FIRST SIP ®
Is Local More Important than Organic?
U
se of organic and sustainable ingredients has long been a top priority both in the bar and the kitchen. Most
operators can’t wait to show off their green off erings, be they by the bottle, on the plate or up in a rocks glass. Th e fact that some of these “organically
produced” ingredients may have been shipped thousands of miles and left a huge carbon footprint often gets lost in the shuffl e. So I am relived and thrilled to see the focus on local and seasonal ingredients (ideally organic)—in both the bar and the kitchen—taking the lead again. In a recent round table Cheers held at the
NRA show, some of Chicago’s top bar talent sat down to a frank discussion about how green their establishments are. While all of them embraced the green movement, they also stressed how important it is to prioritize the use of local ingredients: even in a town like Chicago with its relatively short growing season. If these local products were organic or green in some way all the better, but the most important goal is to use locally grown products. Th e renewed energy these Chicago operators have been placing on regionally sourced and
seasonal ingredients has even led them to create a unique selection of winter produce-based drinks: potato-based cocktail anyone? Th ese cool weather drinks are focused on ingredients like pumpkin, rhubarb, cider and spice. Many of the Chicago operators were even working with local farmers to cultivate specifi c varieties of fruits and vegetables to use in their drink programs. Response from local farmers had been so positive they were even sponsoring local bartenders to tour their vegetable fi elds. When Adam Seger of Hum Spirits mentioned growing heirloom peas on his rooftop a
couple of years ago, he was very much in the forefront of the local cocktail movement. Now, thankfully, he has plenty of company. Th e passion for using locally sourced product also extends to artisanal spirits and beer.
And Chicago is hardly alone in terms of trends as to the use of farmers’ markets to source ingredients is exploding all over the country. It is exciting to see the focus shift and recalibrate again, in both the kitchen and the
bar. It will no doubt lead to more exciting and environmentally friendly drinks. You can read more about the round table on page 24 of this issue. So how green versus local is your operation? I welcome your feedback on this issue.
Cheers!
Liza B. Zimmerman Editor-in-Chief
6 | JULY/AUGUST 2011 July/August 2011 Vol. 23 No. 6
Executive Vice President, Group Publisher Charles Forman Tel (845) 426-6072
cforman@m2media360.com Editor-in-Chief
Liza B. Zimmerman Tel (415) 839-5062
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Contributing Editors
Thomas Barris, Patrick Henry, Kara Newman,
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