Classic cocktails are often served with olives, limes or cherries, but this month bartenders are mixing things up with N.C. sweet potatoes.
More than 30 N.C. bartenders are participating in the “Sippin’ Sweets” promotion sponsored by the N.C. SweetPotato Commission.
From now through New Year’s Eve, participating bartenders will be selling original craft cocktails using N.C. sweet potatoes as one of the ingredients. The promotion highlights the flexibility of sweet potatoes that goes beyond baking or serving them as sweet-potato fries.
“North Carolina already grows nearly half of the nation’s sweet potatoes,” said Heather Barnes, marketing specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “In order to expand markets for our growers, we have to look at value-added uses of sweet potatoes. This promotion is a great way to highlight the versatility of a sweet potato in a festive way during the holiday season.”
The Fiction Kitchen, a vegetarian restaurant in Raleigh, is one of the participants in the promotion. Throughout December, bartender Christopher Tamplin will be serving “Tater in the Rye,” which features a sweet-potato and smoked-paprika simple syrup, rye whiskey, lemon juice and orange fig bitters.
Other cocktails include “The Fall Guy” at Chef and the Farmer in Kinston, “The Hot Potato” at Ashten’s in Southern Pines, “Sweet Tater Sangria” at HomeGrown in Asheville, “Autunno Inverno” at Vivace in Charlotte, and “Beet My Sweet Mountain Vue” at the Grove Park Inn’s Presidents Lounge in Asheville.
Consumers are encouraged to use the hashtag #SippinSweets on their favorite social media channel to share reviews of the different cocktails. In addition, the SweetPotato Commission will be sharing select recipes on its website so consumers can try the drinks at home. For a complete list of participating restaurants and bars, go to www.ncsweetpotatoes.com.