Bottoms up, Bushwick!
Bruce Cost Ginger Ale has chosen hipster central to launch its headquarters — in an 18,000 square-foot former factory in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
The space, with 24-foot ceilings, will include the company’s corporate offices, space for fresh ginger syrup manufacturing, refrigeration and storage.
The building will also include a test kitchen, loading dock and parking.
“The new building boasts the best features of an industrial space — open ceilings with steel beams, windows with a glimpse of Manhattan and even a kind of industrial patio with a bar for testing cocktails,” a spokesman said. It is slated to open in April.
The ginger ale brand includes Bruce 66, a new launch at 66 calories per bottle.
Bruce Cost also has incorporated cocktail recipes from star bartender Shingo Gokan at Angel’s Share, an East Village “cult-cocktail” spot since 1994.
En garde! The French are launching a cassoulet war.
Ariane Daguin of D’Artagnan is hosting an event pitting French chefs against US chefs to determine who can cook the best New York version of the French classic stew. Consumers will also attend to sample and vote.
Participating chefs include Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter, Hugue Dufour of M. Wells and Shane McBride of Balthazar and soon-to-open Cherche Midi.
Also participating are: Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson of The Cecil, Philippe Bertineau of Benoit, Pierre Landet of Felix, Harold Moore of Commerce, Adam Kopels and Elizabeth Ronzetti of 18 Bay, and Phil Definna of David Burke Fromagerie.
The judges include chefs Sara Moulton, Jacques Pepin and Andre Soltner, actor Jean Reno and Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker.