MIDDLEBURY — As part of its new Grow Local! campaign, ACORN has created a local food education series of classes and workshops. From cocktail mixology to cheese-making, from curing meats to funky ferments and preserves, ACORN’s local food education classes allow food enthusiasts to meet local producers around the Champlain Valley to learn tricks of their trade all year long.
The series starts with a Cocktail 101 class at Stonecutter Spirits in Middlebury on Thursday, March 3, from 6-7:30 p.m. Sas Stewart, co-founder of Stonecutter Spirits, kicks off the new series with a tour of the facility at 1197 Exchange St., a tasting and a mixology class. Participants will explore how gin is crafted; from the carefully sourced botanicals to the barrel-aging process, they will learn how each step improves the flavor of the end product. They will taste their way through each component of a modern take on the traditional Negroni, and learn the secrets of making a professional-tasting (and looking) craft cocktail at home.
“We hope that by peeking behind the scenes of food production and actively participating in the creation of a product, people will gain a new appreciation for the food we eat and the work that goes into it,” said ACORN Director of Marketing and Development Lindsey Berk. Each workshop in the series will feature a tour of production facilities, a hands-on class and a tasting.
Tickets, available at http://bit.ly/1QloJXk, are on sale now, and space is limited. Tickets are $25 each; ACORN Members receive 10 percent off. Producers interested in joining the series should contact Lindsey at [email protected].