Tag archives: cocktails

Casa del Herrero’s newest outreach, Cocktails at the Casa, officially launched its opening soirée on Thursday, September 14, at its house and gardens. Casa del Herrero Board Secretary Mari McAlister with her fellow board members and staff created the event as an introduction to their new club for locals. “We are all thrilled to welcome […]

This summer it’s time to take advantage of one of the easiest, most refreshing cocktails you can find. Endlessly versatile, and easy to adjust to your tastes, a smash is a cocktail that will make everyone happy. Best of all, they are dead simple to make. Read on to see how to make your summer […]

Grilling season is officially here, and summer is unofficially kicking off. It’s time to explore one of my favorite flavors to incorporate into summertime cocktails: smoke. The exquisite character of smoke evokes something ancestral in us, the smell of a wood-burning fire or the aroma of delicious food grilling away over a bed of hot […]

The temperature is starting to rise, beautiful garden gatherings are ramping up, and humming bees collecting pollen can be heard any time you step outside. It is music to my ears for so many reasons, and it instantly brings to mind one of my favorite spring cocktails: The Bee’s Knees. Let’s take a look at […]

At its heart, a cocktail is defined as having three parts: spirit, sugar, and bitters. Today we’re going to dive a little deeper into the world of sugar and sweeteners for cocktails. As I discussed in a previous article, sweet is one of the most important components for balancing a cocktail. Additionally, it is one […]

Coupe, Collins, Nick and Nora, highball, rocks, double old fashioned, julep, and the list goes on. Have you ever wondered why there are so many glasses for cocktails? What is each style used for? What’s the difference between an old fashioned, rocks, and lowball? Sometimes glasses are generic and used for many different drinks (e.g. […]

One of the things I love about Montecito this time of year is the incredible scents that start filling the air. Each week something new is wafting in the breeze. Today, as I walk out the door, a wall of jasmine greets me. Next, it will soon give way to the intoxicating aroma of orange […]

As we wind down 2021 and ring in the new year, it is time to discuss the single most important concept in crafting a cocktail and that is balance. Balance is that elusive point where all the ingredients harmonize, and the result is so much more than the mere sum of its parts. Have you […]

The Martini. The Old Fashioned. The Manhattan. Names steeped in cocktail lore, each a classic, stirred cocktail (despite a famous, suit-wearing movie spy who requests his martini shaken, not stirred). As the temperature dips and the holiday gatherings commence, I find myself reaching for a spirit-forward, stirred sip that livens the tastebuds and hastens the […]

There is something unmistakable about the sound of ice and a cocktail in the making. It is a delicate dance, a shaking tin that makes sweet music so full of promise. So, let’s shake up something festive for the holidays! The Inspiration For a perfect sip before your holiday meal, I chose a simple, lower […]

One of the sexiest cocktail bars in Santa Barbara just became the merriest. Pearl Social — a consistently great place to sip and be seen in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone — is now part of what’s become a global Christmastime phenomenon. They call it Miracle. And it officially makes Acme Hospitality’s landmark […]

Hello and welcome to Mixing It Up! My name is Ian Wickman. I will be your host in this column about all things cocktail. I am lucky to be a fellow Montecito resident and have lived here with my wife and two daughters for the last eight years. I am a cocktail creator and cook, […]

The Art Foundation of Santa Barbara presented its fall cocktail reception at the Santa Barbara Club with drinks and dinner on the lawn and a most interesting lecture indoors. The keynote speaker was Jean (pronounced Jon) Stern. He joked about being taken for a girl many times because of his name. He was born in […]

Yield: One cocktail Ingredients: 3/4 ounce Sazerac Rye 3/4 ounce Hardy VSOP cognac 3/4 ounce fresh Meyer lemon juice 1 1/4 ounces honey chamomile syrup 1.Combine all ingredients, shake well, strain into bucket glass with a large cube.  2. Garnish with Meyer lemon wheel, star anise, and cinnamon

I  was recently explaining to a clinical psychologist friend of mine that a coping mechanism I use during the pandemic is to mentally escape to another destination when times get stressful. “I’m sure I’m not the only one using escapism to cope,” I added. My friend, Weston, a college buddy, said he couldn’t understand why […]

When Brandon Ristaino and his partner and wife Misty Orman started The Good Lion bar on State Street, no one believed there was a market in Santa Barbara for a stand-alone drinkery featuring the fine art of mixology. Five years later with three local establishments, including Test Pilot in the Funk Zone and Shaker Mill on […]

The Cottage Health folks call it the “party of the year” and the Tiara Ball was certainly one of the most elegant. Tiaras and tuxes abounded. Formal is fun! It could have been a scene in a movie. There was no silent or live auction in sight thanks to the generous support of its patrons. […]

Thirsty? May I suggest the “Storm Cellar” at Finch & Fork? After all, every sip helps! The mixology team at the popular restaurant and bar at Santa Barbara’s Kimpton Canary Hotel launched a unique charity drive this summer – Cocktails for a Cause. A new mixed drink is introduced each month and proceeds from the […]

For these five bartenders, this was a tall order, indeed: create a mixed drink that encapsulates the essence, the beauty, and the charm of Santa Barbara. They shook and muddled and stirred, and at the end of this annual bartender contest, The Lark came out on top. Their “Sticky Fingers,” a gin- and mezcal-based cocktail […]