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Bartender's Choice - Martha Mack, Mary's at Baldwin Creek

June 22, 2016

Bartender's choice presents a signature cocktail featuring a locally made spirit. This round is from 2015 Vermont Bartender of the year Martha Mack from Mary's Restaurant at the Inn at Baldwin Creek in Bristol. Find out what she's shaking up...

Name:

Martha Mack

Bar/Restaurant:

Inn at Baldwin Creek Mary’s Restaurant

When can we find you behind the bar?

Wednesday and Sunday night

Go-to drink?

Corpse Reviver #2

 

Last drink you had?

Spring Gimlet from Chris Maloney of Hen of the Wood Burlington. Gimlet with spruce tip syrup.

When you aren't behind your bar, where's your favorite Vermont cocktail spot?

Pizzeria Verita or American Flatbread in Middlebury

To pair or not to pair? Cocktails with food or to be enjoyed on their own?

Definitely enjoyed on their own (but they’re great with dinner as well).

How have you seen cocktail culture change in Vermont?

In the last few years, customers have gotten really interested in their cocktails. They want to know about new ingredients and techniques and ask questions. This engagement makes it a really fun time to be a bartender. Case and point? People in Vermont are no longer wary of egg white cocktails.

Tell us a little about your style and why you are sharing this drink recipe in particular?

I love taking a classic cocktail and tweaking it. I find the basic recipes to old school cocktails to be perfect blueprints and a natural jumping off point for cocktail creation. I like to do something to make them “mine” whether it’s switching out one of the ingredients or adding an additional flavor note. I like to say “there has never been a recipe I haven’t tinkered with”. I describe my cocktail style as grounded in classic recipes with a very creative and modern influence. This recipe is a riff on a tiki drink called Fog Cutter. I have discovered that Mad River’s vanilla rum is great in tiki styles drinks (it’s also delightful in basically everything—seriously try it!) and the subtle vanilla notes really compliment Stonecutter’s barrel aged gin. Those two were the backbone of this drink with notes of fruit and warm spice. It’s a great summertime sipper.

Recipe

 

Cloud Nine (this is an ode to the FOG cutter name of the original)

1 oz Mad River Distillers Vanilla Rum

.75 Stonecutter Single Barrel Gin

.5 oz fresh squeezed orange juice

.25 oz lemon juice

.25 oz cinnamon syrup (recipe below)

.25 oz falernum

.25 oz white rum

1 dash Amaretto Disaronno

muddled fresh local strawberries

Muddle strawberries with both juices (orange and lemon). Add rums, gin, falernum, syrup, and dash of amaretto. Shake vigorously. Double strain (using fine mesh strainer) into chilled coupe or nick and nora glass. Garnish with small strawberry. 

Cinnamon syrup:

5 cinnamon sticks

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Break cinnamon sticks in half. Add sugar, water and cinnamon sticks to pot. Place over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Let simmer till sugar is completely dissolved. Let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out cinnamon sticks.

When you visit...

Mary's has a robust events calendar filled with classes, special pairing dinners and cocktail previews. Check out the schedule and save the date for these up and coming events:

Saturday, July 2nd- Pig roast cocktail dinner in collaboration with Whistlepig! In the big red barn and featuring a pig raised at Whistlepig Farm along with a seafood boil and all the fixings. Mary's pairing each course with a historical punch. $75 per ticket.

Classic movie nights (from the 1940’s/50’s) in the red barn on Fridays in July and August. Free movies. Drinks and food available for purchase. Check out our website for title listings. 

Thank you to Flavor Plate for donating their time and effort to the design and co-development of our website.