Thanksgiving Pairings: Save Your Brine for The Next Day
L.P. O'Brien of Netflix Drink Masters' favorite non-alcoholic Thanksgiving pairing actually comes the day after.
I met L.P. O’Brien long before she had achieved what is arguably the highest level of bartender fame to date when she [Spoiler Alert] won Netflix Drink Masters in 2022. When we first met, she was in college and looking for work in the bar industry. At the time, I co-owned the first bar she worked at, The Passenger. She can recount better than I what I said when she asked about working at the bar, but I’m told by her it was inspiring.
So began her career.
Recently, she texted me that I can take more credit for helping her along her path than that, but I won’t. Lauren is a talent, period. She was always going to be successful regardless of where she started, and it’s to her that I owe gratitude. I got to watch her grow into the bartending star she has become. And now I get to bask in the shine as her friend, ask her about her favorite Thanksgiving pairing, and then openly brag to all of you, Elf-style: ”I know her!”
But when I asked for her favorite “Turkey Day” pairing, L.P. didn’t go for the roast turkey, green beans, or mashed potatoes. In fact, she skipped Thanksgiving altogether and went straight to what I’m sure is most people’s favorite post-Thanksgiving ritual, the Thanksgiving Sandwich.
“My favorite Thanksgiving dish is a Thanksgiving sandwich the next day,’ says O’Brien, “[it] usually consists of sourdough bread, mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, and a tiny bit of gravy. The non-alcoholic drink that I would pair it with is a dirty martini.”
Never a fan of Dirty Martinis with alcohol, I’ll gladly change my mind for the non-alcoholic variety. The brine adds body and weight to a non-alcoholic drink that might otherwise be too thin and watery. It’s a brilliant addition.
Here’s O’Brien’s recipe and, another spoiler alert, you don’t have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving. You can drink it any time.
Dirty Martini Variation
Short hard shake, strain into a chilled coupe with a skewered cornichon.
*Housemade Brine Recipe for Olives
2,500g water
225g salt
25g sugar
250g cider vinegar
Derek Brown is an author, award-winning bartender, NASM-certified wellness coach, and founder of Positive Damage, Inc.
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