In this first portion of a two-part interview with Eamon Rockey, creator of Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur, some of the topics we discuss include:

• How Eamon’s childhood working in kitchens in Hattiesburg, Mississippi propelled him to the Culinary Institute of America and then into some of the hottest fine dining establishments in New York City.
• What it was like to take the cocktail program at the legendary 11 Madison Park and completely standardize its cocktail program by deconstructing ingredients and thinking like a chef.
• How to make a completely virgin spin on Milk punch that can be paired with any base spirit a guest might desire.
• Why milk punch can (and perhaps should more often) be approached as a cocktail technique or process, rather than a recipe unto itself
• What to say when Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey asks you how you make simple syrup
• And much, much more

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