Craft Your Own Cocktails with Slanted Door's Jennifer Colliau

Jennifer Colliau of Small Hand FoodsHow are you doing on those New Year's resolutions? Need a little help? If, like me, you resolved to craft better cocktails at home this year (whether to save a little money or to be a better host), have we got a shortcut for you! K&L's Melissa Lavrinc Smith is teaming up with Jennifer Colliau of San Francisco's Slanted Door and pre-Prohibition cocktail ingredients company Small Hand Foods, for a little cocktail college this Thursday night at Urban Legend Cellars in Oakland. Jennifer will demonstrate how to make five classic cocktails with a modern twist, focusing on basic techniques, ingredients and, of course, a little dash of history. Tickets are $65 per person and available through Brown Paper Tickets. 

Thursdays class is just the first in a series of classes centered around food, wine, spirits and beer in the Bay Area scheduled for 2011. Future cocktail classes will center around Farmers' Market ingredients, pre-Prohibition cocktails and Absinthe. Stay tuned for more info.

What: Classic Cocktails with Jennifer Colliau

Where: Urban Legend Cellars, Oakland

When: Thursday, January 13 from 7-9:30 p.m.

Leah Greenstein

What We're Drinking

Editor's Note: Last week was busy, what with a visit from famed Bordeaux negociant Bill Blatch and New Zealand winemaker Mike Weersing (Pyramid Valley Vineyards), plus social visits, Sopexa tastings and more. I think everyone is still processing. Here's a preview of what we've been drinking.

Joe Mankein, Wine buyer for Spain, Argentina, Chile and Portugal.

Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus: This sour raspberry beer does not get any better – don’t hate! 

Cantillon Kriek: Sour cherry lambic beer at its finest.

2005 Lalaudey Moulis-en-Medoc: A token Bordeaux for the list.  Showing really well – plump dark fruits, balanced acidity, youthful.

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What We're Drinking

The K&L staff had fun this weekend. Here's a sampling of what they drank. How about you?

Mulan Chan-Randel, K&L Rhône and French Regional wine buyer: At my friend's house for an outdoor dinner: Grilled salmon in grape leaves, entrecote of beef, assorted grilled vegetables, artisanal cheeses, macaroons and flourless chocolate cake. We paired all that with: 2001 J.J. Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten Spätlese, 1992 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, 1981 Palmer and 1962 Palmer. I have very nice friends.

Anne Pickett, Redwood City: I had a glass of the 2008 Julian Chivite Gran Feudo Rosado from Navarra with three kinds of tapas: Garbanzos con Chorizo, papas bravas and pan con tomate. A la Furia Roja!!! Salud!!

David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits buyer: I had the 1998 Montfaucon Côte de Rhône - It was ridiculous!!! I also had the Kern River Brewing Company's "Just Outstanding" IPA.  It's so good that no one will be able to find any...

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