Exquisite drinks, delicious food AND a wonderful cause?
These are a few of our favorite things.
In honor of the Sunday Supper at Union Market in Washington, D.C. on May 7, Mountain Valley Spring Water has partnered with the brilliant mixology minds of Serenata to create a mocktail that smacks of spring.
Serenata isn’t your everyday cocktail bar. The D.C. establishment offers “a full-service Latino cocktail experience crafting preeminent cocktails sourced and inspired by the many countries that make up the fabric of the rich Latin American heritage.”
Its name translates to “serenade,” which is exactly what a visit to Serenata feels like: “a rhythmic journey through the countries of Latin America … using tropical fruits, origin spirits, and world-renowned techniques to craft each drink as a unique experience.”
For our mocktail, Serenata’s beverage director and managing partner, Andra “AJ” Johnson, starts with Seedlip Grove 42, a distilled non-alcoholic spirit infused with citrus, lemongrass and ginger. AJ mixes in simple syrup brightened with lemon and rosemary, along with grapefruit bitters and Martini & Rossi Floreale, a booze-free aperitivo that adds a sophisticated complexity to this libation. To top it all off: a fizzy and refreshing splash of Mountain Valley Spring Water Sparkling White Peach.
Aptly named “WEL-ness,” the mocktail’s moniker pays tribute to the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program, of which Serenata co-founder and CEO, Daniella Senior, is an alum.
The May 7 Sunday Supper will support WEL, which offers an “advanced educational, training, and networking program for women in the hospitality industry.” This ground-breaking initiative was co-founded by EDENS’ CEO Jodie W. McLean, and this Sunday Supper will be hosted by EDENS, one of the nation’s leading retail real estate companies.
Funds are raised through EDENS’ Women’s Empowerment & Entrepreneurship Program (WEEP), an initiative of EDENS’ 501(c)3 philanthropic foundation that supports career advancement and financial wellness for women business owners.
EDENS aims to foster equity in the culinary industry. This industry comprises a good portion of the company’s retail community, and yet it’s one where women leaders remain underrepresented:
- Approximately 147,434 chefs are currently employed in the U.S., 25.2% of whom are women.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, just over 20% of all head chefs are women; in 2021, female chefs made 84 cents to the dollar men earned.
With the support of WEEP and EDENS, the James Beard Foundation’s WEL program expanded from 20 to 40 participants in 2022. Today, there are 217 WEL alumni across the country, in nearly every state.
The May 7 Sunday Supper at Union Market will feature more than two-dozen guest chefs and food/drink purveyors serving some 350 attendees. For tickets, menus and a full lineup of chefs, click here.
Mocktail recipe: 'WEL-ness'
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces Seedlip Grove 42
- 0.75 ounces lemon-rosemary simple syrup
- 0.75 ounces Martini & Rossi Floreale Aperitivo
- 2-3 dashes grapefruit bitters
- Mountain Valley Spring Water Sparkling White Peach
- Grapefruit or lemon twist
Directions
- For simple syrup, add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a pot with 2 sprigs of rosemary and the zest of 1 lemon. Stir and bring to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Strain zest and rosemary, and allow the syrup to cool.
- Add first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coup or cocktail glass and finish with a fizzy splash of Mountain Valley Spring Water Sparkling White Peach. Garnish with citrus twist.
