Mix Like a Pro

When Adam Seger, mixologist at Nacional 27, discovered the rhubarb from Wisconsin-based organic grower Harvest Moon Farms, he was blown away by its pristine color, intense flavor and delicate texture. He immediately bought 30 pounds to add into a mojito made with 10 cane rum, strawberries, basil from the restaurant's herb garden and balsamic vinegar. The cocktail was such a success that he ran out of rhubarb before the evening was over. Seger now has a plot at Harvest Moon and selects the heirloom seeds to be planted from spring through fall for his farm-to-bar program. Once a month, he teaches a class where, for $20, students learn how to create two or three cocktails from freshly picked produce while enjoying Nuevo Latino tapas. And in spring/summer 2011, cocktail lovers can read about Seger's organic drink philosophy in his first book, Whet: Drink Like You Eat.