Can you believe it, Secret Summer came and went for its second year already?
On Sunday, August 14th, bohemian chic New Yorkers gathered at the historic Foundry in Long Island City to celebrate New York’s first and only farm-to-bar cocktail festival.
The Setup
Upon entering the main archway of the beautifully restored 19th-century “brick Xanadu,” stood New York-based duo, Coyote and Crow strumming along handmade banjos. Food trucks, Big D’s Grub Truck and Eddie’s Pizza were situated in the left corner of the courtyard dishing out ‘grinders’ and thin-crust pizzas. Across the courtyard, Van Leeuwan served free vegan ice-cream cones from their obvious yellow truck parked straight ahead. SPiN ping-pong tables were lined up along the lush-ivy wall for guests to show off their beer pong skills. Live performances from the Secret Summer Street Ballet team and six-man jazz band, Lucky Chops went down in the center of the cobblestone courtyard.
Farm-to-Bar
Five rooms of The Foundry were open to guests. Each room served signature “farm-to-bar” libations crafted with the season’s freshest ingredients from Farm.One hydroponic gardens located here in New York City – Ingredients used ranged from allspice falernum and toasted pecan saspirilla for mixing to hibiscus powder and purple ruffles basil for garnishing. Top beverage sponsors, Finlandia Vodka, Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack, Herradura Tequila and Woodford Reserve certainly added to the ultimate cocktail experience.
Check the guide below to see what you missed seeing and sipping.
Secret Summer Farm to Bar Cocktails
The Beenik
Bar 1: Main Hall, featuring body art, fine art, twin aerialists and Brooklyn-based singer, Ida Blue
Ingredients: Finlandia Vodka, Market Beetroot, House-made Allspice Falernum & Fresh Lemon. Presented with a single ‘Farm.One’ Red-Veined Sorrel
Doc Hollywood
Bar 2: Greenhouse, featuring herbs and greens from Farm.One
Butter-washed Old Forester, Toasted-pecan Sarsaparilla & Micro-bubble Soda – Topped with freshly-cut ‘Farm.One’ Amaranth. Perfect for peanut lovers!
The Shoemaker
Bar 3: Greenhouse, featuring herbs and greens from Farm.One
Ingredients: Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack Whiskey, Chambord, Mountain Huckleberry & Ginger Syrup, Fresh Lemon & Assam Black Tea – Garnished with Market Berries & ‘Farm.One’ Shiso
If you enjoy Gentleman Jack, vote for your favorite Gentleman Jack cocktail by market, in our first Craft Bartender Series sponsored by Jack Daniel’s. Visit our craft bartender series here.
Hart’s Desire
Bar 4: Albra Room, featuring two interactive photo booths from Nicky Digital (and one very cute mixologist behind the bar)
Ingredients: Herradura Silver Tequila, Market Cantaloupe, Vanilla Bean Agave, Fresh Meyer Lemon & House-made Yuzu Bitters combined – A layer of frothy Provencal Foam with Hibiscus powder dusted into ‘Aviator’ sunglasses
Churchill Downs
Bar 5: Pool Room, featuring chocolate samples from jcoco Chocolate
Ingredients: Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whisky, ‘Farm.One’ Cinnamon Basil-steeped Honey & House-made Bergamot Bitters – Folded ‘Farm.One’ Purple Ruffles Basil & Peppermint to active your senses. Enjoy with jcoco Arabica Cherry Espresso Chocolate.
Other Boozy Beverages
- Hochstadter’s Slow and Low Rock and Rye Whiskey on the rocks
- “Quintuple” Distilled Dingle Vodka, Hollows & Fentimans Gluten-Free Alcoholic Ginger Beer & Lime
- Hand-crafted Dingle Gin & Fentimans Rose Lemonade
- Tiger Beer & Rekorderlig Cider located in the courtyard
DIY? Here’s what the folks of RAPT & Highlife brought to us.
DIY Cocktail Recipes
Churchill Downs Recipe
- 1.0 oz Cinnamon/Basil Syrup
- 2.0 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
- 2 Dashes House-Infused Bergamot Bitters
- 1 Sprig Green Market Peppermint
- 1 Leaf Farm.One Purple Rufe Basil
Fill an old-fashioned with ice, add bourbon, add syrup, bitters. Stir to combine, and top with peppermint & basil.
The Beetnik
- 1.5 oz Finlandia Premium Vodka
- 1.0 oz Market Beetroot Juice
- 3/4 oz House-Infused Allspice Falernum
- 1 Leaf ‘Farm.One’ Red-Veined Sorrel
Shake all ingredients, and strain into a cocktail coupe; Garnish with Sorrel.
Now that the secret is out, be sure to hit Secret Summer next year. Word on the street is, the extravagant cocktail festival might happen in the Hamptons for all you, beach party-goers…
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