This past Sunday I attended the Secret Summer food and cocktail festival. They promised “inventive mixology and farm to table eats while advocating forward thinking ideas about locality and sustainability”. Ok.
It was held a the event space, The Foundry at 42-38 9th Street in Long Island City down the block from the East River and in the shadows of the Queensboro Bridge. The Foundry is a 8 room ivy covered brick building with a large garden courtyard .
The theme of the evening was Shakespeare’s A MidSummer Night’s Dream. Winged Fairies pranced around the courtyard sprinkling rose petals and pixie dust on the guests while strolling troubadours entertained the crowd. Members of the Shrunken Shakespeare Company would break out in spontaneous performances of Shakespeare’s play, or at least I thought they were actors and not young couples have a rough day. There was also a “ginormous” beer pong to keep people busy.
In the courtyard were tubs of soft drinks, Heineken beer, Rekorderlig Cider and Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV Champagne to go along with grilled food and grilled cheese sandwiches provided by the Morris Food Truck. I was able to grab some sausage, vegetables and a grilled cheese sandwich before the line became impossibly long.
Indoors had live ragtime music by The Ida Blue Band and several cocktail stations.
I was happy to stroll around with a glass of Brut or a pear cider in my hand but in the interest of research I sample several of the cocktails which included:
Herradura Tequila
Pamplona: Herradura, blood orange, dry curacao and ginger beer.
Sundown: Herradura, clementine and house acai grenadine.
Templo Mayor: Herradura, jalapeno, cacao, cornmilk, agave nectar and lemon.
Cachaça 51
Cai Tai: Cachaca 51, house falernum, acai grenadine and dry curacao.
Morango: Cachaca 51, market strawberries, sage and aromatic.
ColaDA: Cachaca 51, bitter cola syrup, coconut milk and fresh pineapple.
Jack Daniel’s
Doc Brown: Jack Daniel’s, market cherry sarsaparilla and micro bubble soda.
Shiso: Jack Daniel’s, saiso leaf, raw cane and leaf bouquet.
Bless your heart, but….: Jack Daniel’s, summer peach, market fennel and lemon.
It was a fun way to spend a sunny, Summer late evening.
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