
Last night, Sue Ellen and I went to Whole Foods for an event benefitting Back on My Feet. Lucky for us, Charles Joly donated his time and skills. For those who don't know, he is a master mixologist and brought a few drinks from his Crafthouse line. There were so many options to choose from but the best drink in my opinion was the Sandhattan which had aged Rum, sweet vermouth, allspice, and chocolate bitters. I know it doesn't sound good but trust me, it was delish!
There were some appetizers as well but unfortunately I can't remember exactly what was there. The chef was actually a winner from a Food Network challenge which was pretty awesome. What I do remember is that he served edible dirt (pretty darn good) with some mushrooms, caviar, and some kind of paste that tasted like a soaked almond. I don't think I am doing a good job explaining this but it was tasty.
We were able to chat with Charles for a few minutes about his involvement with the charity and asked more about his business. He did some amazing work at The Aviary here in Chicago and left his position in October to do his own thing. He has a small team of four people total working on the Crafthouse cocktails and traveling around the globe doing a variety of events. His line is unique; made with all natural, real ingredients. Charles talked about how he had a hard time finding a distributor to bottle the drinks as so many people wanted to add preservatives which he is against. He partnered up with CH Distillery for the Gin and Vodka to keep things local.
I love hearing stories like this! It is awesome to see an idea you have come into fruition and actually being able to make a living from it. I left inspired, with a bottle of Crafthouse Moscow Mule in hand, and started to think about doing something on my own. I have always wanted to start my own business but still not sure what to do. All I know is that I need to start getting creative.
There were some appetizers as well but unfortunately I can't remember exactly what was there. The chef was actually a winner from a Food Network challenge which was pretty awesome. What I do remember is that he served edible dirt (pretty darn good) with some mushrooms, caviar, and some kind of paste that tasted like a soaked almond. I don't think I am doing a good job explaining this but it was tasty.
We were able to chat with Charles for a few minutes about his involvement with the charity and asked more about his business. He did some amazing work at The Aviary here in Chicago and left his position in October to do his own thing. He has a small team of four people total working on the Crafthouse cocktails and traveling around the globe doing a variety of events. His line is unique; made with all natural, real ingredients. Charles talked about how he had a hard time finding a distributor to bottle the drinks as so many people wanted to add preservatives which he is against. He partnered up with CH Distillery for the Gin and Vodka to keep things local.
I love hearing stories like this! It is awesome to see an idea you have come into fruition and actually being able to make a living from it. I left inspired, with a bottle of Crafthouse Moscow Mule in hand, and started to think about doing something on my own. I have always wanted to start my own business but still not sure what to do. All I know is that I need to start getting creative.