NEW SPIRIT
With marshmallow, caramelized sugar, and vanilla extract, ’Shmallow, the newest bourbon from Hotel Tango Distillery, is a far more sophisticated take on flavored spirits than the gourmand Smirnoff you drank in college. The s’moreslike profile is strengthened by subtle hints of smoke, and ’Shmallow is smooth enough that even clear-liquor fans might be tempted to sip it on its own—perhaps with a crushed-graham-cracker rim? hoteltangodistillery.com
CANNED COCKTAILS
Newcomer distiller Hi & Mighty nailed its first round of canned offerings by perfectly capturing seasonal flavors. Those missing the State Fair need only to crack open a Lemon Shake Up, a gin-based riff on the midway staple. And when the leaves start to change, the brandy-forward, cinnamonspiked Spiced Apple Sidekick is practically a requirement around a bonfire. drinkhiandmighty.com
OUTRAGEOUS COOKIES
It was only a matter of time before a local crumble-master arrived on the scene to give a certain chain sensation a run for its sugar bombs. While the focus at The Cavity Factory cookie truck is the rotating menu of unparalleled mashups like Almond Joy, Oreo Butterfinger, and milk chocolate pistachio, don’t snooze on the chocolate chip, a thick, gooey treat you’ll hunt down all over the city. 317-281-7659, thecavityfactory.com
PASTA NIGHT
Every toothsome piece of perfectly al dente pasta at Cortona’s Italian Cuisine & Wine Bar is a real deal made by owner Simone Lucarini, who hails from the Tuscan town where Eat, Pray, Love was filmed. If the special is spaghetti awash in a family-recipe pecorino sauce, order it and watch as it’s tossed tableside in a hollowed-out shell of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The required vessel isn’t always on hand, so catch the show if you can. 209 S. Main
