~THE BOOTHBY CENTER FOR THE BEVERAGE ARTS~ has two upcoming classes you should take a peek at: on Wednesday May 11th is When It’s Cocktail Time in Cuba with Charlotte Voisey and Philip Greene, author of To Have and Have Another: The Hemingway Cocktail Companion, to be published in 2012 (I don’t think I can possibly love that title any more than I already do). The duo will lead a tour back through the years, covering Cuba’s historic role in sugar cane and rum distilling; and you’ll learn about the favorite cocktails of Ernest Hemingway, and hear stories about Sloppy Joe’s, the Floridita, the Hotel Nacional, and other venues. Sample punches, cocktails such as the Papa Doble and the El Presidente, plus delicious appetizers, as well as get some great recipes and instructions on how to make these classics at home. 7pm-9pm. $45; buy tickets here.
And on Tuesday May 17th, Carl Sutton of Sutton Cellars will be teaching a vermouth class. Start with a lesson on vermouth’s history and cultural significance, including a comparative tasting of popular and boutique vermouths. Next delve deeper into Carl’s own formula, tasting the components of the popular vermouth that he makes right here in San Francisco and is served in many of the city’s top cocktail bars and restaurants. Then look at vermouth’s role in a cocktail (and taste one of those while you’re at it) before moving on to a flight of wine-based aperitifs and digestifs. That’s a lot of tasting and education for only $25. Buy tickets. 7pm-9pm.
