Monday, September 15 10:20AM—11:30AM

Gin...The Other White Meat Mixology Workshop

Biography

In late August of 2005, Audrey Saunders opened the Pegu Club in New York City’s Soho. Her intention: to resurrect the Old World cocktail culture of the original Pegu Club – a British officers’ establishment in Rangoon, Burma – through thoughtful preparation and respectful methodology. Today Saunders’ reverence for classic mixology, her perfectionism (re-mixing new recipes 50-60 times during the creation process), and her chic home of cocktail culture has made her a hero to bartenders everywhere, and one of the leaders in modern mixology.

Saunders began her bartending career at the Brooklyn Heights Waterfront Ale House in 1996. While there, she took a one-night seminar with the legendary Dale DeGroff at New York University; Saunders was so enthralled by his presentation that she approached DeGroff, offering to work for free in exchange for further training. By 1997, she was partnering with DeGroff for special events for The Rainbow Room, and in 1999was working with him at Blackbird. Following the closing of Blackbird, she became bar manager at Chef Waldy Malouf’s Beacon Restaurant, later serving as beverage director of The Tonic with Chef Joe Fortunato. In December 2001, Audrey joined The Carlyle as beverage director for the reopening of the hotel’s legendary Bemelmans Bar, which Forbes magazine has since voted one of the top 20 bars in the world.

Saunders has appeared on American and British television and radio and has been written about internationally in The New York Times, The Times (London), The Financial Times, BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Wine & Spirits, and Saveur. Recent awards and recognitions include Time Out New York “Best Bar in 2006,” Esquire magazine’s “Best NY Bar 2006,” Wine & Spirits “Professional of the Year” in 2007, Bon Appetit magazine’s “Best Bartender,” and “World’s Best Cocktail Bar” from Tales of the Cocktail in 2007, “Top 10 Bartenders” in 2007 by Playboy magazine, and “Best Bar 2008” from Cheers Benchmark Awards. Saunders is also a member of the advisory panel of The Museum of the American Cocktail. Saunders is the beverage chair for NYC chapter of City-Meals-On-Wheels, as well as Share Our Strength/Taste of the Nation charities

Recipe

The "Gin-Gin" Mule
Mixologist Audrey Saunders of The Pegu Club - New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 1 Serving

Ingredients

Ginger Beer:
•1 cup water
•2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
•½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
•1 teaspoon LIGHT brown sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
•¾ ounce Fresh Lime Juice
•1 ounce simple syrup (1-1 sugar to water)
•2 mint sprigs (1 for muddling; 1 for garnish)
•1 ¾ ounce Tanqueray gin1 oz
•Homemade Ginger Beer (from above)

Method

Ginger Beer:
Boil water. Remove from heat. Add ginger and lime juice. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Add sugar, stir, and strain through a fine mesh sieve, pushing down on ginger solids to express ginger extract. Bottle and refrigerate.

To Assemble and Serve:
Measure lime juice, simple syrup, and mint into a cocktail shaker. Muddle well. Add gin, ginger beer, and ice. Shake well, and strain into a highball glass.