RHUBARB RECIPE: Rhuby Mezcalrita
Rhuby Mezcalrita
3 parts mezcal
1 part RHUBARB tea
1 part lime
dash agave syrup
Shake vigorously over ice, and strain into a salt rimmed glass.
Enjoy year round!
Created by Jeremy Floyd
Philadelphia Weekly features Norman Porter exhibit at Art In The Age
In the world of Norman Porter, there’s just as much art in the act of creation as there is in the finished product. Working with the finest quality of selvage denim, Michael and David Stampler and John Mahaffey, the brawny trio behind the company, use old-fashioned methods—like hammering on anvils and hand stitching—to produce their custom denim, canvas and leather goods. Each item tagged with the name is handcrafted, from the keystone stitched into the back pocket to theholes punched in each individually crafted belt. To celebrate the local entrepreneurs, Art in the Age in Old City will be serving its spirits to those who come to bear witness to how these gentlemen create their virtually indestructible jeans and what it takes to make cowhide look like something from a Hank Williams album cover. For tonight’s opening day of the month-long exhibit, Norman Porter will launch a limited-edition denim series, in which each pair of jeans will be hand-finished for you in the store. JENINE PILLA
6pm. Free. Through Nov. 30. Art in the Age, 116 N. Third St. 215.922.2600. normanportercompany.blogspot.com
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philadelphiaweekly.com 10.31.12
LA Confidential discusses micro-distilleries, history, and Art in the Age
History on the Rocks
The Past is perfect again as the rise of flavored spirits ushers in a new era of creativity in cocktails.
Most bartenders worth their margarita salt can carry on an intelligent conversation about the pre-Prohibition era and the trendy classic cocktails inspired by it, but Steven Grasse thinks that’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as history’s potential to inspire modern libations.
“Mixologists always talk about pre-Prohibition, but [America] has been making spirits since day one,” says Grasse, the mastermind behind Sailor Jerry Rum and Hendrick’s gin. “There used to be a lot of interesting things that weren’t rye whiskey or small-batch bourbon, so I decided to go in the way-back time machine and find some weird stuff. We wanted to allow bartenders to break out of the rigid context of pre-Prohibition and experiment.”
The result? Art in the Age Craft Spirits, Grasse’s offbeat collection of organic-flavored spirits – all with backstories rooted in American history. Among the artisanal offerings are spirits resembling root beer, rhubarb tea, and ginger snap cookies; joining the fold this fall is Sage, instilled with botanical ingredients such as thyme, rosemary, lavender, fennel, and naturally, sage.
“All of our spirits are done the old-fashioned way, steeped the way you would make tea,” explains Grasse. “We don’t use flavor extracts or chemicals – it’s all [done by] infusion, which gives [each spirit] a unique flavor profile.”
It’s this intricate approach that’s driving the direction of liquor’s new chapter. Flavored spirits are certainly nothing new: They first gained popularity in the mid”80s with the advent of Stolichnaya Limonnaya and Absolut Peppar vodkas and have steadily infiltrated the category since, moving beyond vodkas into rums, tequilas, and whiskeys. Yet in the last decade, the number of micro-distilleries has grown exponentially as has the trend toward handcrafted infusions as opposed to artificial syrups.
Melkon Khosravian is among those leading the charge. He and his wife Litty Mathew own Greenbar Collective, the Downtown LA distillery where Art in the Age and his own portfolio of organic spirits (the world’s largest of its kind) are made. Khosrovian and Mathew source fresh ingredients from farms throughout Southern California, making unique spirits found at LA hot spots like The Edison, Bottega Louie, and Mohawk Bend.
“We focus on the process of imparting flavor into spirits using whole, real ingredients that take people back to how things were don’t many years ago,” says Khosrovian.
It’s all part of the increasingly blurry line between the bar and the kitchen, with many local bartenders also taking time to infuse their own spirits. At Venice’s The Tasting Kitchen, mixologist Justin Pike infuses Serrano peppers into El Jimador tequila for the popular (yet off-menu) Crazy Horse cocktail, while City Tavern assistant general manager Jeremy Back infuses bacon into George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee Whisky for his savory breakfast cocktail.
Of course, the boom isn’t just happening at the micro level: Flavored spirits are undeniably big business. Flavored whiskeys were the fastest-growing spirit category in early 2012 with 155 percent growth, and flavored vodkas now account for almost one-fifth of all vodka sales. To meet the demand companies are continually rolling out new flavors; this year, Jim Beam debuted two new flavors on the heels of its popular black cherry Red Stag, while Stoli added Sticki (honey-flavored), Hot (jalapeno pepper-flavored), and Salted Karamel to its already bursting portfolio of flavored vodkas.
Yet with the variety of products on the market today, many mixologists are especially cognizant of quality. Westside Tavern bartender Kylee Van Dillen discerns a flavored spirit’s quality by whether it can be sipped straight. “That’s my qualifying factor: Would I drink it by itself?” says Van Dillen, who has developed custom recipes for Godiva’s new chocolate-infused vodka line. “the ideal flavored spirit sips neat really well and doesn’t overpower [mixed] cocktails.”
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The Last Word Cocktail with Shola Olunloyo
We recently paid a visit to Chef Shola Olunloyo‘s Philadelphia kitchen/laboratory to check out his Art in the Age spirit experiments first hand. Shola demonstrated a few unconventional techniques he uses to put a modern twists on classic cocktails.
Although we had originally planned to shoot still photos, once Shola started mixing we realized we needed to capture the experience on video! Check out the video of the Last Word Cocktail with RHUBY (above), and stay tuned for more recipes!
Submit Your AITA Holiday Recipes
Can’t wait to hear what delicious Art in the Age recipes you have planned for the holidays!
Please send recipe submissions to:
You can also post your recipes here:
Kennett Square Farmers Market Fermentation Festival
This Friday, Oct. 7th from 2-5 PM we will be at the Kennett Square Fermentation Festival to celebrate the changing seasons with all things fermented. If you haven’t had the chance to try our latest spirit RHUBY – now’s your chance! We’ll also be serving samples of ROOT and SNAP, and there will be plenty of fermented beverages and food throughout the day.
To wrap up the event, join us across the street at Talulah’s Table from 5-6 PM for a local cheese and spirit happy hour. We’ll be pairing our craft spirits with the best in local, artisanal cheeses. Oh, and did we mention there will be RHUBY Fondue?!
Kennett Square Farmers Market Fermentation Fest
Friday, October 7th
2-5 PM
State and Union Streets Kennett Square, PA 19348
Talula’s Table + AITA – Cheese & Spirit Tasting
5-6 PM
102 West State Street; Kennett Square, PA 19348
Hope to see you there!
