Category: bartenders
-
User-Generated Cocktails
In my latest story for the San Francisco Chronicle, I examine how bars are now trusting consumers to make good decisions instead of putting out lists of rules about what they can’t order.
-
Smuggler’s Cove in Pictures and Words
Smuggler's Cove, the San Francisco tiki bar by "Shoeless" Martin Cate, opens in San Francisco on Tuesday, December 8th. I got a sneak preview along with other members of the press on Thursday night. To give you an idea about the level of excitement around this bar opening, some cocktail nerds drove up from Los…
-
Otard Cognac Visit
Last month I took a big trip to Cognac to learn about cognac. One of the many houses I visited was Otard. This cognac house is located in the former fortifying castle of Cognac in which Francois the First was born, on the Charente River next door to Hennessy. A tour of Otard is part…
-
Bartenders Hitting Their Hoes
—
by
For some reason, the San Francisco Chronicle didn't choose the above title for my story that comes out Sunday August 30th. I can't think of why. More bars growing own cocktail ingredients Camper English, Special to The Chronicle Friday, August 28, 2009 Victoria D'Amato-Moran grows tomatoes, Asian pears, Fuji apples, blackberries, roses and many herbs…
-
Heirloom Tomatoes, Ripe for Drinking
It's tomato season and all the local restaurants are rolling out the tomato carts and tomato specialty dinners. The bartenders are getting in on the action too. At Range, Carlos Yturria's famous Sungold Zinger is back on the menu, made with Sungold Zinger cherry tomatoes, No. 209 gin, lemon, agave syrup, and salt. The bartenders…
-
Ginger Beer Gives a Buck more Bang
My latest story in the San Francisco Chronicle (from Sunday's paper) went online today. Read it here. Ginger beer gives a buck more bang Camper English, Special to The Chronicle Friday, July 24, 2009 When ginger ale or beer is mixed with citrus in a drink, it is – or more accurately, was – known…
-
Drinks to Match the Dress
San Francisco bartender pairs cocktail with cocktail dress Camper English, Special to The Chronicle Sunday, July 12, 2009 Many cocktail contests now require bartenders to pair drinks with meals or invent them on the spot with a secret ingredient, but a recent competition challenged mixologists around the world with a new pairing: cocktails with cocktail…
-
Bartender Style
I have two stories in this Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle. The first one is on bartender style, with man-on-the-street shots taken at the St. George Spirits distillery during the American Distilling Institute conference last weekend. On Location: Bartenders' personal style Camper English, Special to The ChronicleFriday, April 10, 2009 Bartenders' outfits are largely dictated by…
-
Bar Stars of SF
The SF Chronicle's Bar Stars 2009 feature just came out, and the introduction to the winners is here. The 2009 Bar Stars are: Reza Esmali of Conduit Brooke Arthur of Range Marcovaldo Dionysos of Clock Bar Cate Whalen of Pizzaiolo Thad Vogler of Heaven's Dog I did the write-up of Thad Vogler. I think the…
-
San Francisco’s Next All-Star Bar
I recently spoke with Erik Adkins (Slanted Door, Flora) who is the bar manager of the soon-to-open Charles Phan (Slanted Door's chef/owner) restaurant next to the Soma Grand building on Mission Street. After much wavering on the name (the code name was "Phantom" at one point, get it), they seem to have settled on Heaven's…