Nightmare Before Christmas
Armando Conway, Calaveras Cantina and Voodoo Bayou
Ingredients:
1 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
¾ oz. organic agave nectar
1 charcoal pill
1 ½ oz. Ghost pepper-infused tequila
½ oz. cinnamon-infused whiskey
Hibiscus-infused sugar and edible rose Petals for garnish
Preparation:
In a small shaker, squeeze fresh lime juice, then add organic agave nectar into the shaker (Tres Agaves used here). Open charcoal pill and add the powder into the shaker, then add tequila and whiskey. Mix all ingredients, add ice, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a hibiscus sugar–rimmed double old fashioned glass, over a large ice cube. Garnish with edible rose.
About Armando: A native of Mexico City, Armando Conway earned a law degree in his home country before moving to the United States and deciding to focus on a different kind of bar. He worked as beverage manager in high-profile venues such as Hakkasan in Beverly Hills and The Cocktail Collective at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. In 2019, he made his way to Florida and is currently beverage director in charge of designing the bar programs at both Calaveras Cantina and Voodoo Bayou. “I love cooking and making cocktails—they’re very similar,” he says. “And I also love talking to people. I’d hate to be stuck at a desk or behind a computer all day.”
Calaveras Cantina, 125 Dockside Circle, Jupiter; calaverascantina.com; 561.320.9661; Voodoo Bayou, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave. # 5095, Palm Beach Gardens; voodoobayou.com; 561.888.6703
Jamaican Christmas
Katy Galluccio, The Parched Pig
Ingredients:
¾ oz. Blackwell Jamaican rum
¾ oz. Smith & Cross Jamaican pot still rum
½ oz. St. Elizabeth allspice dram
½ oz. cinnamon syrup
½ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. lime juice
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
1 egg white
Crushed ice for shaking
Cinnamon stick for garnish
Preparation:
Add all ingredients except cinnamon stick to shaking tin and fill with crushed ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into second shaking tin without ice. Now shake low and slow to really lift and beat the egg white to perfect fluffy texture. Double-strain into cold martini or coupe glass. Hold one end of the cinnamon stick and, with a lighter or cooking torch, apply flame to char cinnamon. Using a microplane, shave toasted cinnamon flakes on top and enjoy.
About Katy: Despite receiving a degree in exercise science from FSU, Tallahassee native Katy Galluccio worked in restaurants from the age of 15 and felt an irresistible pull from behind the bar. After a stint in Maui with OSI Restaurant Partners (the parent company of Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill), she returned to the mainland and lent her mixing skills to restaurants and bars around Florida. In 2017, she joined Tim Lipman’s team at The Parched Pig as bar manager. “I was lucky to start a few months after we received our full liquor license, so I had the opportunity to help develop the bar program,” she says. “Every day is
different, and I’m constantly learning and growing in knowledge about the craft.” A special, festive cocktail list makes its debut at the Pig this month in addition to a selection of alcohol-free Christmas mocktails.
The Parched Pig, 4580 Donald Ross Road #100, Palm Beach Gardens;
theparchedpig.com; 561.360.3063
Ol’ Fashioned Holiday
Carlos Caba, Nitrogen Bar, Grill, and Sushi
Ingredients:
2 oz. bourbon
¼ oz. cinnamon simple syrup
¼ oz. homemade grenadine
Dash of Angostura bitters
Dash of cranberry bitters
Large ice cube
Long orange rind strips and cherry for garnish
Preparation:
Put large ice cube in an old fashioned glass, add bourbon, bitters, simple syrup, and grenadine, and stir. Garnish with orange rinds (and a cherry if you’d like).
About Carlos: Originally from Las Vegas, Carlos Caba served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army before moving to Florida and becoming a bartender. He started at Nitrogen in 2018 and now serves as both beverage manager and general manager. For his Ol’ Fashioned Holiday cocktail, he used ingredients appropriate for the season. “The cranberry bitters and cinnamon simple syrup give it a Christmas feel,” he says. “And bourbon just makes everything better.” Caba’s philosophy of hospitality is simple: “To be genuine is to be successful. Anyone can give you a fake smile, but it changes the entire equation when someone takes an interest in you and knows your name.”
Nitrogen Bar, Grill, and Sushi, 6779 W. Indiantown Road Suite 18, Jupiter; nitrogenbrasserie.com; 561.972.2944
Bad Santa
Peabo Powell, Brick & Barrel Pub
Ingredients:
2 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 ½oz. whole milk
¼ oz. maple syrup
½ oz. vanilla syrup
1 whole egg
8 drops of cinnamon bitters
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
Cookie of your choice
Preparation:
Add everything except the nutmeg to a shake tin, add ice, and shake for 25-30 seconds. Strain mixture back into original shake tin and shake for another 25-30 seconds without ice, then strain into a glass of your choice (just make sure it’s wide enough for dunking cookies). Grate fresh nutmeg on top and serve with your favorite cookie (homemade Snickerdoodle poppers used here).
About Peabo: Beverage Director Peabo Powell grew up in northern Georgia but earned his stripes during a 10-year stint in Los Angeles, where he was fortunate to be at ground zero of the craft cocktail revolution. Here in South Florida, he worked at the original Brick & Barrel in Lake Park and followed Chef David Schroeder when he opened another location in Abacoa this past June. “I moved to L.A. to become an actor and began bartending to make some money,” says Powell. “But I quickly realized that everyone has a story to tell, and as a bartender, you get to hear them.” His goal is to eliminate the pretension that exists in some high-end cocktail bars: “It’s easy for people to get overwhelmed when they’re confronted with a bunch of unfamiliar ingredients. I want to get rid of that atmosphere and create an environment where people are comfortable and can enjoy themselves.”
Brick & Barrel Pub, 1153 Town Center Drive Suite 101, Jupiter; brickandbarrelpub.com; 561.623.0916
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