TALK DRINKS

Live. Learn. Work. Italy.

So you're interested in spirits and wine.  Have you thought about the business side of wine?  Importing? Marketing?

Alma Graduate School of Italy's University of Bologna now offers a MBA Food and Wine program.  Created by Professor Massimo Bergami, the one-year program provides students an education and experience in the food and wine business. 

To launch the program, the University of Bologna is hosting an event at Eataly's new rooftop Birreria on June 6 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.  In addition to celebrating the inaugural year of the food and wine MBA program, the University of Bologna will announce Ferrarelle's generous creation of 10 full scholarships.

To live, learn and work in Italy sounds ideal. If you would like to attend the event or receive more information, please contact Katie at [email protected]. 

 

The Spirit of Competition

Shake it. Stir it. Muddle it.  Whatever your technique for making a delicious and summer friendly drink, Partida challenges you to a cocktail competition.  Known for their award-winning 100% blue agave Tequila, Partida is hosting the Spirit Bird Challenge in Key West to find the best cocktail representing the city Ernest Hemmingway called home. Create a drink that showcases the character and spirit of Tequila Partida, and your drink could be featured on the Partida website.

If you are bartender in Southern Florida and want to stake claim as making the best Tequila-based Key West themed cocktail, please submit your specialty Partida cocktail and photo of the drink to [email protected] by June 3.  Top entries will compete in person for a variety of prizes including $500.

For more information and entry guidelines visit Partida's website at www.partidatequila.com.  There is only one more week to enter so sign up and start creating and testing your recipes now. 

 

Italian Spirit

Italy. It makes you think of wine and cheese, but never vodka.  That is about change.  Move over Russia; Italy now has a quality vodka, I Spirit, that will make you want to eat Caprese salad and bruschetta.

Created by well-known Italian families, Arrigo Cipriani of Harry’s Bar fame, Lapo Elkann and Marco Fantinel, I Spirit is produced in Italy using only Italian products.  You don't get much more Italian than that.  A taste of la dolce vita in each sip.

Drink a traditional martini in honor of I Spirit's U.S. Brand Ambassador, Cesare Martini.  That's right, Martini as in the drink and Martini and Rossi. 

Whether served chilled, with tonic and a lime or in a more elaborate cocktail, I Spirit truly makes a delicious drink. 

The Signature I Spirit Martini by Cesare Martini

 4/5 I Spirit Vodka

1/5 Dry Martini Vermouth

 Fill a shaker with ice

Add a drop of Martini Dry Vermouth and shake to “martinizzare” the shaker, pour out

Add new ice to your shaker

Pour ingredients and shake

Drop in a 2 drops of olive juice (preferably from Taggiasche olives)

Strain into a chilled ‘Coupette’ martini glass, garnish with 3 green olives

Vodka Collins

 4/5 I Spirit Vodka

1/5 lemon juice

½ sugar teaspoon

Add carbonated water, slices of orange and lemon and a black cherry

Mix and enjoy!