30 Oct PDXCW: Bon Vivants Serve Up Two Great Events

Portland Cocktail Week opened to a great start with the opening event Swig n Swine and ended with the Ancho Reyes Maize Maze, both sponsored by the Bon Vivants of San Francisco.   Swig n Swine took place at the Jupiter Hotel following the Bon Vivant’s Volunteer Day, in which bartenders donated their time to improve the Self Enhancement Center Charter School (a local nonprofit organization supporting at-risk urban youth). With the pig roasting on the spit, there was lots of food and drink.This was the perfect way to start the week – enjoying great food while seeing friends from around the country, and meeting new ones. In fact, the punch selections were mixed in 50 gallon garbage cans, each accompanied by a recipe poster that listed the ingredients. On the tail end of Portland Cocktail Week, after all the classes, the Bon Vivant threw another event – the Ancho Reyes Maize Maze. There is never a doubt that the Bon Vivants throw some of the best parties, and this was no exception. Taking place in a corn maze, we had to wander through to find our way to the center, where the party was taking place, enjoying Ancho Reyes cocktails along the way. Ancho Reyes is an ancho chile pepper liqueur that recently launched in California and Texas. The Mexican recipe dates back to 1927 and the liqueur has notes of chile, cinnamon and chocolate. As long as you were on the right path in the maze, you came upon an Ancho Reyes Punch and an Ancho Reyes Daiquiri. Then, when we hit the center of the maze, we were greeted with Ancho Reyes Palomas and hot chocolate with Ancho Reyes, which enhanced the chocolate and added a nice kick.      Of course, like all good Bon Vivant parties, Scott Baird made a great birria (goat stew) to enjoy with the cocktails. Thanks to the Bon Vivants for always pleasing our palates and filling our bellies!