THIS THURSDAY'S TASTING: 8 for $8 @ 8 | Global Rose

YES WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN.

For those of you that missed it the first time, the next feature in our series of Thursday Micro Tastings will be Rose wine from around the world. These wines don't usually get much attention, partly because the American palate has been soiled by years of Beringer and Woodbridge White Zins, but mostly because they don't really stick around long enough to get dusty; people drink them.

Rose is wine you drink when you're with people you like, in gorgeous places, all while probably wearing very little clothing. Consequently, it tends to get upstaged. You don't see rose wines being swirled around oversized glasses by portly, spectacled gentlemen droning on about vintages and terroir. Rose gets spilled in your pool. It gets seawater in it when a tan Australian suddenly dives from the side of your sailboat. Rose may not be the most memorable wine, but it is that wine that your memories would be incomplete without.

So here we bring you a sampling from all over the world. Most of the best come from France, so they are well represented, but we're showing a Mulderbosch from South Africa, a Green Point from Australia, and a lovely Malbec Rose from Susana Balbo in Argentina. Look for a lot of distinction from this lot. You can make rose from just about any red grape (the trick is to whisk it off its skins so as to keep the color light) but each will impart their own character to the wine.

We're hoping for a great turnout for this one, as the summer heat starts to kick in. Gentlemen, I urge you to put your macho pretense aside and come enjoy this one. Nothing affirms your masculine confidence like sipping pink wine with a bunch of beautiful ladies.

So just to recap: 8 wines - $8 - 8pm

THURSDAYS ALL SUMMER LONG

LOOK FOR NEXT WEEK'S TASTING.

August 25: ROOT Tasting Dinner at Alfa

Never let ‘em tell you you can’t pair liquor with food — on Tuesday, August 25, Alfa (1709 Walnut St., 215-751-0201) is hosting a ROOT tasting dinner. Chef Sean Ford will work the irreverent liquor, produced by Art in the Age, into five courses. Complementing the food will be five of the cocktails featured at the recent ROOT mix-off at Silk City. The dinner’s just $35 a head; check out the full menu, with drink pairings, after the jump.


Amuse Bouche

• A delicate morsel, utilizing ROOT Liquor, designed to excite the palate

First Course
Sweet Corn and Lobster Summer Soup — Wynnorr Farm Sweet Corn, Vanilla/ROOT infusion garnished with Lobster Salad and ROOT Syrup. Served chilled.

• paired with “Bomba Shack” by Lauren Phillips @ Alfa Restaurant & Bar
• 1 1/2 oz ROOT
• 1/2 oz spiced rum
• 1 oz Creme Coconut
• Pineapple juice
• 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
• Fresh nutmeg

Second Course
Seared Scallop with ROOT & Black Truffle Foam and Wild Mushrooms

• paired with “Dr. Maloney’s Restorative Elixir” by Colin Shearn @ Franklin Mortgage & Co.
• 2 oz. ROOT
• 1 oz. Punt E Mes
• .5oz. Campari
• 5 dashes Vieux Carre
• 3 dashes orange bitters
• stir/strain/coupe
• orange twist

Third Course
ROOT Brined Pork Loin — stuffed with Apples and Raisins and served with a Rosemary Celeriac Puree and Root Demi Glace.

• paired with “Dr. Hadley’s Root Restorative” by Kate Loeb @ Oyster House
• .5 oz. Demerara simple syrup
• 6 large mint leaves
• 1.25 oz. Lairds Bonded (100 proof) Applejack
• 1.0 oz. Root Liqueur
• .5 oz. Benedictine
• .5 oz. fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes Fee Brother’s Aztec Chocolate bitters
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: Mint sprig Muddle mint in simple syrup. Add ice and other ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a spanked mint sprig.

Fourth Course
Grilled Venison — Huckleberry Reduction, ROOT infused Potato Hash

• paired with “Pennsyltucky Smash” by Christian Gaal @ Noble American Cookery
• 1 oz.Root
• 1 oz. Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• 1 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
• shaken on crushed ice with 7-10 smacked mint leaves. Serve in rocks glass, garnish with mint sprig.

Dessert
ROOT Float Roundabout — ROOT Ice Cream with Vanilla Creme Soda
paired with “Dust and Beans”

• by Lauren Phillips @ Alfa Restaurant & Bar
• 1 oz. ROOT
• 1/2 oz. Frangelico
• 1 oz. Chilled Espresso
• Shaken over ice and served in a Cordial glass. Top with ROOT Infused Whipped Cream and garnish with a lemon twist

Alfa's new cheeses

Seal Bay Triple Creme from Australia - paired with fig jam

Cana de Cabra - Spanish Goat - paired with balsamic strawberries

St Nectaire - France - paired with quince paste

Beaufort - Swiss - paired with kalamata olive tappenade

Valdeon - Spanish Blue - paired with caramel topped with black sea salt

Chef Sean's Homemade Pickles

Chef Sean has done it again. This time making his own dill pickle. These pickles will accompany any sandwich that gets fries. Having a perfect balance of salt, vinegar, dill, garlic and spices. The crunch is where it's at!