I’ve made a habit of asking bartenders where they like to drink, and one establishment comes up over and over: Harry’s Bar & Tables in Westport. So I dropped in one recent afternoon and whiled away some time over an Elderflower Gimlet. It was perfectly balanced and delicious, made with Hendrick’s gin, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur… Continue Reading
There’s always a bottle of cognac on our bar, just in case the Sidecar mood strikes, but I’ve never thought much about using it anything else. That changed yesterday, thanks to a Camus Cognac tasting hosted by the Kansas City Bartenders Alliance yesterday at The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange. Manny Burnichon, U.S. market sales… Continue Reading
Rejuvenating forgotten classics is a favorite bartender past-time. They comb old tomes in search of deserving recipes, then return their discoveries to modern glory. The Last Word is one such worthy cocktail. As the story goes, Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Café in Seattle was searching for ways to use unusual ingredients when he… Continue Reading
Yes, Manifesto reopened last month. Yes, I only just went. And yes, it was worth the wait. Little has changed—buzzing the back door entrance, the dark staircase and hallway, even the drinks menu. That last is a happy fact, since there were so many Manifesto creations I’d yet to taste when the bar closed last… Continue Reading
Bartenders love the local food movement almost as much as chefs do. Some snip herbs from patio pots, others luxuriate in strawberries and cucumbers from the farmers’ market and the guys at Justus Drugstore have even planted an entire garden to supply the restaurant and bar. That’s all well and fine in July, but what… Continue Reading