Hot sauce

IT’S IN THE BAG From the looks of his new cocktail project at mk, you’d never know that head bartender John Kinder isn’t a wine guy. His newest cocktails exhibit the earthy aromas of pinot noir, the butteriness of chardonnay and the tannins of American syrah. They’re so much like wine, in fact, that they’re taking the place of it at mk’s Thursday night Spirited Dinners. Using a Cryovac machine—a popular tool for chefs whereby ingredients are vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag and slow-cooked in a water bath—Kinder can speed up the infusion process, allowing him to create cocktails for each of chef Eric Simmons’s dishes in about an hour. The result are cocktails that aren’t simply paired with a dish—rather, they’re tailor-made. $89 for the five-course dinner, $29 for cocktail pairings. Additional cocktails are available at the bar for $12–$14. 868 N Franklin St at Chestnut St (312-482-9179).

Watch Kinder create a Buttery Californian cocktail in the video below.