Brb… gotta clean some peppercorn off my lens…

Up next on Charleston's tour of #NegroniWeek with @campari_southcarolina is Fabiana Pinillos (@fabiliciousssss) over at Dalila's (@dalilas_on_spring)

"Dalila's would not be the bar it is without the Negroni - it is one of the first cocktails we think about and play off of when designing menu changes. This takes all those traditional components that we love and amplifies them in a floral, but non-pastiche way, toasting the pink peppercorn to bring out some richness and citrus notes, matching that with Italicus, a rose and bergamot liqueur that's light on its feet, and putting an underrated classic gin like Gordon's at the helm to steer the beverage in the right direction. A bit of seasoning ties it up all nicely - a pinch salt, an expression of lime oil, and just a dash of a rich simple syrup add body to make this Negroni delicious."

Just a reminder that this week, I'll be featuring five of Charleston's finest bartenders to show us their take on a Negroni. The cool part about this if you're local, they'll actually be serving these up at their respective bars THIS WEEK ONLY, so make sure to go to @dalilasonspring to give this one a try and support the cause!

I’m convinced this is the martini of the summer 🍅🍸

This is long overdue, but I finally had to try the Tomato Martini (aka Tomato-Tini aka Tomato-tini) created by my friend @drinksbyevie. If you’re a fan of dirty (read: filthy) savory martinis then this one is for you. I added just a slight kiss of MSG to this one just to highlight a bit of the natural MSG in tomatoes and I thought it worked out beautifully.

Have you made this recipe yet?

I was inspired to make something that would highlight the bourbon while maintaining a fruity and spicy flavor profile that pairs beautifully with the 10 year old spirit. What better way than with this fresh fig/peppercorn syrup I made earlier this week. Check out the cocktail recipe (including the syrup) below, if you end up making it, let me know what you think

What can I say… Day 1 at @gardenandgun JUBILEE was a BLAST. There was so much to see, do and not surprisingly; drink! The biggest surprise was the gorgeous @bladeandbowwhiskey horse trailer-turned mobile bar. It was commissioned by Garden and Gun and this was its first visit to @explorecharleston! Swipe through to see the trailer or check out the @Instagram story to take a peek inside the trailer.

You know I love a good collaboration - especially when it involves saving the bees. The @savannahbeeco recently partnered up with @dixievodka to produce “Dixie Wildflower Honey Vodka” using SBC’s wildflower honey. They’ve challenged me to come up with a recipe to incorporate this new product and to celebrate the launch of the new product in Charleston!
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A portion of the proceeds for each bottle sold will benefit The Bee Cause Project which works to support the health of honeybees in the Southeast by increasing the number of hives in the region and helping to educate the public on their importance. Now get out there and support the cause!
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A play on a classic... The Tipperary! Another cocktail from our collaboration at @spectatorhotel with my dude @lancasterchucktown. Keep in mind that these are ON THE MENU at The Spectator Hotel's bar through the Spring! Make sure to stop by and check it out. Check out the recipe below!