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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/103517
DRINK CULTURE Inspired Cocktail Pairings in Kansas City It's not easy to pair cocktails with food, especially when you're serving a diverse, multicourse menu. So how do most mixologists go about planning and executing their drinks pairings? Very carefully. Ryan Maybee, owner/barman of Manifesto and The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange in Kansas City, recently put together a cocktail dinner at the Rieger for some bar industry experts. But these weren't just any experts: Guests included cocktail luminaries Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, Steve Olson and David Wondrich, partners of training consultancy Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR), who were in town for Pernod Ricard USA's BarSmarts program. Maybee agreed to share his menu and the inspiration for and logic behind his cocktail parings with Cheers readers. First course: Oysters Rockefeller Drink: Champagne Cocktail with Mumm Cuvee Napa, St. Germain elderflower liqueur and Pernod Absinthe, served in a Champagne flute and garnished with a fresh lemon zest. "The elderflower and spicy notes from the Pernod played off of the traditional herbs garnishing the oysters," Maybee says. Second course: Fall vegetable salad with a panko-crusted egg and squash vinaigrette Drink: Absolut vodka with roasted butternut squash puree, chai-peach cordial, lemon, and celery-lovage bitters. "This dish needed something that would cut through the panko-crusted egg, and the earthy, spicy notes from the house-made cordial and bitters did the trick," Maybee says. The roasted butternut squash puree in the drink complimented the squash vinaigrette on the salad, he notes. Third course: Bouillabaisse (octopus, lobster, monkfish, clams, mussels) Drink: Beefeater gin, homemade strawberry liqueur, Aperol, lemon, and sparkling water served over ice in a Collins glass. "This was the toughest course to pair a drink Ryan Maybee with," Maybee says. "I thought about what kind of wine I would likely serve with it and tried to play off the flavors of a Provence rosé." Also, he notes, "it was important to me not to overpower the delicate and subtle flavors of the seafood. So I cut back the portions a little, allowing for just slightly more sparkling water and giving the drink a light, refreshing quality." Fourth course: Pear Pithivier Drink: Jameson Irish whiskey with honey-cinnamon syrup, mulled apple cider (from a local apple orchard) and Peychauds bitters. "This was basically a mulled punch, served hot and garnished with clove-studded pears," Maybee says. The drink was spicy, sweet and "spiked with just a little extra Jameson at the last second to suit the wonderfully rowdy crowd that evening," he adds. —Melissa Dowling PRODUCTS LIQUEUR 8 RUM Pernod Ricard has launched a new addition to its Kahlua portfolio with the debut of Kahlua Midnight, a 70-proof mix of rum and black coffee liqueur. The new product is said to be smooth and bold with a slight sweetness, according to the company. Kahlua Midnight is available for a suggested retail price of $23.99 for a 750-ml. bottle. Kirk and Sweeney is now available from 35 Maple Street, the spirits division of The Other Guys. The handcrafted, 12-year-old premium spirit is named after a wooden schooner best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean during Prohibition. The rum is made in the Dominican Republic and aged for 12 years in American oak barrels. The rum joins Uncle Val's Botanical Gin and Masterson's Straight Rye Whiskey in the company's portfolio, and retails for $40 per 750-ml. bottle. | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 www.cheersonline.com