Bartram’s Bitters Fundraiser: Modern Cocktails With Historic Roots

Bartram's Garden; Image via Flickr/pwbaker

By Danya Henninger

Eighteenth-century Pennsylvanian John Bartram was not only a friend of Ben Franklin and co-founder of the American Philosophical Society, he was America’s first real botanist, responsible for establishing a trans-Atlantic hub of plant exploration on the banks of the Schuylkill River. Based on a historic recipe from the Bartram family, local liquor company Philadelphia Distilling has created Bartram’s Bitters, which you can sample for the first time at a cocktail fundraiser on Wednesday, May 16.
Join mixologists from Fish, Dettera and more from 5:30-8 PM at Bartram’s Garden for an evening of sweet and savory sips using the new bitters, which uses primarily organic and local ingredients to recreate the traditional mix.Your $75 admission will also bring plenty of eats from Supper and Power Catering, plus a set of recipes to take home. Make sure you’ll return often to enjoy the lush grounds by stepping up to a $125 entrance fee, which includes a year’s membership to the waterfront park. Tickets are available online.