The Tasting Panel magazine

May 2011

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Thatcher’s in Action . . . at RN74 Justin Roberts, Lead Bartender at RN74 in San Francisco, sees the Thatcher’s Organic Liqueurs as new playthings, and he likes playing with the Pomegranate. “I make a Pomegranate Caipirinha, which comes out pretty good,” says Roberts, who presides over one of the city’s busier happy hours. Roberts’s creations compete with more than 50 wines by the glass in this Burgundy-themed restaurant/winebar, and this has him both experimenting and drawing from historic recipes. One of his favorites is a Golden Dawn, a cocktail Elderberry, to please tourists and pair with periodic menu changes. Nodding to the dining room where they serve modern adaptations of simple, French, country cuisine, Roberts says, “We try to play into their flavors and we’ll see what kind of seasonal fruit shows up.” at Sauce Justin Roberts is Lead Mixologist at RN74, Michael Mina’s Burgundy-themed winebar bistro in San Francisco. he makes with Calvados, gin, apricot brandy, orange juice and Thatcher’s Pomegranate. “That’s an old drink—a pre- Prohibition-era cocktail,” he says. “It’s fun to make a drink like that with modern ingredients.” Thatcher’s definitely fills a niche for him by providing organic alternatives in a foodie restaurant where such options are often requested. With the wintry weather, he has been playing with the darker drinks. “The other one I like to play around with is the Apple Spiced Ginger. It goes well with bourbon and honey, those kinds of flavors.” He pauses, letting a wry smile grow, then adds, “Throw a little Dijon in there.” But with summer around the corner, he will lighten things up with Thatcher’s Cucumber and lighter flavors like the Sauce is a good place to get sauced (assuming you have a designated driver), or to have dinner before the opera. Located within walking distance of San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall and War Memorial Opera House, it gets busy when either is in season. Having one of the few kitchens that stays open late and a bar that’s open ‘til 2 a.m., Sauce gets a late rush from workers fresh from their shifts in other Hayes Valley restaurants. And in the outer room, a friendly bartender holds court and greets regulars with a heartfelt smile and a handshake. Riel Peloquin, Sauce’s Head Mixologist, puts a warm glow on a usually chilly city. Thatcher’s is a recent arrival on his shelves, and the liqueurs have become some of his favorite tools of late. “They are light-flavored spirits that you can enhance cocktails with,” says Peloquin. “Typically, they enhance and flavor clear spirits in a subliminal way.” Thatcher’s Elderflower has become one of his go-to ingredients for subtle and simple cocktails. Peloquin says, “I now have a huge fan following for the Elderflower liqueur in Prosecco wine—a sort of Elderflower Spritzer if you will. It’s very summery.” Peloquin is also having fun with some of the five other Thatcher’s flavors that he stocks at Sauce. Another of his favorites is switching out the vermouth in a Manhattan with Thatcher’s Dark Chocolate. He is delighting in creating dia- bolical drinks with Thatcher’s in brown spirits. “It’s more fun to create something magical with whiskey or añejo tequila,“ Peloquin says. “That’s what’s challenging—to dabble in the dark spirits.” may 201 1 / the tasting panel / 113 Mixologist Riel Peloquin keeps the customers satisfied at Sauce in San Francisco.

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