Events Calendar
|
Latest Issue
|
Membership
|
Log In Sign Up
  • Play

    Play

    • A Beginner’s Guide to Soccer
    • You Spin Me Right Round: D.C. Roller Skating 101 in 2021
    • Leading the League: The WNBA’s Natasha Cloud on Breaking Barriers + Inspiring D.C.
    • Spring Has Sprung: 10 Ways To Get Outside in the DMV
    • Play Week Combines Games + Social Impact
    • High and Go Seek Illustration
    • O Captain, My Captain: Washington Spirit’s Andi Sullivan
  • Life

    Life

    • Local Entrepreneurs Infuse CBD into Wellness
    • 19 Entrepreneurs Shaping D.C.’s Cannabis + CBD Industries
    • Upcycling in D.C.: Transforming a Culture of Consumption
    • The Green Issue: Experts + Advocates Make Case for Cannabis Legalization + Decriminalization
    • The District Derp Story
    • Grassfed Media Champions Cannabis Clients
    • Nat Geo Explorer Gabrielle Corradino on Plankton, the Anacostia + Conservation
  • Eat

    Eat

    • The State of Takeout in the District
    • A New Twist on Food Delivery: MisenBox
    • Next-Level Home Dining Experiences in D.C.
    • Foxtrot Market Is Officially Open for Business in Georgetown
    • Food Rescue + Assistance Programs Fill the Gaps in a Pandemic Food System
    • Hungry Harvest Helps to End Food Insecurity
    • Notable Summer Bar + Restaurant Reopenings to Try this Spring
  • Drink

    Drink

    • Pandemic Drinking: Derek Brown Leads the Way to Low-ABV Future
    • D.C.’s St. Vincent Wine Creates Covid-Conscious Experience
    • A New Way to Binge: Sobriety Anchors Business + Being for Gigi Arandid
    • King’s Ransom + The Handover in Alexandria Celebrate a First Year Like No Other
    • Wines of the World Are Just Around the Corner
    • Open-Air Drinking + Cocktail Delivery Changes in the DMV
    • Denizens Brewing Co.’s Emily Bruno: Brewing Change for Community + Industry
  • Culture

    Culture

    • The Artistry Behind D.C.’s Cannabis Culture
    • The Best Movies of 2021…So Far
    • The Survival of the Brutalist: D.C.’s Complicated Concrete Legacy
    • Plain Sight: A Street-Front Revolution in Radical Arts Accessibility
    • A Touch of Danger in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s “Romeo & Juliet”
    • Artgence + Homme: Where There’s Art, There’s a Story to Share
    • 21 D.C. Makers + Curators to Follow
  • Music

    Music

    • Emma G Talks Wammie Nominations and the D.C. Music Community
    • J’Nai Bridges: A Modern Mezzo-Soprano in a Changing Opera Landscape
    • Punk Legends The Go-Go’s Talk Four Decades of Sisterhood, Resilience + Zero Fucks Given
    • Ellen Reid “Soundwalk:” Exploring the Sonic Landscape at Wolf Trap
    • SHAED Releases First Full-Length Album in a “High Dive” of Faith
    • Obama + Springsteen Present “Renegades”
    • Christian Douglas Uses His “Inside Voice” on Pandemic-Inspired Debut Album
  • Events

    Events

    • Play Week 4.17-4.25
    • Midnight at The Never Get 4.30-6.21
    • Cannabis City Panel Presented by BĀkT DC + District Fray
    • Browse Events
    • DC Polo Society Summer Sundays 5.9
    • National Cannabis Festival’s Dazed & Amused Drive-In Party
    • Vinyl + Vinyasa 4.30
  • Log In
    Sign Up

Log In Sign Up
True Luxury: Afternoon Tea in D.C.
The Kennedy Center’s RiverRun Festival Inspires Aliveness
“Angels in America” Flies Into Arena Stage
Global Appetite: Chinatown
STABLE Arts Shakes Up the D.C. Arts Scene
Shout, Sister, Shout!
Ford’s Theatre Celebrates Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Home » Articles » Eat » Jessica Weinstein Paves the Way for Funky Cocktails

Eat

Photo: Rey Lopez

Jessica Weinstein Paves the Way for Funky Cocktails

Share:

June 3, 2017 @ 12:00am | Jake Emen

I’m looking through a menu and deciding if I want something with eggplant and garlic, or perhaps ramps and scallions. Maybe something with yogurt? Or something more savory with saffron and bouillabaisse? Only I’m not browsing the seasonal food menu at your favorite tapas joint in town. I’m looking at the latest cocktail concoctions from head bartender Jessica Weinstein at Hank’s Cocktail Bar in Petworth.

“I had this idea to do this ‘food production’ thing,” explains Weinstein of her new menu, set to be unveiled on June 20.

It’s more comprehensive book than small menu though, offering sections such as “food production 101” and “market fresh” to go along with the classic cocktail riffs she calls “not so classics.” As for the funky food ingredients, she thinks about what’s fresh, and she takes full advantage of the knowledge – and the produce – she can find in the kitchen.

“A lot of it is communication with Chef [Jamie Leeds],” says Weinstein. “We start figuring out the technique side from the kitchen.”

Plus, with a culinary background of her own, she also has the wherewithal to grab a handful of this or that and just make something happen based on a sauce, flavor profile or concept.

“I love to be able to go into the walkout [kitchen] and just steal everything,” Weinstein says with a laugh.

More specifically though, she looks into seasonal produce that’s available, and sees what she can get her hands on and what types of flavors could potentially play nicely with others.

“I read The Flavor Bible a lot,” she says. “It’s my favorite thing to ruminate on.”

The drink that started it all for her new menu was the Club Med, made with saffron-infused Avion tequila, coconut water, lemon, burnt sugar, Amaro Nonino and Pernod Pastis.

“That’s when I realized ‘food production 101’ had to happen, [and] I fell in love with the idea. It also felt like a fun way to interact with the back of the house, too.”

Soon there were sweet peas in the Shelling Peas is Torture, in reference to the tedious task of shelling peas that those in the kitchen know all too well, while eggplant and garlic get put to use alongside El Silencio

Mezcal in the Pass Me the Deadly Nightshade. The deviously green Scallion Stallion showcases Ilegal Mezcal handcrafted liquor, with an assortment of fresh greenery, from ramps to green onions to cilantro.

As Weinstein talks about her latest concoctions, inspirations and experiments, there’s a real giddiness and excitement behind it all. You can see the cocktail nerd wheels turning as new ideas and riffs continue to pop up – and don’t worry, that’s not only a compliment, they’re her words, not mine.

“It’s fun to come here and do some nerd stuff,” she says.

The smaller space and reduced chaos at Hank’s Cocktail Bar in Petworth affords her that opportunity, whereas the busy scene at Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont was often more about meeting the demands of a
high-volume, high-pace atmosphere.

Here though, as she’s talking through her drinks, she may decide one needs extra depth and so she reaches for some sherry, while another might need a touch of salt to take it to the next level, or an aromatic drop of oil delicately placed onto its surface as a finishing touch. She’s dedicated to nailing those little details, always progressing, and continuing to move her menu forward rather than letting it get stagnant.

Perhaps the showstopper of the new menu though is the Bearnaise, served in a honey bear container.

“[It’s] the favorite nerd moment in my career,” she says.

The drink is made with Absolut Elyx vodka, orange juice, Greek yogurt, honey, tarragon and Peychaud’s, and is a deceptively creamy, sweet and refreshing choice for this time of year.

It’s fun and it’s eye-catching, but as with all the new drinks she’s creating, it’s not simply about showmanship, or wackiness purely for the sake of it. The drinks have to stand up on their own accord.

“That’s where I feel like a lot of bar managers mess up,” she says, as they pursue whatever wacky ideas they’ve dreamt up without considering if people will actually enjoy the drinks, which is the point, after all.

Of course, some creative pizzazz and flair never hurt.

“I want people to look at my drinks and know they’re mine. But there’s serious flavors there, too.”

Hank’s Cocktail Bar: 819 Upshur St. NW, DC; www.hankscocktailbar.com


Funky Ingredients & Where to Find Them

Dram & Grain
Alligator meat: The Gator Wrestlin’ & Paddle-Backs cocktail has Chartreuse infused with alligator butter. 2007 18th St. NW, DC; www.FB.com/DramandGrain/

Espita Mezcaleria
Chapulines (grasshoppers): The Five Suns cocktail has a line of crushed chapulines resting atop the drink. 1250 9th St. NW, DC; www.espitadc.com

Hank’s Cocktail Bar
Garlic, eggplant, saffron, peas, ramps: Jessica Weinstein is relishing the opportunity to unleash her cocktail nerd with the entire new cocktail menu at Hank’s, including the Bearnaise, served in a honey bear container. 819 Upshur St. NW, DC; www.hankscocktailbar.com

Share:

Related Articles

No Articles

DISTRICT FRAY MEMBERSHIPS

District Fray members receive unlimited access to our digital content, including new articles published daily. We also have membership options available for locals interested in our print magazine, member events, or first-access tickets and giveaways.

Join Today
COMPANY
About United Fray Team Hiring: Join Our Team!
GET INVOLVED
Become A Member 2023 Media Kit 2023 Editorial Calendar Corporate Wellness Contact: Media Pitches + Advertising Inquiries
EXPLORE
Eat Drink Music Culture Life Play Events Calendar
OUR CITIES
Washington D.C. Jacksonville Phoenix
Subscribe

By clicking submit, you agree to receive emails from District Fray and accept our web terms of use and privacy and cookie policy.

© 2023 District Fray.