Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/931490
34 / the tasting panel / january/february 2018 If you are a mixologist or wine professional interested in being featured here or want more information on Chef's Roll and Somm's List, please email featured@chefsroll.com. PHOTO: TALIA KLEINPLATZ, TWO FOR THE BAR PHOTO: HEIDI GELDHAUSER JAY CARTER Bar Manager at Cooks & Soldiers in Atlanta, GA Cooks & Soldiers takes the Gin and Tonic seriously, offering guests four different specialty cocktails that showcase different variations of gins, mixers, and garnishes. What inspires the "Tonic of the Week"? It's at the intersection of curiosity and circumstance. I began utilizing the flavor bible for combinations that work well, then started mixing and matching things I liked along with the items suggested. As I progressed, I started factoring in the different ways the tonic's flavor was experienced with dif- ferent spirits, as well as different methods of getting certain elements in the tonic to be more present on the palate. What's the anatomy of your perfect Gin and Tonic? I'm a fan of a good barrel-aged gin—Ransom Old Tom is my go-to—and Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic, garnished with some lemon and lime peels as well as a little cardamom. The combination results in a bit of oak and vanilla from the gin, mixed into a mélange of aromatic and citrus notes that epitomize refreshing for me. MATT PIACENTINI Owner of The Up & Up in New York and Co-Owner of Clyde Common and Pépé Le Moko in Portland, OR Does your approach on spirits, cocktails, and atmo- sphere change when working at The Up & Up in New York to Clyde Common or Pépé Le Moko in Portland? Being a full-time NYC resident, my involvement in Portland involves more big-picture, conceptual aspects of the place. The bar at Clyde Common is first and foremost a hotel bar, but it was always supposed to have a broader appeal. With Pépé, we were able to do a much more focused idea: in particular, making super-good versions of under- appreciated drinks. On the other hand, The Up & Up is a New York City bar through and through. The atmosphere, the music, the design, and especially the spirit and cocktail offerings are all exactly what we want them to be. What are some of your own personal tips for creating a cocktail menu that is well-rounded and creative, but that also sells? Make sure the drink that's going to be most popular is the one you're going to make money off of. Use a super-friendly ingredient to broaden people's comfort zones; we want to give people what they want, but we also want to expand their horizons if we can. At The Up & Up, we encourage our bartend- ers to come up with drinks and submit them for menu inclusion. We've partnered with Chef's Roll & Somm's List, the global culinary and wine professional networks, to learn more about beverage experts from across the country.