H. Joseph Ehrmann of San Francisco’s Elixir will host a fundraiser March 15 to benefit the Museum of the American Cocktail and the Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail. Dale DeGroff and Tony Abou-Ganim will join Ehrmann; the three will craft Latin cocktails. Saloon artist Jill DeGroff also will be there to sign copies of her book, Lush Life; Portraits from the Bar. A portion of all drink sales, book sales and tips will benefit MOTAC and BCCAC.
Chicago’s Elate is participating in Veev’s tree-planting Treetini program in which interested parties add their own Treetini creation to the menu and track sales; sponsor Veev checks in twice a year to see how many Treetinis have sold and then plants that number of trees on the bar’s behalf. About 40 bars and restaurants are involved in the two-year project, which so far has planted 12,000 trees; trees are currently being planted in Tamil Nadu, India. To participate, contact Live It Green at info@liveitgreen.com or go to the Veev web site www.veevlife.com and send an e-mail.
Washington, D.C.’s Occidental is partnering with the Museum of the American Cocktail to host cocktail classes, starting with “Introduction to Cocktails - Mastering the Classics” on March 22. Our friend Derek Brown of The Passenger will lead guests through the history of four liquid classics: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Martini and Daiquiri. The seminar is from 7 - 8:30 p.m, in Occidental's Monument Room. Tickets can be purchased online at www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/Events.
Cincinnati cocktail neophytes can look forward to the Tonic On Fourth Cocktails and Spirits Club monthly cocktail course. The hands-on class will teach the chemistry of cocktails and spirits and is led and instructed by Josh Durr, owner of Hawthorn Beverage Labs. The March 10 class is “Bartending 102 : A Crash Course in the Foundations of the Professional Bartender”; the March 31 class will focus on “Distillation: Discover How Your Favorite Spirits Are Made.” Tickets are available here.
Arnaud’s Restaurant in New Orleans presents Frappe Fridays (March 12 and March 19), a sippable luncheon experience in conjunction with the New Orleans Cultural and Culinary Preservation Society. The Herbsaint cocktail seminars will include a historical overview of J.M. Legendre and Herbsaint, plenty of memorabilia, hands-on frappe making and lunch.