local flavor
Mixing It Up at Home Assembling a Home Bar By Marianne Weaver
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f the quarantine taught us anything, it’s that sheltering in place doesn’t have to feel like imprisonment. Social media feeds were filled with photos of home-cooked, four-course meals and picture-perfect baked goods. What better way to compliment a meal or finish an evening than with a creative cocktail? According to local experts, you can put together an athome bar to accommodate any taste.
Latin Flavors Add a twist to Taco Tuesday (or any day) by putting together a margarita and mojito bar. The standard margarita is made with tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice and is typically served in a glass — on the rocks or blended — with a salted rim. The mojito is a traditional Cuban highball, usually made with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and mint. Miguel Pires, owner of Zandra’s, which has locations in Manassas, Haymarket and Fairfax, said these two drinks pair perfectly with his restaurants’ most popular items, the a la carte tacos. He suggested building a home bar with a wide selection of liquors. “You definitely need some rum and tequila varieties of Blanco, Reposado, Anejo,” he said. Blanco is un-aged tequila that is
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bottled shortly after distillation. Reposado is aged for 60 to 364 days. Anejo is aged for at least one year, but less than three. “Espolon Anejo is currently my personal favorite, and Jose Cuervo Tradicional, Patron, and you definitely need Brugal rum.”
Specialty Cocktails Some entertaining calls for something a little “extra.” Trummer’s Coffee & Wine Bar, a European café that opened in the Virginia Gateway in 2015, has earned a reputation for creating specialty cocktails to complement their Austrian cuisines and fresh baked pastries. “We make fresh, balanced cocktails with our own fresh squeezed juices, flavored syrups and sometimes frozen components,” said owner Victoria Trummer. “Our signature cocktail is called a Titanic and has a champagne sorbet floating in the martini.” Although many people like vodka, she said it doesn’t add much flavor to a cocktail. Instead, stock up on gin and rum to add a depth of flavor. She said she likes fresh fruit mixers, like Fever Tree ginger beer and tonics (especially the elderflower flavor). To garnish, she advised stocking up on fresh fruit, olives and onions.
