Rabbit Hole Distilling, Harvest hosting 'globally inspired' bourbon dinner
A bourbon dinner that pairs Rabbit Hole Distillery whiskeys with a globally inspired and locally sourced menu from Harvest, 624 E Market St., will benefit the Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
The menu, from chef Patrick Roney, begins with Kentucky Lake catfish, Louismill white grits and red eye gravy. Rivercrest Farm chicken liver tartine with candied pecans and curried onion chutney follows. Up next is baharat crusted Black Hawk Farms N.Y. Strip with mushroom, Tuscan kale and rye berry tabbouleh. For dessert, look for spiced apple yogurt pot de creme and almond and cardamom biscotti.
Rabbit Hole founder and CEO Kaveh Zamanian, and marketing director Michael Motamedi - a former "Master Chef" finalist - will host the dinner Monday, Feb. Feb. 27, with Motamedi sharing tips on how to pair bourbon and food.
Rabbit Hole's distillery is currently under construction downtown near Harvest and is expected to open late this year or early 2018. They're bringing a creative, innovative approach to bourbon, Zamanian says, featuring a high percentage of malted grains. They're also putting the whiskey in the barrel at a lower proof, he says. With their four-grain bourbon – 70 percent corn, and 10 percent each malted wheat, malted barley and honey malted barley – “We're trying to do something a little bit out of the box,” he added.
“Rabbit Hole is, in my mind, kind of an outsider,” Zamanian said. “I'm not originally from Kentucky. I don't have the extended pedigree. But very much like fusion cuisine, it's a voice I hope adds to the chorus.”
In the spirit of highlighting their inclusivity, Zamanian says, they wanted to support the refugee ministry with this dinner, particularly in light of the current climate regarding refugees.
The ministry is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees. Zamanian himself came to the U.S. from Iran as a teenager.
“The departure was in an effort to escape persecution,” he said. “The U.S. at that time was kind of a beacon of hope and embodiment of the ideal by the founding fathers that every person has a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My life in America is certainly an example of this ideal and I feel blessed to live in an amazing city like Louisville and beautiful state like Kentucky with citizens who have opened their hearts.”
And when it comes to the bourbon industry, he said, “I could double that. It's been an exceptional experience to have seasoned veterans be a part of this project, to collaborate with me to develop this brand.”
The evening will feature a cocktail reception with Rabbit Hole bourbon and whiskey cocktails paired with each course. The dinners costs $75 per person, plus tax and tip. Reservations are required with a credit card; call 502-384-9090. More information: https://www.facebook.com/rabbitholedistilling/.
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