World Cocktail Day: Benefit Dinner at Devin Tavern NYC

World Cocktail Dinner will become annual event!
Premier Mixologists Present World Cocktail Dinner
To Benefit Cocktail Museum in New Orleans

On Monday, May 14th, 2007, in honor of the 201st Anniversary of the cocktail, the Museum of the American Cocktail hosted a World Cocktail Dinner with several of the premier mixologists in the world presenting cocktails matched to a five-course dinner at Tribeca’s popular Devin Tavern. Noted mixologists Tony Abou-Ganim, Dale DeGroff, Sasha Petraske, Gary Regan, Will Shine, Aisha Sharpe, Charlotte Voisey, Michael Waterhouse, David Wondrich, Leo DeGroff, Adam Deguidice, and Devin Tavern’s own Ben Rameike presented extraordinary cocktails matched to Chef Derrick Styczek’s creations.

“We had planned on doing a celebration similar to last year’s Cocktail 200 event with a drink competition but when Michael Waterhouse offered to host a benefit cocktail dinner at his new property, Devin Tavern, New York’s hot new dining location in Tribeca, we realized this would be most beneficial to the museum and a wonderful way to celebrate World Cocktail Day.” said Dale DeGroff, President of the Museum.

Within a couple of weeks the event was completely sold out with many people on the waiting list.

Tickets were priced at $250 per person; half the proceeds will go towards building a new home-place for the Museum in New Orleans. The guest list included representatives from many of the Museum’s sponsoring brands, public relations firms, distributors, mixologists, and several journalists from Foxnews.com, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, NBC, Adams Beverage Group, and others. There were 140 guests who were seated at small tables allowing for lively conversation and lots of mixing about during the course of the evening. The food and the cocktails came at a swift pace delighting the palate with an array of tastes to savor, matched to each course.

Chef Derrick Styczek won them over with a delicious menu that included Porcini Mushroom Soup, Grilled King Crab, Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass, Short Rib Ragout, Roasted Rack of Colorado Lamb, and a Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake dessert.

We will be back to do another World Cocktail Day next year, a new tradition has begun!

Special Thanks To Our Sponsors!

BarSol Pisco • Belvedere Vodka • BOLS • Cointreau Liqueur • Contemporary Cocktails • Café Adelaide • Depaz Rhum • Finlandia Vodka • Gran Centenario Tequila • Hendricks Gin • Kahlua • Knob Creek • Laphroaig • Makers Mark • Partida Tequila • Pernod Ricard • Plymouth Gin • Perfect Puree of Napa Valley • Skyy Vodka • Sagatiba Cachaca

Recipes after this brief photo-intermission

 

(photos by Blake DeGroff)

The Recipes

Tony Abou-Ganim –from Las Vegas and one of the most recognized bartenders in the country featured the following two drinks:

Bamboozle
By Tony Abou Ganim

• 1 1/2 ounce Gran Centenario Plata Tequila
• 1/2 ounce Aperol
• 1 ounce fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 ounce Clover Honey Syrup
• 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6
• 1 tsp Egg White

In a mixing glass add all ingredients and ice, Shake well and strain into classic sour glass.

Clermont Smash
By Tony Abou Ganim

• 1 1/2 ounce Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey
• 3/4 ounce Velvet Falernum
• 10-12 spearmint leaves
• 3 dashes Fee Brother’s Peach bitters
• 1 1/2 ounce fresh lemon sour
• Pineapple spear for garnish.

Muddle spearmint with Velvet Falernum, add remaining ingredients and shake well with ice. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and stir until the outside of glass begins to frost. Garnish with pineapple and mint.

 

Leo DeGroff and Adam Delguidice’s Ladykiller was one of the most talked about cocktails all night.

Ladykiller

• 1 1/2 ounces Sagatiba Cachaça
• 3 Lime Pieces
• 1/2 ounce Velvet Falernum
• 1/2 ounce St Germain Elderflower Cordial
• 1/8 ounce float Damiana Belvedere Vodka Tincture

Muddle limes with syrup, add remaining ingredients, shake well. Pour into rocks glass and serve

Beso Ultimo
Contemporary Cocktails Inc.

• 1 1/4 ounce Partida Añejo Tequila
• 1/4 ounce fresh lemon
• 1/4 ounce agave nectar
• 1 ounce Lillet
• Mionetto Prosecco
• Garnish lemon twist

Build all ingredients, shake and strain into a flute, top with Prosecco and garnish with twist

 

Sasha Petraske owner of Milk and Honey and Little Branch in NYC did his Archangel:

Archangle
by Sasha Petraske

• 3 parts Plymouth Gin
• 1 Part aperol
• And lemon zest

 

Willy Shine of Contemporary Cocktails, Inc created the:

Depaz Pink Lemonade

• several Pink Peppercorns
• 4 pieces Grapefruit
• 1/2 ounce Cane Syrup
• 1/2 ounce Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 ounces Depaz Rhum

Muddle peppercorns and grapefruit. Add remaining ingredients, shake well, and serve over ice in a rocks glass.

 

Charlotte Voisey- Hendrick’s Gin Brand Champion and Company Mixologist with William Grant & Sons USA created a:

Rosie Lee

• 1 1/2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 oz Lychee puree
• Half an egg white
• 1/4 oz Monin Rose
• Dash Angostura bitters

Shake well, strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with slice of cucumber.

 

David Wondrich well known authority on cocktail history and author of Killer Cocktails presented Pisco Punch
using his specially prepared Barsol Pisco Italia -pineapple syrup mix

 

Ben Rameaka, bartender at Devin gave us his Man-O-War

Man-O-War

• 2 ounces Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• 1 ounce Bols Orange Curacao
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• Two sprigs of mint

Muddle mint and lime with the Curacao. Add sweet vermouth, Maker’s Mark, and ice and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a mint sprig.

 

Gary Regan –a most unusual The Reluctant Tabby Cat matched to the short rib ragout:

The Reluctant Tabby Cat

• 1 1/4 ounces Dubonnet Rouge
• 1/2 ounce Pallini Limoncello
• 1/4 ounce Laphroaig 10-year-old
• single malt Scotch
• 1 lemon twist, for garnish

Shake and strain into a chilled wine goblet. Add the garnish.

Intermezzo 1
By Ben Rameaka

• Skyy Vodka, Tangerine, Rosemary Herb-Cello

Intermezzo 2
By Michael Waterhouse

• Belvedere Blood Orange, Dill, Herb-Cello, with Orange Zest and Perfect Puree of Napa Valley

 

[Edited to add another cocktail that was served…]

Adonis
presented by Contemporary Cocktails Inc.

• 1 ounce fino sherry
• 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
• 2 dashes Gary Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6
• 1 ounce fresh orange juice

Chill and serve up in a port glass.

[…and another…]

Lime in de Coconut
by Dale DeGroff

• 1 1/2 ounces Finlandia Lime Vodka
• 2 ounces home-made ginger syrup
• 2 ounces coconut water
• 1 ounce lime juice

Shake with ice. Strain into a tall ice filled glass and stir.
Garnish with sprig of mint, lime wheel, and long slice of English cucumber.