Cocktails Anyone? Here’s What Guests Sipped at Foobooz La Fête
Philadelphia magazine threw a big two-night party at the Mann Music Center, and some of the top chefs in the city tagged along too. Foobooz La Fête was a celebration under the stars of all things food and drink in Philadelphia.
Over the course of two nights, May 9th and May 10th, there were hors d’oeuvres and five courses specially prepared by chefs like Omar Tate from Honeysuckle Provisions, Randy Rucker from River Twice, Chutatip Suntaranon from Kalaya and the folks from Middle Child, all paired with cocktails from Bacardi designed to complement guests’ food.
Here’s a breakdown of each pairing and a recap of two wonderful nights.
Night 1
Welcome Drinks
St-Germain Spritz
St-Germain, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water
The St-Germain Spritz is a prosecco-based drink with St-Germain’s Elderflower liqueur, Martini & Rossi Prosecco and soda water that welcomed guests into the Mann Music Center.
Fiero & Tonic
Martini & Rossi Fiero, Tonic
The Fiero & Tonic is a bright and juicy vermouth that’s been infused with Murcian sweet orange and mixed with tonic water for a low ABV cocktail.
Main Drinks/Pairings
Seawater Margarita
Cazadores Blanco Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice, Celery, Agave
Middle Child Clubhouse emphasized attention to detail with the cocktail it paired with its peel & eat shrimp with long hot salsa verde and broccoli rabe kimchi cocktail sauce.
The Seawater Margarita is a grapefruit cocktail diluted with a savory layer of kombu broth with a touch of umami and salt to top things off.
Jamu
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Turmeric, Ginger, Carrot, Coconut Water
For something a little different, Hardena matched its beef rendang croquettes with a gin-based cocktail that includes ginger, carrot, turmeric and coconut water.
Samson Street Shuffle
Bacardi Superior Rum, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Sansom Shuffle Syrup Olio
Think of the Sansom Street Shuffle as the Daiquiri’s cousin — the drink you know and love with added ingredients like pineapple juice and pineapple skin syrup to add an umami kick. The drink worked well with samplings from Wilder: King Crab, asparagus, gribiche and sunflower seeds.
I’ve Got a Lion in my Pocket
Bacardi Superior Rum, Vermouth, Pineapple Shrub, Lime Juice, Citrus & Melon Green Tea
Okay, so guests didn’t actually have a lion in their pocket, but they did have grilled agrodolce chicken wings from Irwin’s on their plate and Bacardi Superior Rum, Vermouth and sweet fruit flavors meshing with melon green tea in their glass.
Savoie
Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass, Martini & Rossi Fiero, Orange Juice, Passionfruit Puree, Lemon Juice
The Savoie pairs Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass with orange-tinged Martini Fiero to create tropical notes that complemented Honeysuckle Provisions’ barbecued lamb with benne seed gold sauce and grilled vegetables.
Dessert Drinks
Espresso Martini
Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Càphê Roasters Espresso
You’ve probably ordered an espresso martini at a bar yourself this past year — they’re absolutely everywhere. So of course they were on the menu for La Fête as a dessert cocktail, using Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, and espresso from Philly’s own Càphê Roasters.
Night 2
Welcome Drinks
St-Germain Spritz
St- Germain, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water
Fiero & Tonic
Martini & Rossi Fiero, Tonic
Main Drinks/Pairings
Watermelon Margarita
Grey Goose Essences Watermelon & Basil, Cazadores Blanco, Agave, Lime, Tajin
This version complemented Kalaya’s Khao Yum rice salad with assorted vegetables and fermented fish sauce, as Grey Goose Essences Watermelon & Basil and Cazadores Blanco created an exciting riff on the classic drink.
Homecoming
Bacardi, Mango, Cold Brew, Sherry, Lime
This cocktail originates from the bar program at Nomad NYC — it’s a bold tropical drink that pairs Bacardi and mango with Cold Brew coffee that worked alongside Càphê Roasters’ Bánh Tráng Trộn, a Viatnamese dried rice paper salad with quail eggs, tropical fruit, dried shrimp, toasted peanuts and shredded beef jerky marinated in their signature Vietnamese Espresso.
Essences Spritz
Grey Goose Essences Peach & Rosemary, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water
This spritz, using Grey Goose Essences Peach & Rosemary and Martini & Rossi Prosecco had guests dreaming of summer. It was paired with River Twice’s roasted hamachi collar with horseradish furikake, spring peas & mint.
Two in the Bush
Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, Lemon Juice, Blackberries, Sage
Whiskey is never a bad idea, especially when it’s mixed with lemon juice and blackberries. It was paired with sweet potato tostones from Rex at the Royal for an ideal 1-2 punch.
Rum Punch
Jamaican Rum, Bacardi Coconut, Bacardi Black, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Hibiscus Tea
This rum punch uses Jamaican rum, Bacardi Coconut, Bacardi Black along with lime and orange juice and hibiscus tea, and created a refreshing and potent libation that was a perfect fit for Hummingbird Island’s Jamaican prawn salad with scotch bonnet peppers and papaya.
Dessert Drinks
Espresso Martini
Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Càphê Roasters Espresso
This is a paid partnership between Bacardi and Philadelphia Magazine