Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. 

COCKTAIL #4: The Sea Berry by Wilfredo Tobar

The Sea Berry by Wilfredo Tobar

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“The reason I selected this drink is because it is easy to make at home and refreshing, especially during hot summer days. You want to drink something refreshing made with some fresh ingredients, so when I was reading the description of ​Black Sea​, I was inspired to create a drink made with blackberries.”

Milton Avery, ​Black Sea​, 1959, Oil on canvas, 50 x 68 in., The Phillips Collection, Acquired 1965

INGREDIENTS

• 6-8 mint leaves
• 5 blackberries
• 2 oz Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.5 oz simple syrup**
• 1.5 oz ginger beer
• Ice

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill up a tall glass with crushed or regular ice.
2. Add all of the ingredients into the shaker, except for ginger beer.
3. Add ice and shake vigorously.
4. After shaking, add the ginger beer into the shaker, and then strain into a tall glass with ice.
5. Garnish with a blackberry and mint.

*For the mocktail, add all the ingredients (except for the bourbon) into the shaker and shake vigorously before straining into a glass with ice. Use instead 3 oz fresh lemon juice, 3 oz simply syrup, and 1 splash of water (instead of the ginger beer).
**Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in El Salvador, Wilfredo Tobar moved to Washington, DC, in 2008. He started working in the hospitality industry as a busboy, then made his way to bartending; at the same time, the kitchen always had his attention. He always wanted to learn how to cook and get amazing flavors onto plates, so he decided to take Culinary Arts classes at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School.

Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. 

COCKTAIL #3: The Luncheon Sangria by Tijana Gavrilovic

The Luncheon Sangria by Tijana Gavrilovic

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“The gathering of family and friends has been around since the beginning of humankind. Today, we give the name ‘brunch’ to the early afternoon get-togethers surrounding good food and drinks. In the state we are currently in, we are putting this age-old tradition on pause, but!, that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a great drink—The Sangria. It’s light and refreshing during a hot summer day, made in batches so everyone can enjoy it, and also incredibly easy to make. For me, both this art piece and the drink are all about community, socializing, and a carefree atmosphere, and I look forward to when we will be able to enjoy it again.”

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1880-81, Oil on canvas, 51 ¼ x 69 ¼ in., The Phillips Collection, Acquired 1923

INGREDIENTS

•  1 bottle of dry white wine (Suggestions: Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc) (or dry rose wine-if using sweet Rose such as Moscato, omit sugar)
• 1 cup white rum (Bacardi silver or similar)
• Optional: 1 cup pineapple juice (optional) (or orange juice)
• 2 cups lemon-lime soda (Sprite) (or ginger ale)
• 16 oz. strawberries, sliced (or oranges)
• 4 lemons, sliced (or limes)
• 6 oz. raspberries, whole
• Simple syrup* or sugar, to taste
• Ice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash lemons and strawberries, pat dry, and thinly slice.
2. In a large bowl or mason jar, combine all ingredients (except ice). Stir and chill for at least 3-4 hours to overnight (the longer it rests, the better).
3. Serve in a wine glass, half filled with ice, and garnish with fruit!

**Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in Serbia, Tijana Gavrilovic moved to Washington, DC, in 2015. She always dreamed of being a chef. In 2018/2019, she took a Culinary Arts class at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Learning about flavor profiles and the ingredients that compliment/contrast each other highly influenced her bartending style.

Hold on to the last days of summer with four art-inspired cocktails that we will share over the weekend! Crafted by two adult education students from Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. 

COCKTAIL #2: The Summer Shandy by Tijana Gavrilovic

The Summer Shandy by Tijana Gavrilovic

FROM THE MIXOLOGIST
“Summer means, in bar terms, refreshing, tangy and beachy drinks. It’s time for margaritas, sangrias, slushees—and shandy! Now, shandy does not have a good reputation. Traditionally, it consists of equal parts of beer and lemonade. Why would you water down a beer, someone might ask? Let’s break down this common misconception. Shandy, if executed well, can be your next to-go refresher during hot summer days. By adding bourbon and lemon juice (and these two love each other! Just think of Whiskey Sours) we’re adding another layer of flavor to create this beer cocktail. Black Sea looks like an upside down Summer Shandy. Bourbon represents the waves. The sand is beer with the nice froth on top. The richness of the bourbon and tanginess of the lemon juice will go great with the citrusy notes of wheat beer (which are commonly brewed with oranges). It’s simple, it makes quite an impression, and you keep coming for more. ”

Milton Avery, ​Black Sea​, 1959, Oil on canvas, 50 x 68 in., The Phillips Collection, Acquired 1965

INGREDIENTS

• Wheat Beer (Blue Moon or Shock Top Belgain White; light beers will work as well)
• 1/2 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 3 blackberries, plus more for garnish
• 1 peach
• Fresh mint (or sage—both add great aroma, mint make it more fresh and sage make it more sweet)
• 1/4 Lemon
• 1/4 oz Simple syrup (or agave syrup)
• Club soda (or Sprite for a sweeter drink)

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill up a tall glass with ice.
2. In a shaker, add bourbon, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
3. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds.
4. Strain the bourbon mix into the glass.
5. Top with the beer of your choice.
6. Garnish with a lemon wedge/wheel.

* To make this into a mocktail, use non-alcoholic beer or ginger beer
**Make your own simple syrup. All you need is 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Mix them together in a small sauce pan and bring the mixture to boil. Then take it off the heat and let it cool.

ABOUT THE MIXOLOGIST
Born and raised in Serbia, Tijana Gavrilovic moved to Washington, DC, in 2015. She always dreamed of being a chef. In 2018/2019, she took a Culinary Arts class at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School. Learning about flavor profiles and the ingredients that compliment/contrast each other highly influenced her bartending style.