When the Southeast’s gastronomic glitterati gather in Greenville, S.C., for the inaugural Michelin Guide American South ceremony Monday night, they will be served a signature cocktail created by local mixologist Vegas Placas.
Before Michelin winners take the stage, they will be sipping the Forbidden Fruit Fashion, a rich cocktail featuring an award-winning bourbon that is as memorable as the honorees.
“Forbidden” refers to the base spirit, Forbidden bourbon, created by Kentucky’s first female master distiller since Prohibition, Marianne Eaves. The bourbon is small batch — so small that Eaves tastes every barrel — crafted from white winter wheat, barley and “cuisine quality” white corn grown in the South.
“The Forbidden Fruit Fashion cocktail brings out the bourbon’s most seductive side,” said Placas.
He is lead mixologist for the Loft at Soby’s New South Cuisine, the Greenville restaurant renowned for its beverage program. Earlier this year, Soby’s won Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, one of fewer than 100 restaurants in the world to earn the honor. Placas created the cocktail for Monday’s event and will be serving it at the cocktail party accompanying the ceremony.
Credit: Ariel Madison
Credit: Ariel Madison
To make the Forbidden Fruit Fashion, Placas stirs together two ounces of Forbidden bourbon with half an ounce of pomegranate syrup, made by incorporating fresh pomegranate juice into a basic simple syrup recipe (A home bartender could substitute grenadine). He adds five dashes of house-made pomegranate and blood orange bitters, stirs until chilled and strains over ice. At the ceremony, the drink will be served over a large ice cube etched with a Michelin star. Placas finishes with a fine mist of orange oil expressed over the glass and a slice of dried orange for garnish.
“The pomegranate and blood orange bitters echo the spirit’s rich, warm tones while the orange oil adds a bright and aromatic finish,” Placas said. “It’s a simple recipe with complex balance and a reminder that what’s ‘forbidden’ often turns out to be the most rewarding.”
“We are honored and excited for Forbidden bourbon to be part of the very first Michelin Guide American South celebration,” said Eaves, Forbidden’s master distiller, in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“Southern craftsmanship has always inspired me, from our cuisine to our spirits, and the Michelin Guide … recognizes the creativity and care that define this region,” she said. “To share Forbidden with the chefs and visionaries who elevate Southern flavor to a global stage is a true privilege.”
“We have advocated for Michelin to rate restaurants in the Carolinas for years, so when we learned about the American South Guide including the Carolinas, I was ecstatic and never even considered that the ceremony would be in Greenville,” said Carl Sobocinski, owner of Soby’s and restaurant group Table 301. “This is a defining moment in Greenville’s culinary journey.”
In addition to the Michelin ceremony, the Forbidden Fruit Fashion will be served at Soby’s watch party.
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