Candy and Cocktails, courtesy of A Razor, A Shiny Knife

Saturday was another A Razor, A Shiny Knife event, this one held at Botanica in Red Hook. This was my first real exposure to Red Hook proper, and I have to admit, if I didn't have to commute into Manhattan for work every day, I would totally live there. It's a great neighborhood, with a lot of really undervalued real estate and some lovely waterfront lofts. Unfortunately there's no subway access at all, which is why it's so cheap.

Botanica is a great little place, specializing in artisanal cocktails, and the open-air front wall was a perfect setting for Saturday's sunny 80-degree temps. Michael and fellow Razor guys were in the back all day, preparing dinner in addition to bar nibbles; my friend Tameka and I arrived early to partake of the many delicious cocktails and snacks--the most memorable of which were a violet liqueur and Grey Goose martini (a lovely lavendar color) and pork belly tater tots with a chili dipping sauce.

The event menu (below) was six courses of variations on sweet ingredients, with a savory course to start, paired with cocktails from various guest bartenders.

-Creamy Polenta with Mascarpone, Sauteed Morels, Veal Demi-Glace and Thyme
-Green Tea Ice Cream and Maple Syrup Cookie Sandwich, Shaved Almonds, Steelhead Trout Roe paired with a Smoked Palomino from Death and Co.
-Compressed Tuscan Cantaloupe and Galia Melon Wrapped in Smoked Apple Leather, Apple Cake Topped with Melon Linguine, Smoked Honey and Fennel Fronds, paired with a Melon and Smoked Honey Bellini from The Whisk and Ladle
-Sage Panna Cotta in a Yoghurt Soup with a Soft Raspberry Sauce and Crisp Sage, paired with a Botanica from the venue
-Foie Gras with a Port Wine Gelee, Fresh Cape Gooseberries, Compressed Gooseberries, Serrano Peppers, Baby Lettuce with a Vanilla Viniagrette, paired with a Duck Blind from Dram
-Pretzel Ice Cream Tartufo with Fine and Raw Chocolate Shell, Pretzel Praline, Caramel, Espresso Tapioca, Raw Cacao and Sea Salt, with a Ferrettini from Botanica
-Sliced Manchego with Brioche, Mulled Sauterne, Rehydrated Strawberries, Sauterne Jelly, Fresh Strawberries with Manchego Brulee, and Tarragon, paired with a Strawberry Negroni

My sweet tooth has been disappearing rapidly as I age, so I was a bit skeptical; and sure enough, by the end, I was tired of sugar. However, the meal as a whole wasn't nearly as sweet as the menu would have you believe; there were plenty of savory elements, and I suspect the volume of fruity cocktails is what sent most people's sweet tooths over the edge. Nevertheless, it was a great way to spend a sunny, warm Saturday, and I really liked the bar. I'm going to have to go back there.