CHERRY LIQUEUR INSPIRED DRINKS ARE FOR FOREVER
By Francine Cohen All Photos Courtesy Of Cherry Heering


As spring quickly melds into summer INSIDE F&B felt the urge to pay one last homage to that beautiful, refreshing and cheery, yet fleeting, season that carries us from the brown, bitter and stirred drinks of deepest, darkest winter to those with hues to match our brighter days and moods.

Particularly embodying the brightness of spring is the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org). It’s that time of year when our nation’s stately capital is awash with pink blooms, and food and drink inspiration abounds as the farmers’ market stalls are finally piled with ramps and asparagus.

Who best to explore DC during this season, and help celebrate the festival by introducing bar patrons to the florally inspired liquid joys of the season, than a handful of the nation’s best bartenders toting Heering Cherry Liqueur (www.heering.com) in their bar kits?

In the group were famed Seattle mixo Jamie Boudreau, San Francisco star Duggan McDonnell, top female and NY based mixo Eryn Reece, and former NY bar man and now LA bar man Alexander Liberman. DC was awash with their talent as they descended upon the city’s top bars, like PS7 where Chef Peter Smith and Head Bartender Gina Chersevani hold court (www.ps7restaurant.com) , the new W Hotel in DC (www.whotels.starwood.com/DC) , The Willard Hotel (www.washington.intercontinental.com) and Derek Brown’s bar, The Passenger (www.passengerdc.com), to create unique drinks.

Led by Owen Thompson, head of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild (www.dcbartendersguild.com), and Garrett Peck, author of “The Prohibition Hangover” (www.prohibitionhangover.com) the group visited sites on his famous Temperance Tour and got a spirited view of the city.

As a thank you to the flower filled city that hosted them the bartenders left behind some unique creations for you and your guests to enjoy this past cherry blossom season and the next:

The Cherry Blossom Twist
By Eryn Reece
¾ oz. Cherry Heering
1 oz. Siembra Azul Tequila Reposado
½ oz. Crème de Mezcal
½ oz Lime Juice
2 dashes of Whisky Barrel Bitters

Republican Cherry Toast
By Jamie Boudreau
½ oz. Cherry Heering
1 ½ oz Premium Cognac
¼ oz. Angostura Bitters
¼ oz. Lemon Juice
¼ oz. Simple Syrup

Method: shake, strain and served up