Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/5037
W hile the DJs at HiFi, a neighborhood bar in San Francisco's Marina District that caters largely to a Millennial (21–35) crowd, keep the house mix pumping, General Manager Marshall Leonardy makes sure that the cocktails are every bit as interesting as the dance fl oor at this centrally-located hotspot. Leonardy, a native of Pitts- burg, California who began working as a mixologist at the now defunct Pres a Vi, is someone who truly enjoys being center stage. He went from one spotlight to another when he swapped his budding career as a bass player in an alternative rock band for that of bartender and then General Manager of HiFi. "The clientele at HiFi is ready to expand their understand- ing of spirits, and they're looking to us to steer them in the right direction," says Leonardy, who obliges by switching out the shot board on a weekly basis and introducing cocktails based on brown spirits, which are growing in popularity. He and fellow bartender David Ruiz, from sister bar Mr. Smith's, recently collaborated to develop a seasonal cocktail based on Jameson. Ruiz' company, That's My Jam, specializes in making fruit jams that are in high demand by local mixologists for their complex seasonal fl avors. His Cinnamon Fig jam pro- vides the perfect note of warmth that transforms a basic whiskey sour into a one-of-a-kind seasonal specialty. With a truly inspired twist on a classic, Leonardy and Ruiz have a whiskey-based cock- tail with broad appeal. Jamming at HiFi bartender and then General Winter Baby Jamie 3 oz. Jameson 1 oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed ¼ oz. lime juice 2 tbsp. cinnamon g jam ½ oz. agave nectar Muddle all ingredients well. Shake, double-strain and serve up, garnished with mint. HiFi GM Marshall Leonardy and fellow mixologist David Ruiz developed the Winter Baby Jamie to help bridge their Millennial- age customers to brown spirits. PHOTO: DEBORAH PARKER WONG PHOTO: DEBORAH PARKER WONG december 2009 / the tasting panel / 37