Style Magazine October 2020
Confession: My first cocktail was a Tokyo Tea—and no, I wasn’t 21 yet. Thanks to my older sister who looks enough like me, I was able to start bar hopping much younger. Hopefully my daughter doesn’t follow in my rebellious footsteps, and if she does, let’s hope she has better taste, because the electric green Tokyo Tea isn’t exactly the most sophisticated of adult beverages. The good news? Maturity has made me appreciate alcohol—as opposed to its effects—and the complexities of what can be done when it’s mixed, muddled, shaken, and stirred with fresh-squeezed fruits, syrups, or sodas. Current cocktail favorites include Negronis, homemade jalapeño-cucumber margaritas (courtesy of my lingering summer garden), and well-made Manhattans. I still don’t discriminate when it comes to spirits, but at least I’ve graduated from pouring them all into the same glass, right? Speaking of liquor, this month’s feature story, “Drink Up,” is all about alcohol. Pour yourself something strong and then turn to page 53 for 22 must-try cocktails (including the one on our cover from Land Ocean), plus some fun, informative facts about each establishment where they’re available. We also introduce you to four of our region’s most beloved bartenders, recommend home bar must-haves, spotlight local distilleries, and share a handful of beautiful (and boozy!) recipes courtesy of mobile mixologists. No matter how ominous the political (and actual) climate may be, at least we have cocktails to carry us through. In honor of autumn, we have a cornucopia of content dedicated to one of the most special seasons. Turn to The 10 Spot (page 18), for creative ways to welcome it—think Apple Hill adventures, foliage-filled drives, and harvest-inspired cooking classes. Speaking of autumnal eats, this issue’s Taste department (page 78) includes must-make recipes that highlight fall’s most versatile vegetable: the squash. Whether stuffed, roasted, or served as soup, this prized produce pairs perfectly with cooler temps. For all the pumpkin spice latte lovers out there, we have you covered, too. Flip to page 80 for “5 Perfect Pumpkin Drinks” you’ll want to sip all season long. Happy fall, y’all—and remember: This too shall pass, so keep your spirits up...and flowing. Cheers! — Megan // megan@stylemg.com @meggoeggowaffle
Confession: My first cocktail was a Tokyo Tea—and no, I wasn’t 21 yet. Thanks to my older sister who looks enough like me, I was able to start bar hopping much younger. Hopefully my daughter doesn’t follow in my rebellious footsteps, and if she does, let’s hope she has better taste, because the electric green Tokyo Tea isn’t exactly the most sophisticated of adult beverages. The good news? Maturity has made me appreciate alcohol—as opposed to its effects—and the complexities of what can be done when it’s mixed, muddled, shaken, and stirred with fresh-squeezed fruits, syrups, or sodas. Current cocktail favorites include Negronis, homemade jalapeño-cucumber margaritas (courtesy of my lingering summer garden), and well-made Manhattans. I still don’t discriminate when it comes to spirits, but at least I’ve graduated from pouring them all into the same glass, right?
Speaking of liquor, this month’s feature story, “Drink Up,” is all about alcohol. Pour yourself something strong and then turn to page 53 for 22 must-try cocktails (including the one on our cover from Land Ocean), plus some fun, informative facts about each establishment where they’re available. We also introduce you to four of our region’s most beloved bartenders, recommend home bar must-haves, spotlight local distilleries, and share a handful of beautiful (and boozy!) recipes courtesy of mobile mixologists. No matter how ominous the political (and actual) climate may be, at least we have cocktails to carry us through.
In honor of autumn, we have a cornucopia of content dedicated to one of the most special seasons. Turn to The 10 Spot (page 18), for creative ways to welcome it—think Apple Hill adventures, foliage-filled drives, and harvest-inspired cooking classes.
Speaking of autumnal eats, this issue’s Taste department (page 78) includes must-make recipes that highlight fall’s most versatile vegetable: the squash. Whether stuffed, roasted, or served as soup, this prized produce pairs perfectly with cooler temps. For all the pumpkin spice latte lovers out there, we have you covered, too. Flip to page 80 for “5 Perfect Pumpkin Drinks” you’ll want to sip all season long.
Happy fall, y’all—and remember: This too shall pass, so keep your spirits up...and flowing. Cheers!
— Megan // megan@stylemg.com
@meggoeggowaffle
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DRINK UP<br />
IN GOOD SPIRITS:<br />
4 LOCAL DISTILLERIES<br />
Buy your booze from the source by supporting our region’s distilleries.<br />
Selling handcrafted potent potables in every spirit under the sun<br />
(vodka, gin, whiskey, etc.), and even hand sanitizer at some(!), these<br />
spots are here to stay.<br />
Paige Flynn<br />
PAUL MARTIN’S AMERICAN GRILL<br />
1455 Eureka Road, Roseville, 916-783-<br />
3600, paulmartinsamericangrill.com<br />
How long have you been bartending? This<br />
year will be 30—yikes!<br />
Best part of your job? The relationships I've<br />
built with our regulars over the years. I try<br />
to make every guest feel comfortable and<br />
love to see everyone socializing and enjoying<br />
themselves. I also enjoy hearing people's<br />
stories and learning about them. And, of<br />
course, my coworkers are pretty great, too!<br />
Favorite cocktail to make? One that blows<br />
my guests socks off, especially if they’re<br />
trying something different. But I do like to<br />
make a nice, cold martini.<br />
What do you drink at home? I like<br />
experimenting with different drinks, the<br />
regulars are wine, vodka and Diet Coke, vodka<br />
and Squirt, or Scotch.<br />
Fill in the blank: Dear customer…I can’t tell<br />
you how many times I've heard, “I've always<br />
wanted to be a bartender. It looks so fun." It is<br />
fun, but it's not easy. If your bartender makes<br />
it look easy, they’re a great bartender. It's<br />
very physical, there’s a lot of responsibility,<br />
and it takes skill to make a great drink.<br />
What bar do you frequent when you’re not<br />
working? The best quarantine bar right now<br />
is the one at my house!<br />
Best bartending tip? Put a smile on your<br />
face and never let your customers see you<br />
sweat. No one likes a stressed-out bartender.<br />
1<br />
Amador & Dry Diggings<br />
Distillery<br />
WHERE: 5050 Robert J Mathews<br />
Parkway, El Dorado Hills, 530-313-4000,<br />
drydiggingsdistillery.com<br />
WHAT: This small craft distillery produces<br />
over 25 local spirits, from vodka to<br />
whiskey—with many of the bottles paying<br />
homage to Northern California's rich Gold<br />
Rush history. In addition to alcohol, their<br />
mercantile storefront is stocked with<br />
small-batch toffee, hand-blended spices,<br />
craft candles, and hand sanitizer.<br />
Gold River Distillery<br />
WHERE: 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle,<br />
Suite C, Rancho Cordova, 916-476-3868,<br />
goldriverdistillery.com<br />
WHAT: The first legal distillery in<br />
Sacramento County since Prohibition,<br />
Gold River sells an array of small-batch<br />
spirits—like their award-winning Wheel<br />
House American Dry Gin, Wheel House<br />
Sacramento Vodka, and Wheel House<br />
Absinthe Verte. Fun fact: They also<br />
produce spirits for independent parties<br />
under their own labels.<br />
DID YOU<br />
KNOW?<br />
3<br />
2<br />
California Distilled Spirits<br />
WHERE: 12205 Locksley Lane,<br />
Suite 11, Auburn, 916-599-6541,<br />
californiadistilledspirits.com<br />
WHAT: This micro-distillery sells<br />
world-class liquors (both online and via<br />
drive-thru on Saturdays from 1-5 p.m.),<br />
including a complex Darjeeling Gin, Arm &<br />
Yak California Brandy, and super smooth,<br />
single-barrel Whiskey Distillery Direct.<br />
4<br />
J.J. Pfister Distilling Company<br />
WHERE: 9819 Business Park Drive,<br />
Sacramento, 916-672-9662,<br />
jjpfister.com<br />
WHAT: Pick up craft spirits, including<br />
High Rye Bourbon (a handcrafted<br />
straight bourbon whiskey) and Capitol Gin<br />
(a Concours d’Spirits Double Gold award<br />
winner), and even hand sanitizer at this<br />
state-of-the-art distillery that’s named<br />
after JJ Pfister: the family patriarch who<br />
started the first knitting company in San<br />
Francisco in the last 1800s.<br />
All bourbon is a whiskey, but not all whiskey is a bourbon.<br />
In order to be classified as a bourbon, the spirit must be at least 51%<br />
corn and aged in charred, new American oak barrels.<br />
SOURCE: J.J. Pfister Distilling Company<br />
Paige Flynn photo by Dante Fontana. Amador & Dry Diggings Distillery photo by Lauren Mitchell (1). Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.<br />
62 stylemg.com | OCTOBER <strong>2020</strong> | /stylemg /stylemediagroup /stylemediagroup /stylemags
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