Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together

Description

Warm up with the magic of the North. Craft cocktails, Scandinavian-inspired food, and everything good about colder climates: In Portland, Maine, Andrew and Briana Volk welcome guests into their restaurant like it's an extension of their home. It's here, in the James Beard-nominated Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, that they create innovative cocktails like Lunar Phases (an award-winning riff on the gin and tonic) and the Norseman (a Scandinavian old-fashioned of sorts, with aquavit). They've also perfected the classics behind the bar, from the Pimm's Cup to hot buttered rum. After the drinks, Northern Hospitality moves on to food inspired by both Portland and Scandinavia. The bar snacks are addictive-green chile popcorn and smoked trout deviled eggs are just the beginning. Smorgasbords feature gravlax, homemade pretzels, and fresh cider pickles. On a cold northern day, Swedish meatballs with spaetzle and nutmeg cream are sure to warm you up. Or go further from the known and try the clams with absinthe and bottarga. Features on ice fishing, shucking oysters, how to build a bonfire, and apres-ski provide a sense of place and an experience as unique as the club itself. With Northern Hospitality,celebrate the seasons the way those in the north do: with the warmth, fun, and a sense of wonder.

Andrew Volk has been bartending for more than fifteen years, working at some of the country's best bars. In 2013, Andrew and his wife Briana opened the Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, a cocktail bar with exceptional drinks and Scandinavian-inspired food. His recipes have appeared in publications like Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Maxim, Imbibe, Elle Decor, Washington Post, NPR, and more. Briana Volk worked as a creative director in advertising, TV, and film before opening Hunt + Alpine with Andrew. She was the founding vice president of the Maine chapter of the United States Bartenders' Guild and founder of the New England Cocktail Conference. Since opening Hunt + Alpine, Briana has travelled the country speaking at conferences on bar and restaurant branding and design. As the creative director of both Hunt + Alpine and their second restaurant, Little Giant, Briana oversees the restaurants' look and feel, as well as their overall interiors. Her Finnish heritage influenced the menu at Hunt + Alpine, pulling from recipes and stories passed down through her family.

Equal parts recipe book and life philosophy, Northern Hospitality is a stunning adventure into the previously untold story of eating and drinking well in New England. This book is stylish, insightful, and unique-the perfect choice for anyone passionate about entertaining, drinks, and food. * Alex Day, owner of Death & Company, author of Death & Company and Cocktail Codex * Hunt + Alpine has made Portland, Maine, a culinary destination, not just in drinks but also in food. From martinis to oysters to outstanding service, this beautiful book shows off just how wonderful the North (and Northerners) can be! * Ivy Mix, co-founder of Speed Rack and owner of Leyenda (Brooklyn, NY) * I must confess I've never been to Maine. But when I finally make it, Andrew and Briana's Hunt + Alpine Club will be the first bar I visit. Thanks to their gorgeous new guide to good times, I have a long wish list of what to order when I arrive. * Jim Meehan, author of The PDT Cocktail Book and Meehan's Bartender Manual * Let Dixie have its Juleps and fancy hats. I'll bask in the warmth of the Volks' bonfires, bivalves, and Hot Buttered Rum. Northern Hospitality perfectly captures the new cozy in its most unaffected-and most welcoming-form. * Scott DeSimon, food and drink writer/editor *