Day Two of Detroit Negroni Week: Selden Standard’s co-owner Evan Hansen with “Roman Spring.”
It’s a wonderful time to live in Metro Detroit. Options for good food and drink abound with new places opening it seems every month!
Meet Evan Hansen, co-owner of the soon-to-be-opened Selden Standard. A farm to table, small plates restaurant focused on working with small local farmers and utilizing seasonal ingredients in uniques ways, Selden Standard is located in Detroit’s burgeoning Midtown neighborhood. Eater National named Selden Standard one of the 50 most anticipated restaurant openings of 2014 and after spending some time talking with Evan ( whose responsibilities include developing the wine list and cocktail program ) there’s no doubt in my mind that he and his partner, Executive Chef Andy Hollyday, are going to offer a truly unique dining experience for their patrons.
Let’s get on with the interview!
MSP: Evan, what inspired your variation on the negroni?
EH: There are two reasons I wanted to do this type of drink. First, I love to use Campari in the summer for adding some bitterness to citrus drinks, and in this recipe, I got to do sort of the opposite -- bringing a spicy, Caribbean-influenced syrup into a stirred, bitter drink with the idea of making something a touch lighter than a typical negroni. Second, the clementine falernum is the kind of ingredient we want to make a lot of when Selden Standard opens: preserving elements of seasonal foods and utilizing them in different ways, whether that's in the kitchen or at the bar.
MSP: After tasting your clementine falernum, I felt the urge to douse myself with it. Not only was it delicious, but the aromatics had a unique balance of spicy & sweet notes - it brought back fond memories of my travels to Jamaica. How did you make it?
EH: Ha! Well, in that case, I’m glad we only had one Roman Spring! To make clementine falernum, remove as much pith as possible from some clementine peels and add to the peels, as well as clove, allspice, and cardamom, to a container of vodka for 48 hours. Strain and combine the flavored vodka with an equal portion of turbinado sugar over heat until the sugar dissolves.
MSP: What was your first negroni experience?
EH: My good friend Todd made me my first negroni on his front porch, and I immediately fell in love with it. Somehow, we ended up at this kind of clubby bar later that night. As anyone who knows us would verify, we're the two least club-loving people in all of metro Detroit, but they had a bottle of Campari, so we stayed, taught the bartender how to make negronis, and just drank a ton of them in a row while listening to this awful dance music.
MSP: Lastly, share with us your feelings about Campari?
EH: There's nothing quite like Campari. I love the bitterness, I love the color, and despite being such an intense flavor, it's actually pretty versatile. You can use it as a rinse on a drink, to give a lighter citrus drink a bitter finish, or just in a classic like a negroni. It's one of the first spirits I ever owned for my home bar, so I'm kind of partial to it.
Amen! Thanks, Evan. I am looking forward to Selden Standard opening in the Fall and wish you much success!
To find participating Metro Detroit bars and restaurants during Negroni Week, check out United States Bartenders Guild - Greater Detroit’s Facebook page
- .5oz Noilly Pratt dry vermouth
- .5oz clementine falernum
- Combine all the ingredients in a chilled glass or a metal tin with cracked ice; stir; and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
All Photos by © Marvin Shaouni Photo
