The New York Botanical Garden will host a discussion and demonstration event titled Botanicals in Caribbean Cocktails at the Edible Academy on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Scheduled from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the gathering celebrates Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month by focusing on botanical heritage and cultural traditions.
Panelists for the event include Afro-Dominican Chef Nelson German and culinary anthropologist Andréa Lawson Gray, who co-authored the book Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latino Diaspora. Joining them is Arvolyn Hill, an herbalist and Associate Director for the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at the botanical garden.
During the hands-on demonstration segment, Chef German will guide participants through making Mamajuana, a traditional Dominican Republic drink. Guests will learn to blend tree bark, herbs, spices, rum, red wine, and honey, and each attendee will receive a custom blend to take home.
Chef German operates Sobre Mesa and alaMar Dominican Kitchen & Bar in Oakland, as well as Meski in San Francisco. Co-author Gray is a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, while Hill brings background experience from Twin Star Connecticut’s School of Herbalism and Energetic Studies and outdoor education programs across New York City.
Copies of Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latina Diaspora will be available for purchase and signing during the program. Admission tickets are priced at $61 for New York Botanical Garden members and $68 for non-members, with registration open online.
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