From the Editor's Desk
The May/June issue of Imbibe offers some great reasons to celebrate. In addition to this issue being our special summer drinks guide, it marks Imbibe’s second anniversary.

Our second birthday also brings news that for the second year in a row, Imbibe has been honored with a Maggie Award for Best Special Interest Magazine. The award recognizes our March/April 2007 issue, and befittingly, our beloved columnist Doctor Cocktail was on hand to accept the honor at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles this month. We're humbled and grateful to hold the title two years running! Of course, none of this would mean anything without the support of our readers. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm—we treasure your readership and feedback. Here's to you and to many more wonderful celebrations to come!

Imbibe This: Our Signature Cocktail Week Tipple
San Francisco Cocktail Week kicked off on Tuesday at Harry Denton's Starlight Room. If you’re in town for the festivities, be sure to join us for the Grand Finale Celebration at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar on May 19. This will be a fantastic evening of signature cocktails created by the amazing Jeff Hollinger and surprise guest bartenders, classically prepared absinthe, delicious nibbles from Absinthe’s Executive Chef Jamie Lauren and special gift bags filled with great take-home goodies, from cocktail shakers to artisan chocolates. Get a full schedule and ticketing information at sfcocktailweek.com.

If you can't make it to the party, you can still join us in spirit and pour yourself a spicy, sweet Imbibe cocktail, created by Jeff Hollinger for the event:

The Imbibe Cocktail
2 oz. Glenrothes Select Reserve Scotch
1 oz. blackberry liqueur
2 dashes Bittermens Mole Bitters (or substitute 2 dashes cinnamon-chile
tincture, recipe below, and 1 dash Fee Brothers Aromatic Bitters)
Tools: mixing glass, strainer
Glass: cocktail
Garnish: blackberry

Stir ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass for 15 to 20 seconds, or until well chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish.

Cinnamon-chili tincture
4 1/2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup cacao nibs
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 small sweet peppers, diced
2 Fresno chilies, diced
1 1/2 dried Thai dragon chilies, diced
1 bottle blanco tequila

Combine and allow flavors to steep for several days to taste. Strain and store.

Summer Drinks Bonus Recipe: Tarragon Cooler
When the urge for a summer cocktail hits but you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative, fear not—we have ideas! We asked the talented Kelley Swenson of Ten 01 in Portland, Ore., for his take on summer, sans alcohol. He delivered big flavor and beauty with the delicate yet refreshing Tarragon Cooler, a delicious bonus to our Summer Drinks Guide.

Have a favorite summer cooler of your own? Share your recipe with us.

Perfect Pairing: Beer and Grilled Pizza
If you haven’t already, it’s time to pull your grill out of the garage. Here at Imbibe we’re always looking for the perfect beverage matches for whatever we happen to be eating, and in the months ahead, we’ll be doing plenty of grilling for our requisite imbibing. It may not seem like an obvious choice, but pizza makes perfect grilled fare, and what better with pizza than a summertime beer? We tasted a number of great Saisons for the May/June issue and found the refreshing Saison Dupont to be a perfect match for a grilled cheese pizza. Other good bets are Brew Dog’s creamy yet crisp The Physics Amber Ale, the sharp and snappy Trumer Pils or the pale yet full-bodied Leffe Blonde. Here’s a recipe from our resident grilling maven, circulation manager Siobhan Crosby, for her easy and deliciously cheesy grilled pizza.

Grilled Fontina-Thyme Pizza
1 package pizza dough
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 clove garlic (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme, stemmed and chopped
Tools: grill, rolling pin, pastry brush

Preheat grill to 375°. Flour a working surface and roll dough to desired thickness. Crush garlic clove, if using, into olive oil and mix. Brush one side of the dough with half of the olive oil mixture. Place dough on hot grill, oil side down, close cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly toasted. Remove dough from grill and brush uncooked side with the remaining olive oil. Flip crust over and top the lightly toasted side with tomato sauce, cheese and chopped thyme. Return pizza to grill, cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Serves 4.