Christine's and New Times Hosts Artisan Brands Pairing Tonight

Some of the liquors on hand: Montesierpe Pisco, a small batch, typical Peruvian liquor made from grapes; Artemisia Superior Absinthe Verte, a 100% US made absinthe; and El Conde Azul Tequilas, a 100% Blue Agave imbibe that's shipped in hand-blown Italian glass. It's all very hyper-specialized stuff - see the full selection of Artisan Brands items here.
Why is Artisan liquor important? Well, the National Restaurant Association revealed a survey of more than 1600 chefs this year that found micro-distilled and artisan liquors will be among the top 10 food trends in 2009. Chefs ranked these specialty liquors, including organic wine, number 9 - behind small plates, superfruits, organic produce, and - number one - locally grown produce. This basically means you should expect a lot more "signature cocktails" at restaurants, possibly paired with a dish and most certainly commanding a higher cost than typical alcoholic beverages. As if we weren't paying enough for our ultra-chic, indigenously made drinks anyway.
-- John Linn
































