Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1249
82 / the tasting panel / june 2009 L aurelhurst Market in Portland, Oregon, is styled after an old-school French steakhouse with an intense focus on sourcing all animal and pro- duce from local and sustainable farms. The restau- rant also has a fully-functioning butcher shop on site. Head Bartender Evan Zimmerman goes to the farmers' market every day to keep his weekly cocktail menus fresh and up-to-date. His training, obsession with pre-Prohibition cocktails and market- fresh approach make a perfect starting point for THE TASTING PANEL's new PRO-fi le feature. —Eric Tecosky (ET) TP: First experience as a bartender? Evan Zimmerman: My real start was the thrill of my grandfather letting me stir his Manhattans for him when I was 12. TP: What would a customer fi nd interesting about your bar? EZ: Basically, we have a farm to table focus. I spend as much time in the markets and kitchen as I do behind the stick. TP: Your favorite cocktail? EZ: A Sazerac made properly with Cognac. The oldest of old-school drinks and one that shows per- fect balance and ingredient interplay. Plus, I have a serious Peychaud's [bitters] addiction. TP: Best advice you ever received as a bartender? EZ: My mentor, Todd Thrasher, told me to always have a good time behind the bar. It's hard work, but the reality is we get to spend our entire careers mak- ing people happy and doing what we love. We can't lose sight of that. TP: Cocktail: The Thin Man or Coyote Ugly? EZ: Thin Man all the way! Nick and Nora were so awesome. And so help me, if I hear "Kokomo" one more time, I might kill myself. TP: Biggest pet peeve? EZ: I can't stand to see someone not shake drinks properly. If you're going to shake a drink, you better really shake the crap out of it. TP: Give us an original cocktail. EZ: Here's one of my creations: The Minor Threat 1 oz. cucumber-style gin 1 oz. Aperol 1/2 oz. lemon Juice Dash of simple syrup 2 dashes of rose water 1 egg white Peychaud's bitters for garnish Put all ingredients into a cock- tail shaker and shake without ice (dry shake) for 20 seconds. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a cocktail glass and fl oat a few drops of bitters on top of the froth. Evan Zimmerman, Head Bartender at Laurelhurst Market in Port- land, Oregon. PRO PRO-fi le: Evan Zimmerman