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DRINK CULTURE www.cheersonline.com 7 April 2015 • PHILLY'S FRANKLIN BAR LAUNCHES COCKTAIL TASTING MENU Sara Justice, head bartender at The Franklin Bar in Philadelphia, recently introduced a fi ve-course cock- tail tasting menu. Designed like a chef 's tasting menu, the cocktail offering builds in complexity as it pro- gresses. The fi rst installment of the program, "Dutch County Memories," draws on Justice's Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. A native of Lancaster, PA, Justice was recently named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Mixologists. The cocktail tasting menu, which also includes two supplemental libations, kicks off with a starter called the Schnitz & Sherry, made with apple schnitz and sherry. The fi rst cocktail course is the Birch Beer, made with navy strength gin, birch, licorice and fresh lime served with club soda. Next is the Plum Pudding, made with rum, toasted milk, plum butter and allspice and served up, followed by the Night Sledding, made with rye whiskey, pine and menthol, served up. The fourth course is called …Roasting on an Open Fire; it's made with smoked bourbon and chestnut praline and served on the rocks. After a refresher called Buttermints & Soda (made with buttermints candy), the fi nal course is the Shoo Fly Pie, a cocktail made with molasses, port, cognac and whipped oat milk, served up. The Franklin Bar's cocktail tasting experience is priced at $65 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Justice will feature a new tasting menu every few months that will be inspired seasonally, centering on a familiar cuisine, place or culture. RUTH'S CHRIS KICKS OFF GOLDEN YEAR WITH VEUVE CLICQUOT PAIRING DINNER In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Ruth's Chris Steak House held a pairing dinner with Veuve Clicquot on March 19. The upscale dining chain's event was shared by some 3,200 people in 101 cities. The featured menu started with Salmon Tartar on Crisp Cucumber paired with a Grand Marnier Smash cocktail. The fi rst course, Chilled Jumbo Shrimp with Honeycrisp Apple, Haricot Vert and Dijon Vinaigrette, was paired with Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. The next matched Lobster Bisque en Croute with Veuve Clicquot Rose, while the entrée, Filet Mignon with Black Truffl e and Foie Gras Butter, severed with Pan Roasted Cremini Mushrooms and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, was paired with Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2004. The fi nal course, Pear and Almond Tart with Chamomile Tea Whipped Cream, was served with Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec. Why Veuve Clicquot? For one, Champagne a great way to kick off the celebratory series, said Helen Mackey, Ruth's Hospitality Group's vice president, menu strategy and innovation, at the New York dinner. Mackey also noted that both Ruth's Chris and Veuve Clicquot celebrate female entrepreneurship. For instance, Ruth's Chris Steak House was founded by single mother Ruth Fertel nearly 50 years ago in New Orleans. The Orlando, FL-based company today operates more than 140 restaurant locations worldwide. And Madame Clicquot began running the Reims, France, Champagne house owned by her in-laws shortly after she became a widow at age 27 in 1885. David E. Cohn, Champagne specialist for Moet Hennessy USA, said at the New York dinner that Veuve Clicquot's signature orange label was the widow's idea—she wanted the bottle label to stand out in candlelight. The Veuve Clicquot dinner was priced at about $120 per person; pricing varied by market. It's the fi rst in a series of Ruth's Chris' Golden Anniversary pairing dinners planned for this year.—MD PHOTO CREDIT: NEAL SANTOS