When the James Beard Foundation, the food world's equivalent of Carnegie Hall and the Smithsonian rolled into one, invites you to present your vodkas at a tasting dinner, you know you're legit! On September 24, Modern Spirits and Larry Nicola of Nic's Beverly Hills will team up for -- what we reckon to be -- the first ever vodka pairing dinner at the Beard House in Manhattan. Those of you who can join us, start making your reservations now -- seating is limited. For West Coasters, we'll preview the entire dinner at Nic's on Monday, July 23. See below for the recipe to one of chef Nicola's courses.

July Events

Daily
Pairing Dinner at
The Raymond (Pasadena)

Sat.  July 14  |  2-6 pm

Vodka Sampling at Liquor Loft (New Hartford, NY)

Wed.  July 18  |  3:30 -6:30 pm

Vodka Sampling at Morrell

(New York City)

Mon.  July 23  |  7 pm

Vodka Pairing Dinner at Nic's (Beverly Hills)

Notes

Vodka at the James Beard House? Gasp!

Gourmet diners might raise their eyebrows at a meal paired solely with vodka -- including those who dine regularly at the James Beard House.

But times are changing and food with it. Small plate dining and the increased use of bold, rich flavors from around the world are re-shaping American cuisine.

And now there's room for more than wine on the white tablecloth. That's why the House invited us to showcase our vodkas there.

Part of the mission of the James Beard Foundation is nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity.  If we succeed at making our style of vodkas (and other spirits) acceptable at dinner -- even occasionally -- we've hit the mark and contributed to our collective culinary  tradition.

DIY Pairing | Burrata + Pear Lavender Vodka
Larry Nicola, Chef & Owner | Nic's (Beverly Hills, Calif.)

"The pear and lavender vodka awakens your taste buds to sweet and sensual. The salad, with the Asian pears and oranges brings the vodka alive while the dandelion greens, burrata and pistachio bring it back with earthy and creamy."

DISH

1 bunch dandelion greens, washed

   dried and chopped.
2 oranges, segmented
1 Asian pear, thinly sliced
Handful of toasted pistachios, chopped.
4 thick slices of burrata cheese

APRICOT DRESSING

2 tbsp apricot preserves
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Whisk apricot preserves in a bowl to lighten. Add rice vinegar and continue to whisk. Add olive oil in thin stream. Continue to whisk to emulsify. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Lightly dress dandelion greens with a bit of dressing. Divide greens among four plates. Compose with 5 segments of oranges, and 4 slices of Asian pear. Place burrata in middle of salad. Drizzle additional dressing and Garnish with toasted pistachios.

DIY Cocktail | Lambretta Rosa
Andrew Salazar, Mixologist  |  Tra Vigne Restaurant (St. Helena, Calif.)

Note: In the right hands, a cocktail can be a powerful force. Andrew Salazar's Lambretta Rosa inspired Arthur G., a Bostonian who had tried (and loved) it in Napa Valley, to convince us, our distributor and two retailers to accelerate the launch of Modern Spirits in nearby RI so he could share the cocktail with his friends at a 4th of July gathering.

Bravo Andrew and thank you Arthur!