Best of the Day: Sons of Liberty Spirits Dinner – August 18, 2015

This Russell House Tavern dinner pairs creative pork dishes with Sons of Liberty-based libations.

Welcome to Best of the Day, our daily recommendation for what to check out around town. If you do one thing in Boston today, consider this.


The Russell House's Sons of Liberty dinner features hop-smoked lardo toast

The Russell House’s Sons of Liberty dinner features hop-smoked lardo toast / Courtesy photo

Proud New Englanders, if the term “Sons of Liberty” has been tarnished for you by the 2015 History Channel miniseries—which, from what we recall, turned Sam Adams into a ninja and had George Washington fighting vampires while riding a jet ski or something—here’s a way to reclaim it: By hoisting drinks from Kingston, Rhode Island-based whiskey distillers Sons of Liberty. Further stoke the fires of patriotism by gnawing on some expertly barbecued ribs, and you’ve got yourself the Sons of Liberty dinner Russell House Tavern, one of our favorite Harvard Square spots, is hosting tonight.

Paired with Sons of Liberty-based cocktails, tonight’s spread showcases chef Tom Borgia’s skill with pork, ranging from smoky porchetta-and-beer ramen and St. Louis-style ribs.

As for the drinks: Sons of Liberty are a distiller who like to get creative with beer—after all, beer is a precursor to all whiskey. For example, their Battle Cry, a single malt containing 20 percent rye, is distilled from a Belgian-style brew that makes an appearance in the third course.

Check out the full menu:

Course 1

FOOD
Rhode Island Oysters on the Half Shell
With gin-marinated melon mignonette, smoked foam

DRINK
Cliffwalk
Belgian Wheat Act Gin, melon puree, juniper syrup, pickled watermelon rind

Course 2

FOOD
House-Made Hop-Smoked Lardo Toast
With grilled peaches, basil

DRINK
The Breakers
Hop Flavored Whiskey, grapefruit juice, cinnamon, peach, basil, Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters

Course 3

FOOD
Porchetta and Beer Ramen
With 1000 Year Old Quail Egg, house-pickled vegetables

DRINK
Battle Cry Belgian Ale

Course 4

FOOD
Battle Cry Beurre Blanc Braised Lobster
With roasted chanterelle, tarragon cream

DRINK
First to Declare
Battle Cry Whiskey, vanilla, nutmeg, tarragon, Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6, Angostura bitters

Course 5

FOOD
Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs
Corn pudding, charred scallion, heirloom tomato carpaccio, baby arugula

DRINK
Land’s End
Uprising Whiskey, smoked-tomato-and-thyme shrub, corn milk, lemon juice, “Tom’s All Purpose BBQ Seasoning”

Dessert

SWEETS
Bittersweet Chocolate and Ancho Alfajores
With Dave’s Coffee Syrup ice cream

DRINK
Uprising Stout


$75 per person, Cambridge, August 18, 6 p.m., Russell House Tavern, 14 JFK St., 617-500-3055, russellhousecambridge.com.