http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/fe ... ckers.html
Clever cocktails at Supper Speakeasy
Most would be intimidated to make a Maker's Mark cocktail and serve it to Bill Samuels, owner of the Loretto, Ky., distillery. But Z's Fusion bartender Stephen Dennison calls Samuels "one of the most down-to-earth people you'll ever meet."
"You feel as though you're making a cocktail for your buddy," said Dennison, who will be guest mixologist for an Oct. 13 Supper Speakeasy hosted by Samuels.
Dennison and a trio of chefs will prepare the evening's six-course, French-themed dinner, which includes lemon-poached salmon and bacon-larded bison tenderloin. But the drink menu is where his bent for avant garde booze will surface.
Imagine pomegranate whiskey sours, a carbonated palate cleanser of whisky-macerated ginger and ginger-infused Maker's Mark, and a Snickers-infused Maker's Mark cordial.
To prepare the cordial, Dennison melts Snickers bars to release their strongly flavored oils, adds the liquid to the bourbon and refrigerates the mixture to solidify the oils. Once hardened, the fats are strained off, yielding a candy-accented whiskey.
"It's a fun little technique, huh?" Dennison said, referring to the process as fat washing.
As always, location for the Supper Speakeasy won't be revealed until two days before the event. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $75 (tax and gratuity included).
For reservations or more information on Supper Speakeasies, call Bon Vivant Savant at 287-2772.