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