What cocktail might suit the mood of The Beatles break up? Or when the Rat Pack took over the Golden Globes stage? What would you drink in the face of Nazi leaders who tried prohibiting jazz in Germany? The Piano Man Jazz Club offers an opportunity to sip and mull on moments from the past as Binge presents ‘Cocktail Headliners’. The limited-edition menu will run until March 3, 2017.
Order from a menu celebrating ‘headlines’ related to different eras and newsworthy happenings in music. The event title is a play on (news) Headlines and (musical) Headliners.
One of the most iconic bands in history, The Beatles, come alive in ‘The Peacemaker’ with cognac, crème de cacao, fresh cream, nutmeg, and chocolate that takes you back to 1969 and the historic moment when John Lennon and Yoko Ono protested against the Vietnam War with a ‘Bed-In For Peace’. It is a version of A Brandy Alexander, Lennon’s favourite drink, with an added chocolate topping (Ono didn’t initially like chocolate but Lennon loved it; she tried it after he passed away and ended up liking it). The smooth, honeyed texture of this drink represents their coming together, especially for the protest ‘Bed-In For Peace’ during their honeymoon in Amsterdam. Similarly, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, a regular margarita with strawberry flavouring and fresh strawberries is an ode to their famous song.
There are drinks inspired by The Rat Pack seizing the Beverly Hilton stage and take over the Golden Globes show in 1958 (Frankly, My Dear, a smoked whiskey cocktail), and Amy Winehouse’s Grammy win in 2007 (The Bramble: gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, crème de mure, with blackberries to garnish).
‘The Art of Sedition’, which is a take on the classic German cocktail, Cold Gold, is a throwback to 1938 when Nazi party leaders prohibited swing and jazz in Germany but were eventually outsmarted by German citizens. ‘The Freedom Potion’ mixes vodka, crushed ice, lime, brown sugar, honey, ‘dawa stick’ in memory of Congo Square being established by the New Orleans City Council as an official site for slave dance and music in 1817.
An elaborate menu of ten cocktails takes you through a carefully researched journey of historic and significant moments in music across time. The Cocktail Headliners will be available both at The Piano Man Jazz Club and Dirty Apron located on the floor above.