DECEMBER 2018 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 81
MAPLE BOURBON OLD FASHIONED:
WARMING WINTER IMBIBERS
There’s much to do in picturesque Stony Brook Village.
Just 60 miles from Manhattan, it’s considered the first planned business
community in the nation, created by philanthropist Ward Melville. Known
for its charming setting and historic sites, it’s a North Shore destination you
won’t want to miss. The Stony Brook Post Office, one of many attractions, is
home to the “mechanical eagle” which still flaps its wings every hour from
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as it has done since 1941.
The village offers 30 shops such as Loft, Chico’s, Crabtree & Evelyn and
Jos. A. Bank, and specialty stores such as Madison’s Niche and The Crushed
Olive. Shoppers also enjoy The Country House, Crazy Beans, Fratelli’s Italian
Eatery, Sweet Mama’s, Pentimento, Robinson’s Tea Room and four-star
Mirabelle Tavern at historic Three Village Inn.
Live holiday theatre and exhibits take place at the Educational & Cultural
Center (also available for rent). You can make it a day trip or stay overnight
at the Three Village Inn (c. 1751).
The Jazz Loft, a first-of-its-kind venue on Long Island, offers performances
and archives from some of the greatest jazz musicians. The stage was
constructed with wood from the Roseland Ballroom dance floor. Visit thejazzloft.
org for upcoming events.
The Stony Brook Grist Mill, c. 1751, open weekends May through October,
boasts a charming country store and a “miller” who takes you through the
process of how grain was ground into flour in 1751 and still is today.
Avalon Park & Preserve, a 140-acre site is free of charge and a nature lover’s
paradise in all seasons. Summer events include free concerts; “Discovery”
wetland cruises; paddle board, kayak, and bike rentals; and much more.
The Long Island Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, houses an Art and
Carriage Museum and year-round events. Stop at Whisper Vineyards, with
wines reflecting the soils and climate of Long Island, plus a tasting room
and gift shop.
The Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University is home to theatrical
events and the Stony Brook Film Festival. The Charles B. Wang Center, also
located at the University, offers performances, exhibits and Asian cultural
celebrations.
SPONSORED
DESTINATIONS
STONY BROOK VILLAGE
A MUST-VISIT LOCALE
Visit stonybrookvillage.com for more information
By CJ ARLOTTA
Transitioning from fall to winter
is a favorite time for many, and the
right cocktail, something sweet and
smoky, can ease imbibers into the
colder months by wrapping drinkers
in virtual blankets.
Among classics offering that effect
is the old fashioned. But at Grandpa’s
Shed, a bar in Stony Brook where
antiques, farm tools and framed photographs
of grandfathers adorn the walls,
mixologists improved on this staple.
“We were trying to find ingredients
that would bring winter to
you,” says Marios Patatinis, owner
of Grandpa’s Shed.
Inspired by smoked cocktails he’d
tasted in Europe, Patatinis collaborated
with with Deanna Mollica, the
bar’s general manager, to incorporate
a smoky flavor in what became
Grandpa’s Shed’s Maple Bourbon Old
Fashioned.
"We wanted to do it a little more
robust, so we actually grabbed hold
of a torch and a wood plank, and then
we went out and did our homework
on wood chips and came across Jack
Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey Barrel
Smoking Chips,” he recalls. “We fell
in love with it.”
Prior to mixing the cocktail’s
ingredients, the wood chips are set
afire on a wood plank before a rocks
glass smothers the flame.
“Not only does it take the drink
to the next level, it puts on a show
because you walk into the bar and
right away you smell the smoke, you
see the fire on the bar, and people are
intrigued already before they even
order the drink,” Mollica says.
They use James E. Pepper's 1776
Straight Bourbon Whiskey for the
base since it’s on the sweeter side,
with its notes of vanilla, honey,
cloves, and chocolate, which fit their
preferred flavor profile. And the
bourbon’s name harkens back to
when some Three Village residents
aided General George Washington’s
Culper Spy Ring, which gathered
intel on British troops.
The duo built on the bourbon’s
flavor by adding bitters and maple
syrup (the brand is Grandpa’s
secret).
“The maple syrup doesn't mask
the bourbon, but in the back of your
throat, you get a little bit of that
sweetness, almost like a pancake,”
Mollica says.
The cocktail is garnished with a
Woodford Reserve Bourbon cherry
and an orange peel.
“You smell it and are questioning
yourself: Am I actually sitting in the
pub, and or am I actually outside
making s'mores?” Patatinis says.
Grandpa’s Shed is located at 121
Main St. in Stony Brook. It can be
reached at grandprashed.com
631-675-9263.
MAIN DISH
A bartender places a cherry in the
Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned.