When I was in my early 20s, I took my little brother to the beach to celebrate the BIG birthday that allowed him to drink alcoholic beverages legally. My mother called us daily to check to see if I was providing him plenty of fruits and vegetables. I assured her I was, with the blender sounding off in the background. We took ice cold pitchers of daiquiris to the beach everyday made with fresh local berries and melons. And, each morning we started our breakfast with a Bloody Mary made with heirloom tomatoes purchased from local farms and my Dad’s recipe for Llajua (fresh Bolivian salsa made with lots of hot chiles).
Many bartenders and mixologists take advantage of our fresh local produce and include them in their concoctions. They add in house made infusions, simple syrups, bitters, sorbets, and ice creams, fresh squeezed juices, muddled herbs, fruits, and veggies, homebrewed teas, and more. Follows are some of my favorite summertime drinks around metro DC. Stop by and fill up on your antioxidants!
Acadiana beverage director Scott Clime and bar manager Erin Edwards’ Basil Belle (muddled basil, lime juice, simple syrup, and Tanqueray Rangpur finished off with soda water and Sprite) and Bayou Brees (watermelon juice, simple syrup and mint muddled with ginger ale and lime juice — you pick the liquor. Erin suggests Bacardi Melon or Limon).
Belga Cafe executive chef Bart Vandaele’s and his pastry chef’s Lambic beer floats: Champagne sorbet with Kriek, jasmin sorbet with Framboise, apricot white peach ginger sorbet with Peche, and Belgian chocolate ice cream with Cassis.
Cafe Atlantico’s Cafe Colada (vanilla and coconut rum, pineapple juice and house-made coconut condensed milk, frappe style).
Central Michel Richard, Justin Guthrie and Brian Zipin’s Rhubarb Negroni (Aperol, 209 gin, Quady dry vermouth, lime juice), Blueberry Smash (Stoli Blueberry vodka, Bugey Cerdon, muddled blueberries, lime juice), Mai Tai (Brulgal anejo rum, Fee Brother’s orgeat syrup, fresh lime juice, Luxardo triple sec, and Myers rum), and Apricot Sour (powdered egg whites, apricot brandy, Fee Brother’s bitters). Aperol is a Venetian liquor that recently became available in the U.S. One of the main ingredients is fresh rhubarb.
Farrah Olivia featuring Morou’s Berriosa (Graham Beck, raspberry schnapps, blackberry puree). Choose your liquor to go with their Exotic Lemonades (tarragon/honeydew and ginger/cantaloupe) and iced teas (hibiscus and blackberry).
Greystone Grill’s Strawberry Mojitos (Ten Cane rum, muddled strawberries and mint, lime, sugar and Sprite).
Hook’s executive chef Barton Seaver and bar manager Dennis Asaka’s Apricot Mojito (Ten Cane rum, fresh apricots from New Morning Farm, fresh mint), Hook Currant (Grey Goose Pear and juice from currants picked at Tuscarora Organic Co-op),and Pink Lemonade Martini (Ketel One Citron, fresh lemon and cherry juice). Look for new drinks that will include Nepitella which is a cross between oregano and mint.
IndeBleu’s Holy Basil (champagne, basil sirop de gomme and a fresh sprig of holy basil), G Street (Pimms, strawberry and cucumber puree, OJ, mint and sirop de gomme, topped with a splash of 7-up), and Kama Sutra (Stoli Strasberi, lime juice and basil, sirop de gomme with local honey). Wine and beverage director Saeed Bennani will be adding a few twists to the cocktail list to include his love of fresh exotic fruits, herbs and champagne!
Legal Sea Foods bar supervisor Jose Sanmartin’s Cucumber Martini (Hendrick’s Gin and muddled seedless cucumber — Hendrick’s has the aromatics of a cucumber so it complements the drink perfectly.)
Matchbox bartenders Shawn Case and Leila Nguyen’s martinis made with their house infused vodka: Mango James (infused mango vodka with pineapple juice and OJ) and Matchbox Punch (infused mango, watermelon, pineapple, and mixed berry with OJ, pineapple juice, sour and grenadine).
Nage general manager Galen Johnsen and Sidney Reid’s Fahrenheit 451 (vodka, cucumber, ginger, lemongrass, jalapeno, and OJ) and White Cheetah (Stoli vanilla, Chai tea, cream and caramel).
Oya’s Fuji Island (Korean soju, fresh cucumber and lime, and black pepper).
Oyamel bar manager Dave Andersen’s Mexican Gin and Tonic (fresh cucumber and cilantro with Hendrick’s gin and Schweppes tonic), and Watermelon Margarita (pureed watermelon, agave nectar, tequila, rimmed with crushed watermelon Jolly Ranchers and chile pequin salt).
Poste Moderne Brasserie’s cocktail team led by bar manager Rico Wisner take advantage of chef Robert Weland’s impressive organic garden located on their patio. Try the Basil Lemontini (basil infused lemonade, Ketel One Citroen, and sparkling wine), Cool Cucumber (Hendrick’s Gin, house marinated Kirby cucumbers), Cielito Lindo (fresh berries muddled with garden mint, Bacardi raspberry), Iris Rosa’s grandmother’s recipe for Seasonal Sangria (rose and red wine, seasonal fruit macerated in brandy for two days, house infused orange vodka), and Bloody Mary (vodka, infused horseradish and chili, rimmed with smoked paprika and salt).
Proof beverage director Sebastian Zutant’s monthly rotating inexpensive $7 cocktails that feature fresh seasonal ingredients. He says, “Not a lot of places offer affordable cocktails with high-end ingredients — I want to give something back to the people.” July’s cocktail is stewed local blueberries mixed with blueberry vodka and citrus soda.
PS 7’s executive chef/owner Peter Smith and manager Rachel Sergi’s The Ritual (take a bite of Maldon sea salt followed by a shot of ice cold Roth vodka and a spoonful of sharp muscat grapes), Tiny Bubbles (orbs of raspberry liqueur and lavender syrup which have the consistency of caviar dancing around in prosecco) and Simon Porter named after Peter’s new son (Dewar’s scotch, milk, homemade mint syrup, splash of soda, and maraschino liquor).
Rasika bar manager Gina Chersevani’s: Kumquat Quickie (fresh kumquats squeezed and crushed with Kettle One vodka, ginger infused syrup, and a splash of sprite) and Coco-Chai (homemade Masala Chai tea, coco, vanilla vodka, and Frangelico cream).
Restaurant Eve and PX beverage director and sommelier Todd Thrasher’s masterful “Edenesque Cocktails”: Pickled Martini (house made pickles using his Grandmother’s recipe, pickled air [soy-derived lecithin is added to pickle juice to make a foam], fennel infused vodka), Mona Lisa (Maine gooseberries, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Hendrick’s Gin — Todd cooks the gooseberries with wine and sugar until the gooseberries explode, then adds the gin), Li’l Hug (Twins Springs Farm sweet bing cherries, vanilla, and Jim Beam whiskey. Todd pits the cherries and then crushes the stones to cook with the cherry juice which brings out a delicious almond vanilla flavor), Tomato Water Bloody Mary (fresh tomatoes, lemongrass, and Serrano chiles strained through a cloth until the juices run clear with Grey Goose Citron vodka added). Available at PX are: Josef the Spy par Du (fresh rhubarb, rum, lemon balm, and sour mix ice cubes), Millions of Peaches (peach infused vodka, house made peach bitter, peach juice, pickled peach foam, Grandma’s inspired champagne vinegar, sugar and vanilla), and Mulberry Flip (Polly Face Farms whole egg, powdered sugar, mulberries mixed with sour mix, and vodka — the presentation is stunning!).
Rugby Cafe bar manager Justin Lang’s Mango Crush (Stoli O, Mango Pucker, OJ, mango sorbet, and fresh mint), The Stingray (Stoli Strawberry, Strawberry Pucker, kiwi puree, fresh lemonade), and Blueberry Mojito (Stoli Blueberry, Triple sec, blueberries, fresh mint and limes, ginger ale, and a splash of Rose’s lime juice).
Rustico executive chef Frank Morales and beer director Greg Engert’s Beer Pops: Raspbeer-y (St. Louis Framboise, a Belgian, fruit-style beer), Plum (Chapeau Mirabelle, a sweet, effervescent and yeasty Belgian Lambic), and the Fudgsicle (Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, a dark, viscous beer from Michigan with creamy, bittersweet chocolate notes). Says Frank, “I’m often inspired to create adult takes on kid’s classics.”
Vermilion’s monthly trio of farm-inspired drinks. This month is the Melon’s Melody: Summer Nights (Stoli, vodka, basil and fresh watermelon), Champagne Supernova (rosemary soaked honey dew balls in a flute of Enrico prosecco), and The Smooth Operator (a classic Tanqueray martini with sage infused cantaloupe). August will feature peaches.
Zola’s The Blue Sting (fresh blueberries, mango flavored rum, blueberry honey, crushed mint, limes and white cranberry juice), and The Shogun (an Asian influenced blend of sake with house made ginger-infused lemonade, hibiscus syrup, sugar rim and lychee nut).
Lisa Espada is passionate about hospitality … and it shows from her view at the end of the bar. lisa@foodservicemonthly.com
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