One of the more exotic events on the program for this year’s Manhattan Cocktail Classic was The Aviation Gin and Vaandag collaboration produced by Laura Baddish of The Baddish Group.
Anyone who visited Vandaag during its brief but impressive lifetime no doubt recalls the restaurant’s modernist interior and no-nonsense Dutch cuisine (Sadly, this East Village gem has since shuttered its doors). Add to this a gin that boasts flavor notes derived from botanicals like Lavender, Cardamom, and Indian Sarsaparilla, and you have one heck of a delectable afternoon.
Henrietta is Hungry’s contributing writer Janeviva Uwera was fortunate enough to join Aviation Gin’s charming founders, Christian Krogstad and Ryan Magarian, as they guided a rapt audience through an array of their signature cocktails paired with exquisite small plates from Vandaag’s Northern European menu.
Food and Cocktail Pairings
Amuse Bouche
- Goat prosciutto, Juniper buttermilk curds and Arugula flower : Light fare for a summers day.
- The Bijou Cocktail : Aviation Gin, Carpano Antica Vermouth, Green Chartreuse, Regan’s No.6 Orange Bitters – After taste of vermouth was strong, but this drink went over well with the crowd.
Course 1
- Field and farm split pea soup, onion smorrebrod, pine : A rich and creamy soup slightly too subtle for my palate.
- The Aviation Cocktail Circa 1916 : Aviation Gin, Luxardo Maraschino Liquer, Rotham and Winter Creme de Violett, freshly pressed lemon juice and simple syrup – My favourite : tart but well-balanced.
- Foraged roots and ‘Shrooms : yellow foot, oyster, ramps, crispy farm egg, ramp borth, spruce / The Corleone : An earthy dish, reminiscent of the foraging movement; good whole foods, with minimal ingredients but a whopper of a taste.
- The Corleone: Green grapes, Aviation Gin, Grappa, freshly pressed lemon juice, simple syrup and Regan’s No.6 Ornage Bitters – A tranquil cocktail with a smooth finish; paired well with the food.
- Pan seared hake : forest and green cardoon, lemon preserve, dandelion sauce paired with The Hemingway Gimlet cocktail – A light dish with citrus undertones that perfectly matched the cocktail.
- The Hemingway Gimlet : Aviation Gin, Luxardo Maraschino Liquer, freshly pressed lime, freshly pressed grapefruit and simple syrup - As any cocktail lover knows, Maraschino liqueur is smooth but sweet. The distinct taste of the marasca cherries makes this an ideal summer cocktail.
Course 4
- Lamb neck : green tomatoes, grilled spring garlic, sage-juniper jus - Succulent with a perfect balance of garlic and sage.
- The Lady Sage : Aviation Gin, freshly pressed lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white – Least appealing cocktail. More gin, less egg whites would have salvaged it.
Lamb neck: green tomatoes, grilled spring garlic, sage-juniper jus
Dessert
- Indo almond flan : spiced caramel, drunken kumquats / The Alaska – Smooth as silk and quite the treat.
- The Alaska: Aviation Gin, Chartreuse and Regan’s No.6 Orange bitters - They saved the best till last! This was my favourite of all the cocktails; a pungent (blame the Chartreuse) but mildly sweet drink with citrus undertones from the bitters.
) to create the shapes of ice we need for the cocktails.
