Photo courtesy The Kitchn.Drink of the Week: Sloe gin fizz
Where: Bar Charley, Petworth Citizen
There’s something retro about drinking a cocktail made with egg whites. Before people knew what salmonella was, throwing some raw egg in your drink was no big deal. After taking a spin in a cocktail shaker, the egg white magically separates into a boozy cloud atop the glass. Now there’s a Starbucks on every corner to serve you espresso with foamed milk, but a sloe gin fizz is a decidedly more adult way to enjoy the textural contrast between liquid and airy semi-solid. This frothy pink cocktail classic is making a come back, and you can snag an ethereal glass at some of D.C.’s buzziest new bars.
But first, let’s talk sloe gin. It’s a British concoction of sloe berries (a member of the plum family) that are soaked in gin and a bit of sugar. The drink was typically made at home as a means to use up the insufferably sour fruits, which grow wild in the United Kingdom. Up until a few years ago, it was difficult to get authentic sloe gin in the U.S., leaving us with gin laced with corn syrup and red dye number five. These days, the Plymouth gin company distills the real deal, a deep claret liqueur with a tangy, plum-y flavor.
The recently opened Bar Charley (1825 18th St NW) and brand-spanking new Petworth Citizen (829 Upshur Street NW) are classy neighborhood spots to sip on a sloe gin fizz in some gorgeous surroundings. (Both bars also feature some reasonably-priced craft cocktails and excellent food offerings, but that’s the subject of a future post.) The addition of fresh lemon juice, club soda, and egg white give this drink an eye-opening pucker and sprightly texture on the tongue. It’s a citrusy, bubbly way to toast the last warm days of September.
Small Bites
Say goodbye to Azur
With so many recent restaurant openings, it’s not surprising that some will be more successful than others. Azur, the Penn Quarter restaurant occupying the old Cafe Atlantico/America Eats Tavern space, will shutter after less than six months. Chef and owner Frederick de Pue plans to reopen a market/restaurant hybrid in its place. De Pue, who also owns the critically acclaimed Table in Shaw, will be naming the new restaurant Menu.
More free movies at the market
Union Market (1309 5th Street NE) is bringing back their popular summer drive-in movie series in October. Movies will be shown on Fridays after dark, and there will be plenty of room to picnic for folks arriving on foot or bike as well. Gates open (along 6th St NE) at 6 p.m. and the movies begin at 8 p.m. The Roadie shuttle will offer free rides to the NoMa metro after the movie ends. See below for the schedule:
October 4: Caddy Shack
October 11: Julie and Julia
October 18: Good Will Hunting
November 1: Evan Almighty
November 8: People’s Choice (by vote via social media)
It’s a sausage party
Stop by 1905 (1905 9th Street NW) this Saturday to get an early jump on Oktoberfest at their Brats and Brews party. From 1-5 p.m. the restaurant will be dishing out a selection of local beers and sausages at stations in the dining room and on the roof deck. A $30 ticket gets you five beer pours and five sausages.
