proof whisky, when life gives you lemons, Vol. 144

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We would first like to apologize for our laziness these past few months. We promise to get back to our regular Thursday posts, starting today. Summer officially begins this coming Saturday, and there are lots of exciting things coming up with proof, so let’s make a toast to summer. Stay tuned for many more cocktails every Thursday. For more information on proof brands visit www.proofbrands.com

Pier 5 Single 1 ½ oz proof whisky • 6 torn mint leaves • 5 oz fresh lemonade* • 1 inch piece of peeled English cucumber. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

In a cocktail shaker, add 1 ½ oz proof whisky, 6 torn mint leaves and  the 1 inch piece of peeled English cucumber.  Muddle.  Add ice and 5 oz fresh lemonade *. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Pier 5 Pitcher 1 - 500ml bottle of proof whisky • 1/2 cup torn up mint leaves • 60 oz of lemonade* and an English cucumber that has been peeled, then liquefied in a blender.  Fill the pitcher with ice, add all ingredients, stir and let flavours blend for 30   minutes. *

*fresh lemonade 1 ½ cups sugar • 1 ½ cups boiling water (for the simple syrup) • 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice (8-10 lemons) • 6 cups cold water (to dilute)

Combine boiling water and sugar and stir until all sugar is dissolved.  Let cool completely in refrigerator (this can be made the day ahead) Squeeze/juice 8-10 lemons . Add sugar syrup, lemon juice and cold water

Last Sunday when we were in NYC, we decided to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge to visit Smorgasburg on Pier 5. It is here that we were inspired to make this cocktail. (http://www.smorgasburg.com)

Not only did we try some delicious foods, we totally lucked out and got the chance to

See Mario Batali, who was judging the ‘Red’ competition. (see link)

Smorgasburg happens every Sunday in Brooklyn Bridge Park at Pier 5 on the waterfront, featuring packaged and prepared foods, purveyors from New York City and across the region, and other food-related vendors (kitchen utensils, housewares, etc.), for a total of 100 vendors.

 

NYC isn’t the only place hosting cool local events. This weekend, if you are in town, celebrate the first day of summer at Leslieville’s Lemonfest.

Construction is almost finished at Queen & Leslie and the intersection is on-schedule to open in the early hours of June 22.The Leslieville BIA has done a tremendous job of working with the TTC and City to help reduce the impact of the construction on our wonderful local businesses, and of course the Leslieville community showed tons of support for local businesses during construction.

On Saturday June 21 Leslieville is celebrating LemonFest. Businesses will literally be making lemonade, with proceeds going to the Red Door Shelter. Queen from Booth to Vancouver will come alive with sidewalk sales, music, and activities for all ages.

The Leslieville Tree Festival is a wonderful family event that gives neighbours a chance to check out eco-vendors and enjoy great performances by local rock band Afterthought, Eastview Children's dancers, and Robert Priest. Local food vendors will be there all afternoon, including The Real Jerk, Leslieville Cheese Market, and Rowe Farms, and there will be activities for children of all ages.

Weekend Weather:

Saturday: Sunshine and 22 degrees

Sunday: Sunshine and 23 degrees

proof vodka, Midcentury & Still Modern, Vol. 143

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Calling all Joans, Peggies and Don Drapers! On Friday, March 28, the Gardiner Museum hosts the Mod Mad Party, a bash inspired by the style, culture and influence of the ‘60s, and we will be there serving cocktails. 
For more information on proof brands visit www.proofbrands.com

 the ron thom 1 ½ oz proof vodka •  3 oz Ceres Pomegranate Lime juice • lime soda water • fresh raspberries • mint bitters

Mix proof vodka and Ceres pomegranate and lime in a ice-filled glass. Top with lime soda water and a splash of mint bitters

the urban 1 ½ oz proof whisky • 4 oz Ceres pear juice • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pour 1 1/2 oz of proof whisky, 4oz pear juice & 1 tsp lemon juice in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a glass filled with ice.

 

Mod Mad Party Come dressed in your best Mad Men-esque attire of fedoras, skinny ties, tailored suits and cocktail dresses for a night of dance, drinks and fun!

The Gardiner’s exquisite Terrace Room overlooking Queen’s Park will be transformed into a mid-century modern space, complete with vintage furniture and décor, courtesy of Toronto’s Leslieville Flea.

Design and décor by the Leslieville Flea, a market with over 50 vendors specializing in vintage and retro clothes and furniture, home décor and collectibles • Music by DJ John Kong, founder of record label Do Right! Music (www.dorightmusic.com) • A complimentary urban sour cocktail by proof whisky (proofbrands.com) • Full cash bar and food stations by à la Carte at the Gardiner • Admission to the acclaimed Ron Thom and the Allied Arts exhibition. (www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/exhibition/ron-thom)

For inspiration on vintage looks, hair and make-up, check out Toronto Vintage Society, who are styling the Gardiner Museum staff for the event! (http://torontovintagesociety.com)

Celebrating its 30^th Year, the Gardiner Museum is Canada’s national ceramics museum, and one of the world’s great specialty museums. They are committed to making a contribution to the medium they celebrate, as well as the community they serve.

“We strive to be an inviting destination that inspires and connects people, art and ideas through clay.”

 Ron Thom was one of Canada's greatest architects, with enduring testaments to his genius, such as Massey College and Trent University, still among the country's most admired buildings. But Ron Thom, like Frank Lloyd Wright and other architects of his generation, believed in creating not just a building for a client, but a whole world - from the landscaping to the interiors and the furniture to the ceramics.

This exhibition explores Ron Thom's brilliant architecture in the context of his total aesthetic. Ron Thom and the Allied Arts is a travelling exhibition organized by the West Vancouver Museum in collaboration with Trent University and Massey College.

 “Few architects have helped shape Canadian architecture as poetically as Ron Thom. From his early days as a west coast artist to his crowning achievements designing Massey College and Trent University, Ron Thom devoted himself to a profoundly holistic approach, wherein the fields of architecture, ceramics, visual arts, furniture and landscape formed a continuum. He was a fan of the Mingei folk craft movement, wherein potters and other artisans opting out of the industrial age found a higher beauty in the hand-made.

 Of this architect’s long and illustrious career, Ron Thom and the Allied Arts celebrates the most creatively fertile period, 1947 – 1972, with a focus on five west coast houses, Massey College, Trent University, and the ceramic and other arts that inform them. On display will be a selection of Ron Thom’s original paintings, prototypes for furniture and fittings, architectural drawings and sketches, archival and architectural photography, the original hand-rendered 1960 Massey College presentation boards, and the ceramics he commissioned as an integral component of it all. ”
– Adele Weder, Curator

And don’t forget to watch Mad Men Season 7, beginning Sunday, April 13^th. Here is a little inspiration for your ensemble. (www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men)