Slow Drinks

Hey friends! Super excited to share that on Tuesday, February 13 I’ll be hosting back-to-back classes at in Kensington geared towards valentines, galentines, palentines, and whoever else wants to join.
The event will focus on how to make seasonal cocktails in the dead of winter, whether you’re having a cozy night in with a significant other or entertaining guests. The drinks, botanical ingredients, and techniques explored in the class will be highlighted from our book, “Slow Drinks”, which will be available to purchase at the event.
Tickets are $150 per couple ($75/person) and include cocktails, small bites from the International, and a take-home cocktail mixing kit courtesy of the and their sister brand who are sponsoring the event. Seatings will be at 5:30 and 7:30. Link in bio, hope to see you there!

Umami Martini - Vodka, aged lacto-tomato water, fino sherry, pickled green tomato brine and garnish.
Is it just me or has January felt like an absolute eternity? This Martini has the power to transport you back to last summer while simultaneously brightening your mood to make you remember that spring is just a month and a half away.
It features a few pantry staples, namely summer tomatoes from the garden that were lacto-fermented in 2% salt and allowed to age, and vinegar pickled green tomatoes from just before the first frost.
The aged lacto-fermented tomato brine doesn’t possess the bright acidity of peak summer tomatoes, and instead lends a deep umami flavor from the naturally high levels of MSG (yes, that MSG) found in tomatoes. This flavor is further amplified from the savory and umami notes of the fino sherry, one of my personal favorite ingredients in the world. The brine from the pickled green tomatoes gives the drink a nice acid lift, and the pickled green tomatoes are delicious, adorable, and reminiscent of olives in a dirty Martini. Vodka lets it all shine through ✨🍸
How do you drink your Martini?

So what am I up to these days? Well, in addition to book promotion and events, I’ve been really focusing on building the consulting branch of Slow Drinks for the last four months. Consulting has been more creatively rewarding than I could’ve ever imagined, as it allows me to take the foundational principles of my approach and adapt them to the vision, style, and theme of other bars, restaurants, farms, cafes, hotels, and businesses. If you think this is something that could benefit you or your business, let’s chat! Our services include:

- Implementation a hyperlocal, botanically-centered alcoholic and/or non-alcoholic beverage program through foraging, facilitating relationships with local growers, and growing in an on- or off-site garden when possible.
- Establishing a preservation program focused on the development of value added products. Processes include but are not limited to fermentation (n/a sodas, kombuchas, vinegars, lacto-ferments), vinegar preserves (shrubs, pickles), sugar preservers (syrups, jams), and infusions (liqueurs, amari, bitters, tinctures).
- Beverage menu development including original cocktails, non-alcoholic offerings, and spirit, wine, and beer curation.
- Utilizing locally-sourced and preserved ingredients to reduce waste, increase sustainability, and bridge the gap between the bar and the kitchen.
- Hospitality branding - photography, video, PR, social media content and narrative development.
- Staff and management selection and training centered around development of workplace culture and buy-in.
- Classic cocktail education and skills.
- Bar layout and design.
- Equipment selection.
- Financial analysis.