sector, public sector, academia, political – in all of those arenas – has very much prepared me to come in, and work, and run an association. A lot of the core task of what I had to do in previous roles centered around advocacy and working with the business community. Those relationships that I have created over the last 20 years are really helpful in helping to continue the momentum of this association, and really build on all that we want to do moving forward.

What are you most looking forward to about working in this capacity?

I’ve been here a month, but I have had the pleasure of working with the association over the years, when the previous president was in place, so I’m familiar with the association. I’m looking forward most to working with – and building personal relationships with – current members, and reaching out to new ones. We are seeing such growth. We want to make sure that we can reach as many new members [as possible], as well as continuing to provide value to our current members so that all restaurants are experiencing the renaissance in this region and are also represented, and have great representation, when it comes to their interests from a business owner’s standpoint.

What do you believe will be your biggest challenge this year?

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t really think about it in terms of a challenge. But, I do think about it in terms of opportunities: to really find ways to enhance our programming, to augment some of the services that are currently offered, and to help restaurants in the region to build stronger businesses. I think that currently we have some great services that we offer to our membership, but [must also] really listen to the industry to see how we can refine those services and create additional ones.

Restaurant Week is Feb. 4-10. How many restaurants traditionally participate?

Over the last couple of years, we have had about 200 to 250 restaurants participate. The association has worked very hard to grow the promotion of this Restaurant Week with the launch of a new website. We have helped to develop marketing packages and tools to make sure that our members can get their messages out and make the most of their investment in the event. We have seen so much energy and so much enthusiasm, so we are hoping for and expecting the same level of participation, if not more.

How would you like to see participation grow? Have you used social media to help with publicizing Restaurant Week?

We have seen such a spike in traffic directed to our Restaurant Week website and social media, and that has been a very big deal for us; the association has really taken a lot of time to invest in a website that is going to make a lot of sense for those participating, and really give the type of information that consumers want when they are thinking about where to participate during that week.

We are a small staff, but a very, very talented and driven staff. To be able to put effort into something that is just yielding such positive returns is really rewarding for everyone.

We absolutely know that we have to use and leverage social media more. It is definitely a priority for us, going forward. Facebook and Twitter are incredible tools that restaurants use, and we want to make sure as an association that we use those same tools.

Will you be participating in Restaurant Week?

I participate literally every year: I personally do, my friends do, my family does. It’s something that we always look forward to, and we plan to do the same this year.

Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day restaurant?

I don’t have a favorite Valentine’s Day restaurant, but I do always try to go out for Valentine’s Day. I don’t know if it will be a family Valentine’s Day or a date night Valentine’s Day.

What I do love about Valentine’s Day is that it is another opportunity for restaurants to really be able to promote and market their individual packages. I’m hoping that the city sees a lot of excitement coming off of Restaurant Week and that it sees the same excitement going out for Valentine’s Day.

Where are you from originally, and where do you live now?

I grew up in Philadelphia, and I have been in D.C. for 25 years. I came down to go to American University, and I virtually never left. I live very close to the university, and I am very tied to this area. It’s very near and dear to me. I still live in D.C. and I live in The Palisades.

What is your favorite food?

I don’t know if I can answer that one… I can answer it by saying that I really love food – I do genuinely love it all. There are very, very few things that I do not eat.

What is your favorite music?

I would have to say that Stevie Wonder is one of my favorite artists. If I had to pick a genre that I really love, I would pick jazz.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love to walk, I love to hike, I love to bike, and I love spending time with my family, especially my five-year-old. He’s a little boy with a lot of energy, and he has already in his five years grown up in the restaurant industry, eating out constantly.

Georgetown’s Turning Tables
•

Fiola’sTrabocchi Plans Washington Harbour Restaurant Chef Fabio Trabocchi (shown right) plans to open his next restaurant, the 7,500-square-foot Fiola Mare, at Washington Harbour in fall 2013, according to the Washington Post. Trabocchi has signed a letter of intent with MRP Realty, which owns the popular waterfront complex on the Potomac River in Georgetown. Trabocchi already has Fiola in downtown. Architects for the new restaurant’s build-out, HapstakDemetriou, which has offices at Q Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the Post added. The fish-happy eatery will have inside and outside dining along with a raw bar.

Meanwhile, at Washington Harbour, Farmers Fishers Bakers will open in November in the old Farmers & Fishers space, next to Sequoia and Tony & Joe’s, in front of the soon-to-open ice skating rink. Maintaining the rustic theme, Farmers Fishers Bakers will include a “farmhouse sushi” bar, whatever that means.

Michel Richard’s Citronelle is reportedly reopening in May or June 2013. Central is open. See details on page 13.

Tony &Joe’s Seafood Place and Nick’s Riverside Grill have reopened. It’s a big deal; see page 14.

Spike Mendelsohn’s Good Stuff Eatery will open on M Street at, 3291 M St. N.W., sometime soon, we hope.

ShopHouseSoutheast Asian Kitchen As previously reported in Linda Roth Conte’s column The Latest Dish right here in The Georgetowner,ShopHouse is awaiting approval to open in the former home of Furin’s at 2805 M St. N.W.

The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show will be at the Washington Convention Center this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3-4. The Show will feature appearances by celebrity chefs Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri and Jacques Pepin. Cookbook authors, cooking demonstrations, and mixologists will all be part of the expo. Adult admission is $27; children under 12 years old, $15; children under 4 years old have free admission to the event. ?

The Parthenon: Chevy Chase’s Neighborhood Restaurant
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The “Neighborhood Restaurant” has always been a mainstay of American society. Even as the size and pace of our lives has grown and quickened, the restaurants that we frequent close to home offer a consistency and comfort that is actively sought out, as places where everyone knows you, your family, and the events that define us.

One of those establishments in the Washington, DC metro area that best defines the “neighborhood restaurant” descriptor best is Parthenon Restaurant–an authentic Greek restaurant in Chevy Chase. Established in 1989 by Pete Gouskos and Steve Tsiolis, The Parthenon replaced the Swiss Chalet. The challenge was to quickly renovate the dark interior to a bright, warm ambience; and to build a reputation for fresh, well-prepared meals.

Over time, Pete and Steve renovated their restaurant. Among their regular customers from the very beginning were Yankel and Pamela Ginzburg. Learning of Yankel’s reputation as a world-renowned artist, Pete asked Yankel if he would consider doing a painting for the restaurant. Yankel advised Pete to wait, given their budget focus. “You don’t need a painting from me!” After several years of cajoling, however, Yankel finally agreed. Pete handed him a 1948 black and white postcard of the Parthenon that his mother had sent to him. “It should look like this, but in color.” After months of effort, Yankel delivered the painting to the restaurant, where it remains prominently displayed in the main dining room.

With the goal of creating a neighborhood restaurant that would last, Pete and Steve immediately recognized the need to serve not only quality food and memorable cuisine. Doing so required a world-class chef. After an extensive nationwide search, they found their ideal candidate just across the Potomac in Alexandria: Juan Galeas. “Juan’s been with us 22 years, and remains our head chef,” Pete tells me. In addition, Parthenon has three assistant chefs, many of whom have been there 15+ years.

Parthenon’s crab cakes are reputed to be the best in Washington, D.C. Ben Olsen, manager of DC United frequents Parthenon, and always orders them, I’m told.

I ask Pete how he achieved such a reputation, he smiled and said simply, “To prepare the best food, you must have the best ingredients.”

Senator Jim Sasser and his wife, Mary, are long-time customers of Parthenon. “We stumbled upon it,” the Senator tells me. “And have been coming back for ten years!”

Another couple, Ken and Nancy Malm, rave about the menu. “It has 96 items. They’re always able to fill every item you order, and it’s always exceptional,” Nancy says.

“Who is your most loyal customer?” I ask Pete.

I’m told the restaurant has been frequented by many famous personalities, to include Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Supreme Court Justices Sotomayor and Souter, Senator Ted Kennedy and Chris Matthews.

“Patricia,” Pamela Ginzburg says, smiling.

“Patricia? I ask, now curious.

“Patricia Cook,” Pete answers. “She’s 99 years old and has been coming here every day for lunch. At the end of every meal, she orders a martini and smokes a cigarette. Every day.”

Loyal indeed.

“That is why we are here,” Pete says. “The quality of our people. In a nice neighborhood. With loyal customers who keep coming back.”

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Tastes Great, More Filling: Guide to Washington Area Wine Dinners
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Type “Wine Dinners D.C.” into an Internet search engine like Google, and a surprising number of hits come up. You wouldn’t have guessed it, but Washington, D.C., and Georgetown are wine dinner havens. Consider yourself lucky to have a wide range of multiple course dinners paired with various wines for each course available to the area diner. Essentially, that is what a wine dinner is: a dinner thrown by a host or a restaurant consisting of different food courses paired with wines set at fixed price. Sometimes, the menu is offered to individual parties as part of a regular dinner service menu, and other times, it is a special event held in a private room of the establishment.

I had the opportunity to spend a pleasant evening at one such private wine dinner at 901 Restaurant and Bar on 9th Street, NW, several weeks ago. Washington state based winery Saint Michelle had dropped by to show off some of their latest offerings. 901’s Chef Thomas Hall paired them with his new wine dinner menu. My dining companion and I were the first to arrive in the private dinning room featuring a long table set with many place settings. This is usually the case at a private wine dinner with a host or wine educator. Attendees usually sit at one long table in sort of a family dinning room table manner. This setup facilitates talking among the attendees who may not know each other. As we waited on the other unknown guests to arrive, 901’s dashing bar manager, Dean Feddaoui served us some perfectly chilled sparkling wine. Soon, we were joined by some bubbly 20-something-year-olds from a local event company. Once all the introductions where made and they took their seats, the conversation turned to food and Washington’s booming restaurant scene.

These girls were foodies, and we soon were discussing weekend-long girlfriends’ food road trips and debated who made the best hot sauces (Frank’s, Krystal or Tabasco). When Fran “Pineapple” Schmitz (and yes, that’s the name that’s actually on his business card), Saint Michelle’s business development manager, took his place at the head of the table and began discussing the night’s wines, the conversation ceased. Everyone was eager to taste, not talk.

We were first served the white wines as Pineapple told us about the history of the wineries, the terroir of its north Western American vineyards and basic wine tasting techniques. Once the Ste. Michelle Pinot Grigio as was served, we discussed the classic characteristics of Pinot Grigio and Pineapple Schmitz instructed us to look for pear and apple aromas. The chef paired it with the first course “Tuna Two Ways.” This dish was beautifully presented and consisted of versions of two of 901’s tuna appetizers. The standout among them is the yellow-fin tartare with Japanese aioli and crispy wontons. This Pinot Grigio paired nicely with the Asian flavors and will also go well with South Western fare.

Other notable wine and entrée pairings were Citrus XO Shrimp with lemon, sesame oil and dried chili threads paired with Saint Michelle’s Gewurztraminer. The sweet “jelly doughnut without the jelly” flavors of the wine were a great foil to the spicy hot “chili threads” that adorned the shrimp. Another menu and wine pairing standout is the Hoisin Duck with Asian Five spice, glove and apple paired with their Artist Series wine. The artist Series red is a Cabernet blend that just begs to be drunk with food.

If the wine dinner concept appeals to you, here are some more wine dinners in the District, to check out:

Nage Bistro
1600 Rhode Island Ave., NW, 202-448-8005
American/Seafood
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday chef tastings
3-course tasting $40 add wine pairing for $15
4-course tasting $45 add wine pairing for $20

City Zen
1330 Maryland Ave., SW, 202-787-6006
American
6-course meal, vegetarian option available
$85 per person

Komi
1509 17th St., NW, 202-332-9200
Greek/Mediterranean
$135 per person, $70 extra for wine pairing

Proof
775 G St., NW, 202-737-7663
American
4-course tasting menu with wine pairings, $95 per person

Equinox
818 Connecticut Ave., NW 202-331-8118
American
chef’s tasting menu
4-course with wine pairings, $95
6-course with wine pairings, $125

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Cocktail Of The Week
•

Folk heroes exist in every culture. Their fame, or sometimes notoriety, varies.In the United States some of our mythical figures like Davey Crocket or Daniel Boone are lauded for their pioneering character. Others like Billy the Kid or Calamity Jane capture the outlaw spirit of the Wild West. In Mexico one the most infamousfigures is Jesus Malverde.

Malverde, a bandit from the northernMexican state of Sinaloa, is often compared with the British legend of Robin Hood. Known as “the Angel of the Poor,” or “The Generous Bandit” Malverde was known to steal from the rich and give to poor, making him popular among the region’s underprivileged highland residents. Due to his renegade reputation, Malverde has also been adopted as the patron saint of drug traffickers and is often dubbed the “nacre-saint.”

While Malverde is not recognized by the Catholic Church, Mexicans pray to him for help or healing. Busts, necklaces and scapulars featuring Malverde’s thick bushy mustache and trademark white shirt and black tie are seen throughout the country. In shrines in Culiacan and Mexico City, Malverde’s followers line up to give homage.

Washingtonians looking to pay their respects to Malverde have the unique opportunity to toast him with his own self-named tipple. At Bandolero, M Street’s latest hot spot, one of the best cocktails on the menu, and perhaps one of the best agave-based drinks in DC, shares it moniker with the celebrated Mexican outlaw.

The Jesus Malverde, created Bar Manager Sam Babcock., is an astonishingly refreshing mixture of mescal, lime, cilantro, agave nectar, cucumber and Pork Barrel Hellfire Bitters.

In a case of which came first, like the chicken and egg, Sam confirms that this delightful drink was born before its name came about. He was researching Mexican gangsters when his interest was piqued by the story of Malverde. And since he had already created a badasscocktail with a cool green hue, he realized that his new drinkliterally fit the Spanish translation of the surname Mal (bad) Verde (green).

Imbibing in Babcock’sluscious concoction is a multi-layered experience for your taste buds. “The smokiness from the mescal and the spice from cilantro and the bitters really play nicely with the fresh cucumber and agave, “ Sam says, “ it starts off nice and fresh and clean tasting with a little bit of sweetness and finishes with a nice little punch from the smokiness of the mescal and the heat of the bitters.”

For me sampling this cocktail is like taking off on airplane, the flavor starts rolling down the runway with the first breezy sip and then really takes off with a bracing smack from the liquor and bitters. The peppery Pork Barrel Hellfire Bitters are produced locally by DC mixologist Owen Thompson, of America Eats Tavern.

While Bandoleer’s cocktail list concentrates heavily on tequila and mescal-based drinks, Babcock would like to stress that Bandolero is an excellent spot for craft cocktails of all spirits
“It’s not just a tequila bar where you go to get shots, he says . “We do lot of craft cocktails with tequila and mescal, but I want people to know that they can come in here and my bar staff will be able to make any cocktail regardless of what spirit it is.” In fact, Sam recently updated the drink menu to include a wider variety of classic cocktails. He has also added a few new gin, rye and pisco drinks, just to switch things up a bit.

So the next time you seeking a little irreverence with your cocktail, make a toast to a Mexican desperado at Bandolero.

Jesus Malverde

1.75 oz mescal
1.25 oz. cucumber juice
.5 oz fresh limejuice
.5 oz agave nectar
2. sprigs of cilantro
4 dashes Hellfire Pork Bitters

Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Double strain, pour into glass and garnish with the sprig of cilantro.
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Cocktail of the Week
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The Suffering Bastard is a curious name for a drink that I’ve seen on numerous menus in Tiki bars and Chinese restaurants. Aside from the humorous moniker, I never really gave this drink much thought. But like many popular cocktails, there’s a story behind this concoction, which belongs to a man named Joe Scialom, who was perhaps one of the world’s most famous bartenders.

The Museum of the American Cocktail and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, the author of five books on vintage Tiki drinks and cuisine, recently hosted a lecture, “The Suffering Bastard: Joe Scialom, International Barman of Mystery,” at the Occidental Grill.

Berry’s research began after reading Scialom’s obituary in the New York Times, in 2004. He tracked down Scialom’s daughter Collette and recorded his fascinating story.

Scialom, who was educated as a pharmacist, was born in Egypt in 1910. While working as a chemist for Lever Brothers in the Sudan, he began applying chemistry principals to mixing drinks to entertain his colleagues. Here he found his calling and set out to become a bartender. His career began at the opulent Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo, which was one of the most celebrated hotels in the world. Shepheard’s welcomed royalty, heads of state, and famous celebrities. Scialom, who spoke eight languages, dazzled the elite guests from near and far. He counted Winston Churchill, Charlton Heston, Charles de Gaulle, Conrad Hilton, and Egyptian King Farouk among his many guests.

During World War II, the hotel served as an unofficial officer’s club for the British and became an informal press club for war correspondents. When there was little news from the war, the media
wrote about Scialom’s amusing antics.

Due to wartime supply shortages, drinks were being mixed with poor quality alcohol, and guests began complaining of headaches. In response, Scialom created the “Suffering Bastard” as a hangover cure. According to Berry, the original recipe for the Suffering Bastard consisted of “Black market gin from South Africa, stolen British army-issue brandy, a homemade lime cordial, bitters brewed by a druggist across the street, and ginger ale from a Greek merchant of dubious character.”

The hotel bar, which was now referred to as “Joe’s Bar,” even featured a chart prescribing the number of Suffering Bastards needed to relieve a hangover based on its severity.

Another amusing anecdote that Berry shared involved Scialom making gallons of the Suffering
Bastard for a hungover British army that fought the battle at El Alamein. When the British won, the ever-present foreign correspondents reported Scialom’s hand in the victory.

Following these reports, the Suffering Bastard became internationally known. Trader Vic’s was the first to copy it. Then it began showing up at Tiki bars everywhere, even though the recipe was nowhere near Scialom’s original. According to Berry, Trader Vic’s version was very similar to a Mai Tai. Scialom was the consummate host at Shepheard’s.

When the hotel was destroyed, during the course of the civil unrest of the Egyptian revolution of 1952, Scialom continued to serve drinks and was one of the last to leave.

But Scialom’s popularity did not go unnoticed by the Egyptian authorities. They were suspicious
because he mingled consistently with so many important people. He was imprisoned as a spy and then later expelled from Egypt by President Gamal Abdel Nasser. While Scialom’s illustrious
bartending career continued in Puerto Rico, Havana, and New York, it was his time at Sheapherd’s Hotel that cemented his place in cocktail history.

The Suffering Baststard
Courtesy of Jeff “Beachbum” Berry
1 ounce gin
1 ounce brandy
1/2 ounce Rose’s lime juice cordial
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ginger beer

Add gin, brandy, Rose’s, and bitters to an ice-filled glass. Fill with ginger beer. Stir. Garnish with orange slice and mint sprig.

Ingredients to make the Suffering Bastard may be purchased at Dixie Liquor in Georgetown. Scialom’s story will be published in Berry’s upcoming book, “Potions of the Caribbean: Lost Cocktails from America’s Playground”. For information visit www.BeachBumberry.com or www.MuseumOfTheAmericancocktail.com. [gallery ids="99208,99209" nav="thumbs"]

Cocktail of the Week: Play It, Sam
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Infusing liquors with flavors is
nothing new. After all, it’s the
aging process in wooden barrels
that impart rum and bourbon
with their unique characteristics.
Adding fruit flavors to vodka started
a new trend that branched out to
instilling spirits with savory herbs,
spices and even vegetables.

The process of fat-washing
liquors took off with the recent
bacon craze, where crafty bartenders
added bacon and pork fat to
create a rich, unami taste. Josh
Berner, mixologist at Cleveland
Height’s Ripple has taken this
movement and pushed it a step
further, by fat washing liquors with
vegetable fats, such as olive and
sesame oils.

Ripple currently has three
fat washed cocktails on its drink menu. They
include the Basil Exposition – an olive oilwashed
vodka, green chartreuse, white wine
and basil combination, Play It Sam, forged from
sesame oil-infused gin, aquavit and a date reduction
and the Chile Manteca y Dulcet, a mixture
of bacon-infused Benevamezcal, cayenne and
toasted pecans.

Berner recently hosted a cocktail class
where participants were taught how to make
fat-washed liquor at home and mix these three
delicious tipples.

Berner demonstrated the vegetable fat-washing
process by making a batch of the sesame-oil
infused gin that is used in the Play it Sam cocktail.
The process begins by using one 750-milliliter
bottle of gin and combining it with two
ounces of sesame oil in a saucepan. Berner
melds the ingredients by cooking them over on
the lowest heat and stirring for 20 minutes. The
heat needs to stay low, because if the gin begins
to boil, the alcohol will burn off.

The mixture is then poured into a container
and placed in the freezer for at least 12
hours, until the fat is solidified. Next, using a
pre-chilled batch, Berner showed the participants
how to remove the solid fat from the gin
with a spoon and then strain it, using wither a
cheesecloth or coffee filter. Once the oil has
been removed, you are left with a smooth liquor
infused with sesame flavor.

The Play it Sam was named after what Berner
calls the correct line from movie, “Casablanca.”
“She never actually says ‘Play it again Sam,’ ”
he said. The “Casablanca” reference is due to the
Moroccan flavors found in the cocktail.

Besides sesame, this potable also features
aquavit, a Scandinavian liqueur flavored with
caraway and anise and a date reduction. The
date reduction is made taking finely chopped
dates, sugar and water and cooking it until it is
reduced into a concentrated flavor.

The aquavit was the main building block
for Berner in creating this cocktail. “I started
off with aquavit,” he said. “It’s a great liquor. It
has a wonderful flavor and it’s underused. So
I thought about what I can do with it to make
it interesting and taste good.” Berner started
researching foods to see what flavors would mix well with the caraway and anise which led him
to Moroccan cuisine. From there, he decided on
the addition of sesame and experimented with
some different fruit mixtures including cherries
and a cherry and date combination.

Another important, flavorful aspect to this
drink is the lemon twist garnish. Berner uses a
channel knife to make lemon twists that are not
only pretty, but serve an important purpose as
well. As he cut the peels over the cocktail glass,
bits of lemon oil squirt into the drink. The oil
gives off a nice scent and imparts a balancing
flavor. He also rubs the peel along the rim to
add a bit more punch.

Berner said that when he first made the drink
without the lemon peel, he was not happy with
the flavor, but once he added the lemon oil, “the
flavors popped, “he says. “A little oil made a big
difference.”

The result is an exquisite flavor combination.
The lemon lends nice citrus nose that is
quickly followed by the flavor of the aquavit,
which is tempered nicely by the dates. The sesame
kicks in with a subtle hint on the finish. Lick
your lips after one sip, and you will definitely
taste the tangy sesame. Not sweet at all, this is
a dry cocktail, which is spicy yet refreshing at
the same time.

While Ingrid Bergman did not say “Play it
again, Sam,” in the movie, you may find yourself
saying. “Again,” when imbibing this drink.
Its brisk and cool flavor will make it hard for
you to stop at one. ?

PLAY IT SAM
1 1/2 ounces sesame-oil infused gin
1/4 ounce aquavit
2 ounces date reduction
Lemon twist
In an ice-filled mixing glass, stir gin, aquavit
and date reduction until cold. Strain into
ice-filled highball glass, garnish with a
lemon twist, rubbing the peel on the rim of
the glass.
Readers may taste the Play It Sam at Ripple,
located at 3417 Connecticut Ave., NW.

Cocktail of the Week: Yes,We Canton!
•

This year’s inaugural season will be one of the quietest in years. The Obama-Biden inaugural committee has announced that it is cutting back on the number of inaugural balls. There will be just two official parties plus a concert honoring military families. The cutback on festivities is meant to reduce government spending and the amount of security and law-enforcement personnel needed. This will be the lowest number of balls in the past 60 years.

If you aren’t one of the lucky elite that will be spending the evening of Jan. 21, dancing and toasting with the first family, there will be dozens of unofficial balls and parties and no shortage of restaurants and nightclubs looking to cash in on the influx of celebratory visitors.

Several D.C. hot spots have led the way with inauguration-themed drinks. Just steps from the White House, the Hamilton is offering two potables to honor our nation’s 44th President. The “Perfect 44,” a variation on a classic Manhattan, features FEW Bourbon from Chicago. If you’re Donald Trump, you may want to order the Executive Punch, made with rum from Obama’s birthplace of Hawaii, along with a slice of humble pie.

Penn Quarter’s Brasserie Beck is serving an Obama-tini cocktail with a Democratic blue hue. This festive drink is forged from Ketel One vodka, Hypnotiq liqueur, and a float of blue Curacao. Nearby at D.C. Coast, the drink-du-jour is the Sparkling Second Term made with Averell damson plum gin, Leopold Brothers New York apple whiskey, lemon bitters and a splash of bubbly cava wine. This refined sparkler is served in a cinnamon-and-sugar-rimmed Champagne flute.

If these cocktails sound a bit too stuffy for you, swing by Hill Country Barbecue where they will be offering $1 POTUS-pop Jell-O shots all day Jan. 21.

Many folks, going with the subdued nature of this year’s festivities, will choose to host soirees in their homes. In additional to the décor and menu, one of the most important elements of any Obama-themed fiesta will be the choice of cocktails. Toasting the Commander-In-Chief with a sparkling wine or Champagne is a given, but a signature tipple is a special added touch that will make your party memorable.

One of the most obvious choices to serve is the classic El Presidente cocktail. While technically a Cuban creation, this full-flavored rum cocktail includes Curacao, vermouth and grenadine. Another clever choice is the retro Blue Hawaii tiki drink. This concoction made with blue Curacao, pineapple juice, sour mix and either rum or vodka, pays both homage to the Democrats with its color and Obama’s Hawaiian roots.

My choice for a private party would be the “Yes, We Canton,” an opulent sparkling sipper created for Obama’s first inauguration by D.C. celebrity mixtress Gina Chersevani. It was the star cocktail at the Peace Ball in 2009. I was first introduced to this dignified drink at a presidential drink seminar, sponsored by the Museum of the American Cocktail. The stellar ingredient in this cocktail is Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. Forged from baby Vietnamese ginger, Cognac. Tahitian vanilla, Provencal honey, and Tunisian ginseng, Domain de Canton adds an exotic and a dash of winter warmth and spice to this mixture of pineapple juice and sparkling wine. Elegant and easy, this recipe can be multiplied and served as a punch, freeing up time for the busy host or hostess.

No matter what your plans may be for the inauguration or political affiliation, on Jan. 21 let’s all raise a glass to what we hope will be four years of peace and prosperity.

Yes, We Canton!
½ oz pineapple juice
½ oz Domaine de Canton
2-3 oz. brut sparkling wine or Champagne.
Serve in flute. Can also be made as a punch.

Cocktail of the MonthAugust 7, 2013
• August 8, 2013

**VINCENT: Did you just order a five-dollar shake?
MIA: Sure did.
VINCENT: A shake? Milk and ice cream?
MIA: Uh-huh.
VINCENT: It costs five dollars?
MIA: Yep.
VINCENT: You don?t put bourbon in it or anything?
WAITER: Nope.
VINCENT: Just checking.**

Movie aficionados will recognize this conversation from Quentin Tarantino?s 1994 cult favorite ?Pulp Fiction.? Hit man Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, is taking out his boss?s wife, Mia Wallace, played by Uma Thurman, for a night on the town while the big man is away. Vincent is questioning the high price of Mia?s choice of beverage. While he does later recant after sampling it, ?I don?t know if that shake?s worth five dollars but it?s pretty damn good.?

Well, if Vincent would have lived through the movie, he would have been able to indulge in an adult milkshake that bears his name at the Satellite Room bar near the 9:30 Club in D.C. The ?Vincent Vega? is a creamy vanilla shake, spiked with Bulleit bourbon. Although Vincent may have gone into sticker shock at the $10 price tag. Yes, prices have risen since 1994. But just like the movie, the same shake can be ordered without alcohol for only $5.

Adult milkshakes have been one of the hottest trends in D.C. in recent years, a perfect have-my-dessert- and-cocktail- too treat, for the area?s scorching summers. These concoctions are basically your cherished childhood treat boozed up with liquors ranging from rum to Kahlua to cr?me de menthe.

[Ted?s Bulletin](http://tedsbulletincapitolhill.com/) on Capital Hill started the trend. Their Baileys caramel macchiato will make you wish that Starbucks could add a lethal shot to their frappuccinos while their white Russian shake, would probably earn the approval of ?the Dude.? If fruit is more your style, Ted?s offers the buzzed berry forged from raspberry schnapps and rum.

In Adams Morgan, the weekend gathering hub, the [Diner](http://www.dinerdc.com/) has four adult milkshakes on its menu. The apple bottom is creative mixture of Sailor Jerry?s rum, vanilla ice cream whipped together with apple pie. The peppermint shake combines, cr?me de menthe, with ice cream and crushed candy canes. But perhaps the most interesting concoction merges the adult shake trend with the ?bacon in everything? craze. The bacon bourbon float takes and old-fashioned brown cow (or root beer float) spikes it with Jim Beam and tops it off with fluffy head of whipped cream covered in freshly made bacon bits.

I recently indulged on the Diner?s bacon bourbon float for a late-afternoon pick-me-up. The D.C. heat index was 105 degrees. I had spent two painful hours at the dentist, and I was looking for something satisfying, cooling and numbing at the same time.
Like so many other bacon foods, it may sound strange, but the hearty salty smoky bacon, merges well with the spice of the root beer, with the bourbon lending a sweet, oaky and powerful bite. My companion Dan Breen, a Baltimore-based artist and music promoter, gave it a thumbs up as well.

[The Satellite Room](http://satellitedc.com/) has the longest list in town, with ten celebrity-named ice cream elixirs. In additional the Vincent Vega, customers can say ?cheers? with the Norm Peterson shake, made with Murphy?s Irish stout or an ?Absolutely Fabulous? Patsy Stone made from pineapple, coconut, orange and nutmeg with Captain Morgan spiced rum.

If you are looking to give your childhood treat an R-rated makeover many of these ice cream cocktails can be easily made at home with a blender, a pint of Haagen-Dazs and your favorite spirit. Get creative, or use a popular cocktail as a guideline. For example, for a pi?a colada mix together rum, pineapple juice and coconut ice cream.

**If you would like to replicate the Diner?s sinful treat, here is a simple formula:**

Add two ounces of bourbon to a parfait or pint glass. Add one large scoop of vanilla ice cream slightly softened. Fill the glass with your favorite root beer. Cover with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle generously with bacon pieces. ?