COCKTAIL CULTURE

Cocktails make us happy. Whether enjoyed during a night on the town, mixed up for a party with friends or just sipped quietly to wind down at the end of a hard day, there’s a spirit that will help make any occasion a special one.

We’re shaking things up this fall with our first ever cocktail issue! Edible Monterey Bay has teamed up with Event Santa Cruz to shine a spotlight on local bars and restaurants that make a special effort to offer a high-quality cocktail experience.

While all of them do an outstanding job transforming top shelf gin, bourbon, whiskey, rum and tequila into the classic drinks we know and love, we asked each participating establishment to create a special cocktail for this issue.

These delicious drinks will be available during Monterey Bay Cocktail Week from September 17 to 25. Please stop by some of the places listed below and get a taste of cocktail culture. Then try to mix them up at home. Each recipe makes one cocktail unless otherwise noted. Cheers!

Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel PLAZA Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill – Monterey Brophy’s Tavern – Carmel Bud’s at La Playa – Carmel Chocolate – Santa Cruz Copal – Santa Cruz Cultura – Carmel East End Gastropub – Capitola Estéban at Casa Munras Garden Hotel – Monterey Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge at Dream Inn – Santa Cruz Jacks Monterey at Portola Hotel – Monterey Links Club – Carmel PLAZA Lucia at Bernardus Lodge – Carmel Valley Pangaea Grill – Carmel Pour Girl Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen – Aptos and Santa Cruz Vim – Santa Cruz The Whisky Club – Monterey Wild Fish – Pacific Grove

Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro

Carmel Plaza, Carmel With its combination of bourbon, apple and spice, this cocktail created by lead bartender Melanie Bullock is like autumn in a glass.

Forbidden Fruit

2 ounces Old Forester Bourbon ½ ounce apple juice ¼ ounce ginger liqueur ¼ ounce lemon juice ¾ ounce cinnamon syrup Cinnamon, freshly grated, for topping Star anise, for garnish

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled, strain into a coupe glass. Grate fresh cinnamon on top and garnish with star anise. Photo by Michael Troutman.

Brophy’s Tavern

San Carlos & 4th, Carmel

A mind-bending margarita bound to inspire your next no-no, Brophy’s cocktail is a tribute to MLB all-star pitcher Dock Ellis. Dock Ellis No-No

2 ounces Casamigos Blanco Tequila 1 ounce passion fruit purée ½ ounce simple syrup ¼ ounce lime juice Lime wheel, for garnish 1 jalapeño, sliced, for garnish

Coat the rim of a rocks glass with tajín, a Mexican spice blend of chili peppers, lime and salt. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add ingredients. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice in the rocks glass. Garnish with lime wheel and jalapeño slices. Photo by Patrick Tregenza.

Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill

426 Alvarado Street, Monterey There’s more than award-winning craft beer on offer at this popular downtown Monterey watering hole. Lead bartender James Wall keeps things spicy with his apricot-flavored cocktail.

Get Pitted

1½ ounces Breckenridge Spiced Whiskey 1 ounce apricot cinnamon shrub ¾ ounce lemon juice ¾ ounce Cardamaro ½ ounce Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur 3 dashes peach bitters Cinnamon, for garnish 1 dried apricot, for garnish

Measure all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a tall glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a dried apricot. Photo by Michael Troutman.

Bud’s at La Playa

Camino Real & 8th, Carmel

La Playa’s newly restored bar and restaurant is a tribute to Carmel’s bohemian roots. This drink commemorates Clint Eastwood, whose political career began when former owner Bud Allen convinced him it would be more productive to run for mayor than sit around complaining. The Mayor is distinguished by bittersweet flavors and smoked maple undertones. The Mayor

2 ounces Knob Creek Rye Whiskey ¼ ounce simple syrup 4 dashes Angostura bitters 4 dashes orange bitters Orange peel, for garnish

Place large square ice cube in rocks glass. In a cocktail shaker, place all ingredients and stir together. Pour over ice cube. Squeeze orange peel around the rim of the glass and place inside. Photo by Patrick Tregenza.

Wild Fish

545 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove In keeping with its philosophy of sourcing from local farms and fishermen, Wild Fish makes the most of seasonal produce and locally produced elderberry syrup in its farmers’ market cocktail. Kick back and enjoy it while listening to live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights.

Farmers’ Market Gin Mule

2 ounces Gray Whale Gin 1 ounce Benedictine 1 ounce Carmel Berry Co. Elderberry Syrup 1 ounce lime juice 5 blackberries 6 leaves Thai basil plus sprig for garnish 1 greengage plum, chopped Ginger beer

Muddle together all ingredients except the ginger beer. Strain over ice into a Collins glass and top with ginger beer, then stir. Garnish with a sprig of basil. Photo by Margaux Gibbons.

East End Gastropub

1501 41st Avenue, Capitola Long known for its wide selection of local craft beer and wine, East End Gastropub is getting started with cocktails this fall. And it’s off to a strong start with bartender Faith Ellinger’s juicy margarita.

Fresh Watermelon Margarita

2 ounces Arette Blanco Tequila 2 ounces fresh watermelon juice 1 ounce Combier Triple Sec 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice Watermelon edge, for garnish Watermelon salt, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake, shake, shake. Pour over ice. Garnish with a watermelon wedge and watermelon salt, which can be made by combining 1 part kosher salt with 1 part dehydrated watermelon pulp. Photo by Coline LeConte.

Chocolate

1522 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz

The Chocolate Mint Mojito is a reflection of owner-chef David Jackman’s commitment to flavor balance. Since cocktails are for adults, he holds back on the sweetness just enough to let the earthy chocolate and aromatic mint reveal their magic.

Chocolate Mint Mojito

4 ounces gold rum, divided 2 ounces dark chocolate 12 leaves fresh mint plus leaves for garnish 2 tablespoons sugar 8 ounces sparkling water

Slowly heat dark chocolate with 2 ounces rum until melted and smooth. Muddle mint leaves with sugar. In a cocktail shaker, place remaining 2 ounces gold rum, rum/chocolate mixture and mint/sugar mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Fill 2 tall glasses halfway with ice, pour equal amount of cocktail into each glass and top with sparkling water. Garnish with fresh green mint. Makes 2 cocktails. Photo by Jeff Bareilles.

Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge

Dream Inn, 175 W. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz

For this unique cocktail inspired by two classics—a Ramos fizz and a margarita—bartender Nick Barnes grills and chars the grapefruit halves to concentrate the flavor and cut the tartness.

Sea Foam Bikini

1 medium grapefruit, halved, grilled and charred 1½ ounces Bozal Tepeztate Mezcal ½ ounce agave syrup 1 ounce club soda 1 egg white Splash of lime juice 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Juice the grilled grapefruit, retaining a couple of triangles for garnish. Add juice and rest of ingredients to a cocktail shaker and give it a dry shake. Add ice and shake some more until frothy. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with skewered grapefruit triangles. Photo by Jeff Bareilles.

Lucia

Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley Befitting one of Monterey Bay’s most elegant resorts, this autumn punch from mixologist Colleen Kelly combines spiced pears, tangy cranberry juice and a dash of bubbles.

Bernardus Brunch Punch

2 ounces Ginraw Gastronomic Gin ½ ounce St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur 2 ounces cranberry juice 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice Prosecco Orange slices, for garnish Lime slices, for garnish Rose petals, for garnish Fresh mint, for garnish

Combine gin, spiced pear liqueur, cranberry juice and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and pour into a Bordeaux wine glass over generous ice and top off with prosecco. Garnish with slices of orange and lime, rose petals and mint. Photo by Patrick Tregenza.

Links Club

Carmel Plaza, Carmel Yes, you can play on the golf simulator here or dine, while indulging in a seasonal cocktail that benefits from the use of super-smooth Han Vodka.

Birdie Thyme

2 ounces Han Vodka 1 ounce fresh lime juice Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries (whatever you prefer) Fresh thyme Splash of soda Slice of lime, for garnish

Muddle berries and thyme. Add to cocktail shaker with vodka, lime juice and ice. Shake well and strain into tall glass. Garnish with additional berries, a sprig of thyme and slice of lime. Photo by Mark C. Anderson.

Pangaea Grill

Ocean Avenue, Carmel

Just what the doctor ordered! Bartender Fabian Osornio’s gorgeous cocktail kills the pain equally well for surfers and beach bums alike. Surfer Rx

2 ounces Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon ¾ ounce apricot liqueur ½ ounce fresh lemon juice ½ ounce Campari Orange zest, for garnish 1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish (optional) Edible flowers, for garnish (optional)

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass, pour over fresh ice in a small rocks glass. Garnish with orange zest and a Luxardo cherry or edible flowers. Photo by Joshua Grant Rose.

Pour Girl

Mobile cocktail catering and Bar Bella Inspired by the purple sand at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, Pour Girl Olana Sullivan makes this effervescent beauty by combining local gin, lavender bitters and zingy Meyer lemon with aquafaba for an ocean foam-like mouthful.

Pfeiffer Fizz

4 ounces Venus Spirits Gin No. 01 2 dashes Scrappy’s lavender bitters 2 ounces Meyer lemon juice 2 ounces aquafaba* 2 ounces lavender syrup**

Combine and dry shake all ingredients for a foamy texture, then add a scoop of ice and gently shake again to chill. Strain liquid into 2 coupe glasses and garnish with a lavender blossom. *Aquafaba is a vegan substitute for egg whites. Strain the viscous water in which chickpeas have been cooked and use it to make a flavorless vegan foam. **See Edible Monterey Bay website for how to make lavender syrup. Makes 2 cocktails. Photo by Carol Oliva.

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen

200 High Road, Santa Cruz 131 Esplanade, Aptos Not your grandmother’s fruit cocktail, this pretty pink pleaser by bartenderGabriel Yescas makes the most of Santa Cruz distilled gin and local fruit.

Cocktail d’Fruta

2 ounces Venus Spirits Gin No. 01 ¼ ounce watermelon syrup ¼ ounce passion fruit liqueur 2 dashes peach bitters ½ ounce fresh lemon juice Fresh fruit pieces, for garnish Sprig of fresh lavender, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain over ice into a tall glass. Garnish with pieces of fresh fruit and a lavender sprig. Photo by Coline LeConte.

The Whisky Club

425 Alvarado Street, Monterey Mitchel Sawhney has one of the world’s largest collections of Laphroaig 40-year-old scotches and has always enjoyed the peaty and smoky flavors of Islay scotches. But he realizes this flavor profile can be too strong initially, especially for bourbon aficionados, so his Laphroaig Immunity Cocktail has been created to softly introduce the peaty flavor, with a little added froth and boost for fall and winter immunity.

Laphroaig Immunity Cocktail

2 ounces Laphroaig Select ¾ ounce immunity shot (freshly pressed turmeric, ginger and echinacea juice) ¾ ounce honey syrup 5 drops freshly pressed ginger juice 5 drops of Peychaud’s bitters 1 egg white Orange peel, for garnish Candied orange twist, for garnish Candied ginger, for garnish 1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Spritz a rocks glass with Laphroaig 10-year-old scotch. Add all ingredients except egg white to a cocktail shaker and stir. Add white of 1 egg. Dry shake for about 15 seconds, then add ice and shake for another 30 seconds to create the froth and ensure ingredients meld. Pour into rocks glass over fresh ice. Flame an orange peel and rim the glass, if desired. Garnish with a candied orange twist, speared candied ginger and Luxardo cherry. Photo by Michael Troutman.

Jacks Monterey

2 Portola Plaza, Monterey It wouldn’t take too much arm twisting for us to try this stunning cocktail, flavored with brilliant turmeric and healthful carrot juice.

Asian Persuasion

2 ounces turmeric-infused vodka 1 ounce carrot juice ¾ ounce lemon juice 2 dashes orange bitters Elderflower lemon foam, for topping Orange peel, for garnish

Combine the turmeric-infused vodka, carrot juice, lemon juice and orange bitters with ice in a Boston shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass and top with elderflower lemon foam. To make foam topping, combine St Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lemon juice, egg whites and water. Pour into an iSi whipped cream dispenser or whip by hand. Garnish with orange peel. Photo by Jacob Perl.

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6th Ave beween Dolores & San Carlos Carmel-by-the-Sea www.socialhourcarmel.com

Craft Your Cocktail!