Two-Drink Minimum: Two Cocktails Recommended by Shana

Scott Beattie has certainly raised the bar for cocktails, not just in Healdsburg, but all over the United States. His soon to be released book, Artisanal Cocktails: Drinks Inspired by the Seasons from the Bar at Cyrus (you can pre-order it on Amazon) is all about using local ingredients to create unique, fresh custom cocktails. Though I have still not visited Cyrus to try one of his signature cocktails, I have enjoyed my fair share of beverages at many other establishments in Healdsburg.

Months ago I discovered my favorite cocktail — A hand-made Blueberry Lemondrop by Anthony DeMaria in the Hotel Healdsburg lobby bar. Anthony hand muttles the blueberries ending up with a Hotel Healdsburg signature cocktail that is so good it can be dangerous.

Currently, they are making the same drink with blackberries, lime juice and tequila, so ask for a Blackberry Limedrop and they will make it for you.

Selecting a second favorite cocktail was a bit difficult because I am in love with a few different drinks from a few favorite bartenders. Chelsea and KC’s Mojitos at Ravenous are deliciously refreshing, while the Pineapple Lemondrop from Daniel at Willies Seafood & Raw Bar is tart and quenching. In the end, I had to go with an old favorite, that Erin Beecher from the B&B Lounge calls a “Hibiscus.”

It is a combination of Gloria Ferrer Sparkling Blanc de Noirs and cranberry juice with a splash of orange juice for an extra tangy kick. Ever since I tried the combination of sparkling wine and cranberry juice one Thanksgiving, I fell in love with this nameless drink. Erin randomly poured it for me one day and named it a Hibiscus. If you are looking for a zesty pick-me-up, visit Erin during the day on a Saturday and she will make this drink for you, or a spicy Bloody Mary that will cure any hangover better than any espresso.

Visit either one of these establishments and tell Anthony or Erin that Shana sent you…. Oh. and don’t forget…tip your bartenders.

Hotel Healdsburg Bar: 25 Matheson Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448
The B&B Lounge: 420 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Two-Drink Minimum: A Challenge

Two weeks ago, I met Shana for drinks at Ravenous before KC Mosso’s The Situation opened for Langhorne Slim. We were talking about this magazine and ideas that we had and she was introducing me to people she knew. It was all very exciting. I ordered a beer (a safe drink, I know). She ordered a mojito. We were just talking and laughing and meeting people while we waited for the music to start and we came up with this idea: Two-Drink Minimum.

Initially we were going to solicit the general population’s opinion for this new column: What are your favorite two drinks in Healdsburg? Who makes them? We wanted to get people out and about trying new things.

BUT tonight, after dinner with a friend and running a few other errands, I was driving home (twiddling my hair with one hand and driving with the other) and I had THE BEST idea for this column: Make it a challenge–a challenge to the bartenders of Healdsburg to showcase their signature drinks.

Isn’t that an exciting idea? So–that’s what it’s going to be–exactly that. Bartenders, here is my challenge to you:

What are your two signature drinks? How do you serve them? What is the story behind your the creation of the drink?

Think about it. Just think about it for awhile. Let it ruminate. And when you’re ready. WHEN YOU are ready.

Submit it. Submit a picture of the drink. Submit your picture. Submit your story. And we here at Healdsburg Magazine will try to get everybody to come in to try it.

You can submit up to two drinks at a time (hence the title of the column: Two-Drink Minimum). We will need to know your name, where you work, and when you work. I’m creating a completely new email just to take submissions for this column: twodrinks@HealdsburgMagazine.com

How about we just start with that?

PS: You can also take pictures of people enjoying your drink and send them in too. Maybe at the end of it all, we’ll have an event where people can vote on their favorite.