May 12, 2009

Ladies, listen up, because this event is enough to make me wish I was drinking: this Thursday May 14th, Conduit is hosting a free tasting event, ~GIN & GEN~, which will be about tasting and learning about gin and genever. And it's for ladies only. Some very special women will be hosting the event, including Charlotte Voisey, National Brand Ambassador for Hendrick's Gin National and an award-winning mixologist who came out to SF just for this event, plus Kendra Scott, Distiller of Anchor Junipero gin, and Antoinette Cattani, importer of Damrak gin and Lucas Bols genever. They will talk for the first 25 minutes of the event, and then you'll be able to taste a variety of cocktails; there will also be some tasty bites from chef Justin Deering. On the tipple roster: Damrak gin, Right gin, Junipero gin, Martin Miller's gin, Beefeater 24 gin, Hendrick's gin, Bols genever, and Genevieve genever. Space is limited, RSVP is essential to reza [at] superultramega [dot] com. All guests must be 21 years plus for entry. Free, yo. 5pm–8pm. CONDUIT restaurant, 280 Valencia St. at 14th St.

And then there's this event on Thursday that is open to everyone: ~PISCO~ is hosting The Peruvian Connection. Meet cocktail history researcher Guillermo Toro-Lira, author of Wings of Cherubs, The Saga of the Rediscovery of Pisco Punch and a member of the Academia Peruana del Pisco, Peru's elite Pisco Historical Society. Toro-Lira will be around to discuss the history of both Pisco Punch and the Pisco Sour and their California connection. There will be a special drawing for prizes, and everyone gets a wallet-sized tapas discount card good for multiple visits through July 15th. Free admission. Pisco Punch and Pisco Sours are $7 all night. 5pm–11pm. 1817 Market St. at Guerrero, 415-874-9951.

On Saturday May 16th, ~BROC CELLARS~ in Berkeley is hosting a special Broc-topus and Grenache party to celebrate the release of the 2007 “Cassia” Grenache. Ian Begg and sommelier Ryan Maxey, formerly of Cafe Majestic, will be on hand grilling braised octopus for a one-of-a-kind wine and food pairing. Chef Ian will also be preparing numerous hors d'oeuvres to pair with many other Broc-offerings. Read more about the event, pours, and buy advance tickets here. Advance tickets: $15; day of tickets: $20. 12pm–5pm. Broc Cellars, 805 Camelia St. at 5th St., Berkeley, 415-728-5012.


~CATALYST COCKTAILS~ in SoMa has closed (you gotta love their going-away image), and according to permits, Ted's Sports Bar & Grill is taking its place. 312 Harriet St. at Bryant.

~RIESLING WEEK 2009~ is coming to San Francisco from May 18th–24th. Select restaurants and retailers will offer the chance to sample different styles of German, Austrian, and Alsatian Rieslings. You'll find a list of participating San Francisco restaurants and retailers on the website. Restaurants in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Miami will offer European riesling specials, including by-the-glass selections, and food-pairing menus, and wine retailers will host European riesling tastings. Some local restos include Epic Roasthouse, Fifth Floor, Jardinière, and more.

Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga is hosting their annual ~FOOD & WINE CLASSIC~, which raises money for arts education. This year they have 19 chefs and 22 wineries from the Bay Area participating in the event, including David Kinch of Manresa, Cal Stamenov of Bernardus, and Peter Armellino of the Plumed Horse. Montalvo's Food & Wine VI: The Art of Dining takes place on the Montalvo grounds on Sunday May 31st from 5:30pm–8:30pm. Tickets are $175, $125 for Montalvo members, and are tax deductible. 15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga, 408-961-5814.