Zane Lamprey

Valerie Nahmad Schimel2/7/2011

Zane Lamprey, the “unofficial world booze ambassador,” is brining his cocktails and comedy to two seminars at this year’s Wine & Food Festival. The author of Three Sheets: Drinking Made Easy! 6 Continents, 15 Countries, 190 Drinks and 1 Mean Hangover and host of Drinking Made Easy is hosting Saturday’s From the Garden to the Glass Cocktail Clinic and Sunday’s Prohibition Cocktails Clinic, both at the W South Beach. We talked to the native New Yorker about drinking, mixology and cocktails.

So how does one become a world booze ambassador?
I think you get a TV show about drinking. I might not be the funniest person in the room, but I’m the loudest. I might not be the best mixologist in the world, but I’m the one in your face.

Are you a mixologist?
Well, I do it at home, I have a lot of friends who are mixologists, I’m not one per se, but I play one on TV.

You’ll be playing one at the Festival as well as you host your seminars
Yes, I want to inspire people to experiment with cocktails – when you hear the names of some cocktails or when you hear the list of ingredients, it can get a little overwhelming.  I want to encourage people to have friends over, get these piles of ingredients on their bar and start experimenting

Other than your seminars, what are your plans for the Festival?
I plan on drinking a lot. I get there Thursday and am going to head to Burger Bash. I have my two seminars, but I’m going to let the cards fall where they may. I’m looking forward to it – I haven’t been before.

Zane Lamprey’s 10 Traditional Cocktails (made with fresh ingredients)

• Watermelon Mojito
• Grilled Pineapple Margarita
• Mango Caipariña
• Strawberry Basil Martini
• Avocado Daiquiri
• Cucumber Collins
• Black Berry Mint Julep
• Cherry Cuba Libre
• Garlic-Pepper (infused vodka) Bloody Mary
• Peach Basil Manhattan