Wednesday Menu: Short Week Edition

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day, and since we missed out on the regular Monday Menu, let’s cram 10 pounds of news into a 5-pound sack!

First off is an event from the team behind the award-winning Circle Back program of the local chapter of the U.S. Bartenders Guild. On Monday, Sept. 14, a group of hospitality vets (and me) will convene at Jubilee Bar inside Harding House at L&L Market (3816 Charlotte Ave.) for a series of open discussions about the state of the industry called Shift Change.

Instead of one-to-many presentations or panel discussions, these will just be five tables with a dozen people sitting around them discussing topics like what to do after a hospitality career is over, building a loyal customer base and what actually motivates people to go out.

Not just for bar workers, this event is open to anyone who cares about hospitality in Nashville. The day will begin with one of USBG’s traditional Circle Back mental health check-in sessions at 1 p.m., followed by an aperitivo hour at 2 and the panel discussions at . The day will conclude with a happy hour that will actually run from 4 until 7:30 p.m. at Jubilee Bar as USBG celebrates one year of the Circle Back program.

Admission is free, but attendees must pre-register as tables are filling quickly. Kick off next week with some positive vibes and contribute to the broader discussion of mental wellness in our community.

Comfort Zone Camp is a new organization to Nashville, but the national group has been hosting weekend camps for kids, teens, young adults and parents who have lost a loved one and are grieving since 1998. The first local camp for kids and teens ages 7 to 17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, primary caregiver or close friend will be held at Camp Widjiwagan in Antioch the weekend of Oct. 16 to 18.

Andrew Weinman and Dan Tarantin are board members of the parent organization who are based in Nashville, and they are inviting the public to a night at Tennessee Brew Works on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. for an evening for great food, beer and music — and to learn about how you can support the group’s efforts to help grieving children learn that they are not alone, share feelings, discover coping strategies and to just have fun. They’ll be raising money at the party to help ensure that children can attend the camp free of charge.

So drop in at 809 Ewing Ave. on Thursday night and help make a difference in a child’s life. You can register a child or volunteer to help out at the Comfort Zone Camp website.

On a much less serious note, Superica in The Gulch is celebrating its annual Mezcal Week until Sept. 15. While I usually don’t pay much attention to National [Whatever] Weeks, I believe that Superica doesn’t get the attention they deserve as an incredibly solid Tex-Mex restaurant in town. While I may (read: I do) rail about the influx of out-of-town restaurant chains, there’s only one other Superica, and it’s in Atlanta, a cohort city of Nashville.

Plus, I’ve really been getting into mezcal lately, partially from hanging out with chef Julio at Maiz de la Vida who always has something new to teach me about. But also because I fell in love with a mezcal-based take on the Last Word cocktail that’s called the Naked and Famous. So I’ll be dropping by Superica this week to possibly sample a flight of smoky mezcals or a cocktail from their special list:

• El Otoño: Del Maguey Vida Puebla, grilled pear-cinnamon syrup, lime juice, salt 

• Prairie Belle: Cotija-washed Bahnez mezcal, Ancho Reyes Verde, lime juice, mole bitters

• Smoky Vaquera: Banhez mezcal, Alma Tepec, smoked jalapeno agave, pineapple, lime, steak marinade

• The Frida: A mezcal margarita featuring Del Maguey Vida Puebla, Ancho Reyes, fresh lime juice and hibiscus-morita syrup

• The Highwayman: A Banhez mezcal Old-Fashioned with honey/agave syrup and Mexican Mole bitters

• Outta Dodge: Bahnez mezcal, Campari, Chinola, passionfruit liqueur, Dolin Rouge

Who knows, maybe I’ll discover another cocktail to add to my repertoire?