Work & Class Englewood mixes garden-grown red shiso, local rhubarb, and pisco into a cocktail made for fall.
Ask the Beverage Director
Caroline Worrell
Garden inspiration: “I wanted to build a drink around what was actually growing nearby this time of year. Rhubarb and red shiso don’t usually end up in the same glass, but once I started testing the syrup, it just made sense.”
Close to home: “The rhubarb comes from Grow + Gather, our onsite farm partner at the Englewood location, while the red shiso actually comes from my own home garden. Having Grow + Gather right there changes how I think about drinks. I can walk out, see what’s ready, and build around it instead of ordering ingredients and hoping they show up on time.”
Meet red shiso: “Red shiso is herbaceous, a little minty, a little peppery, with almost a cinnamon note underneath. In this drink, it gives the rhubarb some depth, so the syrup isn’t just sweet. It carries a bit of spice through the whole glass.”
A taste of fall: “The syrup is fresh rhubarb and red shiso reduced with red wine, with a touch of allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Those warm spices come through without losing the brightness. I want that first sip to taste like fresh rhubarb pie: bright up front, with the spice settling in after.”
Room to play: “Work & Class in RiNo has always been about great flavor, no frills, no fuss. Englewood has given us a little more room for creativity through our partnership with Grow & Gather. Both locations stick to the same rule: only spirits from North and South America. Pisco felt like a natural pairing with the delicate flavors of rhubarb and shiso, letting each ingredient really shine.”
At the table: “Even though the she-so pisco is reminiscent of something a little more decadent, like rhubarb pie, it’s not cloyingly sweet or heavy. It would be delicious with our fresh tomato dishes, shrimp and grits, or coriander-roasted lamb. It’s also a great option if you like to drink your dessert rather than eat it.”
She-So Pisco
Ingredients
- 2 oz. BarSol Pisco
- ¾ oz. lemon juice
- 1 oz. rhubarb shiso syrup
- 4 dashes Fee Foam
Rhubarb Shiso Syrup
- 2-3 large rhubarb stalks (diced)
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 c. water
- 1/2 c. pinot noir
- 1/4 c. red shiso leaves
- 1/3 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/3 tsp. allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker, whip-shake, strain into a coupe, and finish with a red wine float.
Rhubarb Shiso Syrup
- Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until the rhubarb is soft and the liquid is syrupy.
- Cool, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend until smooth.
- Strain through a chinois, then cheesecloth or a grease filter.
“I want that first sip to taste like fresh rhubarb pie: bright up front, with the spice settling in after.” —Caroline Worrell
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