Kindred Cocktails
The Curious George at the new Tap Room in Youngsville is a fusion of classics nuanced with notes of cotton candy
Negroni Week in September is the. perfect excuse to try this twist on a classic
The enticing Enzoni cocktail, created by bartender Vincenzo Errico of Milk & Honey in New York in the early 2000s, is a modernized hybrid of a classic Negroni (gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and an orange peel) and Gin Sour (gin, lemon juice and simple syrup) elevated with muddled grapes in place of vermouth. Requests for Enzoni cocktails surge during Negroni Week (Sept. 18-24), when thousands of bars and restaurants raise money for charity by promoting Negronis with its myriad variations.
Youngsville’s new Tap Room has a signature Curious George cocktail that kicks up the Enzoni a notch by muddling juicy cotton candy grapes with a flavor that smacks of old fashioned spun sugar. Plump with a tantalizing pop, and far sweeter than other varieties, the grapes are available through September.
“The Curious George is our spin on the classic Enzoni cocktail,” says Anna Goodson Stringer of Southern Hospitality Kitchens (Charley G’s, Social Southern Table & Bar, Marcello’s, Pete’s and both Tap Room locations in Lafayette’s River Ranch and Youngsville’s Sugar Mill Pond).
“It’s a lighter and more approachable Negroni offshoot,” she adds. “The floral Bombay Sapphire gin paired with the bitter Campari is the backbone of the cocktail elevated with our fresh lemon juice that adds an acidic bite. We decided to give it a spin by muddling cotton candy grapes instead of green grapes. It’s garnished with grapes and an orange peel over a large, single cube of ice in a rocks glass.”
The latest Tap Room exudes sophistication, elevated with a sleek design and expanded menus. But it still has that same welcoming pub feel and remains a magnet for the after-work cocktail crowd and sports enthusiasts gathering for the big game.
HOME BAR | Curious George
Muddle 4-5 cotton candy grapes with ¼ ounce simple syrup and ¾ ounce lemon juice. Add 1½ ounces Bombay Sapphire gin, 1 ounce Campari and ice. Shake vigorously and double strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with 3 skewered grapes and a twist of orange.
The Tap Room
200 Prescott Blvd., Suite 101
Sugar Mill Pond
Youngsville
lataproom.com
