The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2011

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WHAT WE'RE DRINKING Allison Anderson of Frasca Food and Wine. Scene Two: Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO I f Brooklyn has usurped Manhattan for cool, then Boulder has assumed a corresponding reputation as Colorado's food and drink mecca, smaller but some say bolder than bigger Denver nearby. One stand-out gourmet center is Frasca Food and Wine, a neighborhood eatery inspired by the culinary and gastronomic traditions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. This sub-alpine region of Italy supports a rustic, yet sophisticated culinary culture of farm fresh ingredients as well as a corresponding roster of indigenous wine and spirits. "We may offer a bite of stuzzichini, salumi or fritti with a glass of Prosecco, then move into an antipasto of frico croccante [a crispy cheese basket with aged cow's milk]," explains Allison Anderson, Bar Manager and Director of Distillates. "As we move through the courses, we like to end up with an espresso and then a digestive. I can't think of a better one than Montenegro Amaro." Introducing customers to an Italian way of life is the hands-on philosophy of Frasca co-owners Bobby Stuckey and Chef Laclan Mackinnon-Patterson. "Frasca is one of those high-profile restaurants that is so revered here, it is surrounded in an air of mystery . . . it's magical," insists Anderson. In Boulder, that magic is a brick-and-mortar translation of the Italian concept of the frasca: a friendly and informal local gathering place. "We are a portal into another world where authentic cuisine, fine spirits and wine are symbolic of a way of life." —Meridith May 80 / the tasting panel / december 201 1 ■ ■ ■ ½ oz. Montenegro Amaro ½ oz. Campari 1 oz. Carpano Punt e Mes (Italian vermouth) ■ 1 oz. Death's Door Gin "This drink is subtle and elegant," says Anderson. "For those who find the Negroni on the bitter side, Montenegro actually softens the bite. It's the ultimate amaro." BARTENDER'S NEGRONI created by Allison Anderson for Frasca PHOTO: KEVIN MOLONEY PHOTO: KEVIN MOLONEY

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