Saturday, March 28th marked the second Producer Saturday. On hand we had the fabulously spirited and ingenious Maxine Giammo to teach a lesson or two in mixology and flavor extraction science. And that she sure did.
Arriving promptly with a cheerful smile, a wealth of knowledge, and arms laden with citrus and quinine, Maxine got us off to a bubbling start. We began with some detailed history on quinine bark, citric acid, and tonic through the ages then proceeded to make a group batch of tonic water with each attendee contributing an ingredient, from freshly grated zest, to squeezed juice, to spices, water, etc.
Next we each made a bottle of limoncello. Some brought grapefruits, opting for pompelmocello, while others brought a last-of-the-season find of bergamot oranges thanks to the unique selection Bi-Rite Market oft has on hand. Soon we’ll be able to partake in the fruits of our labor as we’re nearing the two-week finishing mark of adding sugar (or sweetening agent of one’s choosing)! It’s super simple and makes a festive, seasonal and elegant gift for those dear.
Finally, we rounded out the afternoon with a lesson and experiment in flavor extraction. Maxine contributed some creative ideas from cacao nibs and jalapeno to cilantro and cardamom. All one needs is a nitrous oxide cartridge, whipped cream non-aerosol whipper, vodka, and the aromatic ingredient of curiosity. Et voila!
One of the attendees summed up the afternoon quite nicely; have a peek!
If you’d like to learn more or would like to get in touch with Maxine to have a lesson yourself, send a note: acuriouspalate[at]gmail[dot]com.
