Native New Yorker, Eben Freeman has come a long way over two decades working in the city's food and beverage industry since he began his career as a stock boy at Crossroads Wine & Spirits while attending New York University.

Freeman tended a bar in various locations in New York including West Village, Lower East Side, Soho and Brooklyn. While working in Soho at Spring Lounge, the proprietors asked him to become a full-fledged partner in their new venture, The Collins Bar in Hell's Kitchen, where he developed his very first cocktail program and spirit selection.

Having experienced the joy of hospitality ownership, Freeman helped the opening of Palladin by creating the restaurant's signature cocktail - The Palladin Pear. He then moved onto work for Danny Meyer at Eleven Madison Park, where he became in charge of their cocktail program. His stints at The Red Cat and Wallse followed, designing cocktails for Jimmy Bradley, Danny Abrams and Kurt Gutenbrunner.

In October of 2005, Freeman was one of only three bartenders from the United States invited to the first Molecular Mixology Seminar in Paris. In 2006, he was selected as a finalist in the international cocktail master competition.

Today Freeman's expertise extends beyond the bar scenes; he consults for various liquor brands by designing cocktails and hosting events, while serving as a head bartender at Tailor in Soho (525 Broome Street New York NY 10013). Prior to joining Tailor, he was a bar manager at wd-50, working with chefs Wylie Dufresne & Sam Mason, translating their playfully unconventional style into a highly celebrated and publicized cocktail program.

Please visit Eben at Tailor on 525 Broome Street between Thompson and 6th Avenue. The bar is open daily.

Eben Freeman's MARIE BRIZARD Cocktails

SHORT DRINK:
Sobieski Sorrel Sour

Ingredients:
1/2 oz MARIE BRIZARD TRIPLE SEC
2 oz sorrel infused Sobieski vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
Garnish: fresh baby sorrel or wheat grass

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with fresh baby sorrel or wheat grass. (Cocktail was inspired by the traditional Polish soup; sour grass soup made with baby sorrel known as "sour grass" because it looks like grass).


TALL DRINK:
Des Mes Amis

Ingredients:
1/2 oz MARIE BRIZARD APRY
1 1/2 oz Martell VSOP
1/2 oz Suze
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 egg white

Mix all ingredients in a 18/28 cocktail shaker combo and dry shake for 10 seconds. Add ice and shake again for 20 seconds. Strain into a 8 oz fizz glass. To garnish, pour club soda into empty 28 oz shaker tin containing remnants of cocktail to create foam, top drink with foam and dash with Peychaud's bitters. For additional garnish, dash Marie Brizard Blue Curacao into a shaker tin containing remnants of cocktail, add soda to create blue foam and drop foam on top of drink creating red, white and blue French flag.

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