Master Mixologist: Taylor Morabito of FRIEND OF A FARMER in Gramercy and Brooklyn Heights

Taylor Morabito is the Beverage Director and Director of Operations for Friend of a Farmer. Taylor's mother Carrie Morabito founded Friend of a Farmer in 1986 in Gramercy to sell her homemade jams, preserves, sandwiches and more. The restaurant and brand has since grown to become synonymous with sophisticated comfort food prepared with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Along the way Carrie's husband Terry and children, including her oldest son Taylor, have gotten involved. They grew the Gramercy location into a bustling two-story restaurant and in late 2015 the family opened an even larger location in Brooklyn Heights in a two-story townhouse. Taylor, a graduate of Northeastern University, is now Friend of a Farmer's beverage director, as well as the director of operations.

Friend of a Farmer's local and housemade ethos extends to the cocktail program, as Taylor works with New York-distilled spirits and seasonal produce, plus creates his own infusions.

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Taylor Morabito about his career and Friend of a Farmer for our "Master Mixologist" feature.

When did you first become interested in the cocktail culture?

I think I was around 20-21 years old when my interest surrounding the culture of cocktails and bartending started to peak. I was a server at my parents restaurant and the bartender who was scheduled to work didn't show up for his shift so I hopped behind the bar and pretended to know what I was doing. It was a total disaster but in that moment I found a real passion for creating cocktails.

What innovations in mixology and bartending do you find fascinating?

I've always been a proponent of local and seasonal ingredients. Complex drinks are fun and interesting, but I've always loved a simple, fresh cocktail. We are always looking towards the next season and within that same process looking for a fascinating new local spirit or product. It's fun, and it keeps us involved with the community.

How do Friend of a Farmer diners encourage your creativity with regards to the beverage program?

Well Friend of a Farmer was arguably one of the first farm-to-table restaurants in New York City. We were doing it all the way back in 1986 before it was even a grassroots movement, so diners have been coming here ever since to experience our fresh ingredients. We try to supply that encouragement behind the bar by providing our guests with the same creative, fresh ingredients used in the kitchen.

What are your preferred "classic cocktails" and why?

Old Fashioned. It's simple yet it remains one of the greatest cocktails ever created. Plus it tastes pretty good. If I'm not in the mood for a dark spirit then I'll go the route of a vodka martini, straight up, extra dry with three olives. The briniest of the olive matched against the dryness of a martini is hard to beat.

What are some of your favorite infusions and how you like to use them in drinks?

We have several spirits on the menu that we infused with different fruits. We have a pineapple infused vodka and a cranberry infused gin that are both mind blowing. We're really into infusing our own syrups though, we've got about a dozen at this point in our Brooklyn Heights location and they really take our signature cocktails to the next level. We also infuse our own bitters which has been a lot of fun to experiment with as well.

Tell us about a few of your signature cocktails and why they are distinctive.

There is one cocktail that I'm really proud of that's been on our menu for 2 plus years. We call it the "Key to the Park" as an homage to Gramercy Park where our first location was founded over 30 years ago. There is a private park there and only those that are residents have a key to get inside (I'm sure most New York natives are familiar with this). Anyway, the cocktail ingredients are muddled fig and sage, bourbon, freshly pressed green apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and freshly pressed ginger, shaken, served in a tall glass with rocks. It's killer.

Give us your perfect pairing for a cocktail and a culinary selection from the Brooklyn Heights location.

This is going to sound a little basic but our Bloody Mary mix with any of our omelets is perfection. We use real tomatoes so our mix is really unique and so incredibly fresh tasting. It pairs beautifully. Plus why not start your morning with a little buzz?

Tell the readers in your own words a bit about Friend of a Farmer.

Friend of a Farmer is really a special and unique place. On the surface it's warm and tastefully decorated to make it feel like you've stepped into this incredible town house in the countryside. We've got some of the most incredible dishes and cocktails you'll ever experience in a setting that is truly unique, but what I think sets us apart is the staff that we have here. The folks on this team are remarkable and incredibly loyal and I think that's really hard to find in a business known for its high turnover. I think our combination of great staff, incredible atmosphere, and fresh food is what keeps our gears turning and has ultimately become the defining factor in our success.

Friend of a Farmer Brooklyn Heights
76 Montague Street
Brooklyn, NY
718-643-6600
http://friendofafarmer.com/brooklyn/

Friend of a Farmer Gramercy
77 Irving Place
New York, NY
212-477-2188
http://friendofafarmer.com/gramercy/

Friend of a Farmer has Happy Hour, Monday to Friday 4pm-7pm in both Brooklyn Heights and Gramercy.

Photo: Courtesy of Taylor Morabito

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