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Cocktails Anyone? Here’s What Guests Sipped at Foobooz La Fête

Philadelphia magazine threw a big two-night party at the Mann Music Center, and some of the top chefs in the city tagged along too. Foobooz La Fête was a celebration under the stars of all things food and drink in Philadelphia.

Over the course of two nights, May 9th and May 10th, there were hors d’oeuvres and five courses specially prepared by chefs like Omar Tate from Honeysuckle Provisions, Randy Rucker from River Twice, Chutatip Suntaranon from Kalaya and the folks from Middle Child, all paired with cocktails from Bacardi designed to complement guests’ food. 

Here’s a breakdown of each pairing and a recap of two wonderful nights.

Night 1

Welcome Drinks

St-Germain Spritz

St-Germain, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water

The St-Germain Spritz is a prosecco-based drink with St-Germain’s Elderflower liqueur, Martini & Rossi Prosecco and soda water that welcomed guests into the Mann Music Center. 

Fiero & Tonic

Martini & Rossi Fiero, Tonic

The Fiero & Tonic is a bright and juicy vermouth that’s been infused with Murcian sweet orange and mixed with tonic water for a low ABV cocktail. 

Main Drinks/Pairings

Seawater Margarita

Cazadores Blanco Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Lime Juice, Celery, Agave 

Middle Child Clubhouse emphasized attention to detail with the cocktail it paired with its peel & eat shrimp with long hot salsa verde and broccoli rabe kimchi cocktail sauce. 

The Seawater Margarita is a grapefruit cocktail diluted with a savory layer of kombu broth with a touch of umami and salt to top things off. 

Jamu 

Bombay Sapphire Gin, Turmeric, Ginger, Carrot, Coconut Water

For something a little different, Hardena matched its beef rendang croquettes with a gin-based cocktail that includes ginger, carrot, turmeric and coconut water.

Samson Street Shuffle

Bacardi Superior Rum, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Sansom Shuffle Syrup Olio

Think of the Sansom Street Shuffle as the Daiquiri’s cousin — the drink you know and love with added ingredients like pineapple juice and pineapple skin syrup to add an umami kick. The drink worked well with samplings from Wilder: King Crab, asparagus, gribiche and sunflower seeds.

I’ve Got a Lion in my Pocket 

Bacardi Superior Rum, Vermouth, Pineapple Shrub, Lime Juice, Citrus & Melon Green Tea

Okay, so guests didn’t actually have a lion in their pocket, but they did have grilled agrodolce chicken wings from Irwin’s on their plate and Bacardi Superior Rum, Vermouth and sweet fruit flavors meshing with melon green tea in their glass.

Savoie

Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass, Martini & Rossi Fiero, Orange Juice, Passionfruit Puree, Lemon Juice

The Savoie pairs Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass with orange-tinged Martini Fiero to create tropical notes that complemented Honeysuckle Provisions’ barbecued lamb with benne seed gold sauce and grilled vegetables.

Dessert Drinks

Espresso Martini

Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Càphê Roasters Espresso

You’ve probably ordered an espresso martini at a bar yourself this past year — they’re absolutely everywhere. So of course they were on the menu for La Fête as a dessert cocktail, using Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, and espresso from Philly’s own Càphê Roasters.

Night 2

Welcome Drinks

St-Germain Spritz

St- Germain, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water

Fiero & Tonic

Martini & Rossi Fiero, Tonic

Main Drinks/Pairings

Watermelon Margarita

Grey Goose Essences Watermelon & Basil, Cazadores Blanco, Agave, Lime, Tajin

This version complemented Kalaya’s Khao Yum rice salad with assorted vegetables and fermented fish sauce, as Grey Goose Essences Watermelon & Basil and Cazadores Blanco created an exciting riff on the classic drink. 

Homecoming

Bacardi, Mango, Cold Brew, Sherry, Lime

This cocktail originates from the bar program at Nomad NYC — it’s a bold tropical drink that pairs Bacardi and mango with Cold Brew coffee that worked alongside Càphê Roasters’ Bánh Tráng Trộn, a Viatnamese dried rice paper salad with quail eggs, tropical fruit, dried shrimp, toasted peanuts and shredded beef jerky marinated in their signature Vietnamese Espresso.

Essences Spritz

Grey Goose Essences Peach & Rosemary, Martini & Rossi Prosecco, Soda Water

This spritz, using Grey Goose Essences Peach & Rosemary and Martini & Rossi Prosecco had guests dreaming of summer. It was paired with River Twice’s roasted hamachi collar with horseradish furikake, spring peas & mint.

Two in the Bush 

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, Lemon Juice, Blackberries, Sage

Whiskey is never a bad idea, especially when it’s mixed with lemon juice and blackberries. It was paired with sweet potato tostones from Rex at the Royal for an ideal 1-2 punch. 

Rum Punch

Jamaican Rum, Bacardi Coconut, Bacardi Black, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Lime Juice, Hibiscus Tea

This rum punch uses Jamaican rum, Bacardi Coconut, Bacardi Black along with lime and orange juice and hibiscus tea, and created a refreshing and potent libation that was a perfect fit for Hummingbird Island’s Jamaican prawn salad with scotch bonnet peppers and papaya.

Dessert Drinks

Espresso Martini

Grey Goose Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Càphê Roasters Espresso