Happy Hour With: Hummingbird Gardens

One sunny summer afternoon, Amanda Montgomery, owner of Hummingbird Gardens, invited us over to see her amazing garden and, of course, mix up some delicious, refreshing cocktails using fresh herbs. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, Amanda will teach you everything you need to know about using fresh herbs in infusions and cocktails.

Tell us a little about your company.

Hummingbird Gardens is an herb, edible flower, and cut flower-focused market garden (or yard farm) that is in my front and backyard in Southside Richmond. I source mainly to local restaurants and have a small garden share program that provides folks with herbs, a bouquet, and an item from another partner business. In addition, I make herb salts that I sell on my website, some retail sites, and at events like Brunch Market.

We broke ground in October of 2015 and I had my first season in 2016. It feels like yesterday and a million years ago all at the same time!

How long have you been gardening?

I’ve done it in spurts my whole life. I had some marigolds as a kid and spent a lot of time hauling plants around for my grandmas when I would visit them in Savannah and New Jersey. I started gardening in earnest my senior year of college and continued after I graduated. I volunteered with Tricycle Gardens not from from the Belle Isle Moonshine distillery and helped break ground on their farm in Manchester. After that, I went to graduate school in Pittsburgh where I worked at a small farm called Churchview Farm and at my school’s farm, Eden Hall.

What do you love most about gardening?

There's so much to love! I love bringing more life into the world. I love creating a space that other people and creatures can be happy in and can thrive. I love watching things grow and (hopefully) helping them along. Most importantly, I love sharing what I grow with others.

What are you growing currently?

Loaded question! I grow a variety of herbs including 3 kinds of thyme, 7 kinds of basil, 4 kinds of sage, and a bunch of edible flowers including bachelor’s buttons (which I'll be using in a cocktail today), cosmos, anise hyssop, and gem marigolds. 

Who do you work with in the area? How are folks using your products?

I have a Garden Share program that several local restaurants participate in - it’s basically a CSA and they get 5 items from me a week for 20 weeks. My clients all use my products differently, but I’ve seen edible flowers in anything from cocktails to desserts, and recently I saw that Hutch used my pineapple sage in one of their fish dishes. Sometimes we come up with things together!

What are some tips for using fresh herbs in infusions and cocktails?

You can use fresh herbs as a garnish, muddle them when mixing a drink, or make a simple syrup infusion.

Fresh herbs are a lot of fun to experiment with in cocktails and infusions. Unlike dried ingredients such as tea leaves that infuse very quickly, fresh herbs give you a bit more room to play around. You can adjust how powerful you want the flavor of the herbs to be by changing quantity used and time left infusing.

My infusion recipes are typically 1 part herb to 4-6 parts spirit. When you use a spirit with a higher alcohol content like Belle Isle 100 Proof, it pulls flavors from the herbs quicker than a lower proof spirit will. I'll put my infusion in a sealed container for a full day, taste it, and continue to infuse it for another 2-4 days, just tasting it along the way. Once it gets to where I want, I pull the herbs out, fine strain out anything left, and put it back in a bottle.

My favorite herbs to use in cocktails are basil, lemon verbena, or rosemary.

I think of herbs as the knot that ties other ingredients together by complementing their flavors or adding a new element to a cocktail to round it out. So if your other ingredients are all bitter, you might use something citrusy or tea-like. If your cocktail is hearty and heavy, you might use a bright, spicy herb to finish it off. A lot of times I'll use dishes from cuisines around the world to think of flavor pairing ideas and inspiration.
 
What fresh herb-infused cocktails did you make today?

The Blueberry Garden

Preparation:

Muddle blueberries and thyme in the bottom of a highball glass. Add ice to the glass, pour in Belle Isle Premium Moonshine, top with seltzer, and stir.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
• 6-10 fresh blueberries
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 oz. seltzer water

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Lavender Coffee Hour

Preparation:

Add a coffee ice cube to a glass, then top with lavender-infused Belle Isle & tonic and stir.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. lavender-infused Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee Moonshine*
• 3 oz. tonic water

*Add 1-2 lavender flower heads to 12 oz. Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee Moonshine, let steep for 4 hours, tasting occasionally.

Photos by Kate Magee + Cocktail Recipes by Amanda Montgomery of Hummingbird Gardens

Warm Weather-Ready Cocktails

It's official: Spring has sprung. We're shaking off our winter blues with a few of our favorite cocktail recipes that are the perfect way to kick off patio season.

Coco Mojito

Hijack a warm-weather classic with this delicious twist featuring Belle Isle Premium Moonshine + coconut water.

H.H.P.

Take the hassle out of Happy Hour with this simple + tasty tropical cocktail.

Dirty Bird

Kacie's creation at Laura Lee's uses Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee as an update to a tiki classic that's worth the trip to her bar.

Garden Greyhound

This delicious combination of Premium Moonshine, grapefruit, and rosemary is as pretty as it is tasty.

Shake Appeal

This one's a little complex, but worth the payoff. Check out Tommy of Sabai's incredible pawpaw infusion with Belle Isle 100 Proof.

Want more recipes? We've got you covered.

Party Prepped: The Freeze-Ahead Cocktail

Throwing together a last-minute Galentine's party? Busy schedule right before your Valentine's Day date night? We've got you covered. Thanks to the magic of mixology and the science of modern refrigeration, you can have a delicious cocktail batched and ready to serve in no time. Introducing, the freeze-ahead cocktail.

The freeze-ahead cocktail is popping up in some of the most popular bars around the country, but its usefulness when fixing drinks at home is what makes the idea so genius. The premise is simple: pre-batch your favorite cocktail (stick to something boozy), dilute with the same amount of water you'd get from adding ice, and stick it in the freezer.

The result? An incredibly smooth, velvety texture added to your already enjoyable cocktail. For our celebrations, we put one of our favorites, the Cold Brew Negroni, to the test. Want to give it a shot as well? Follow along with us below.

1) Pick your drink.

When it comes to picking your cocktail to freeze, select something that is "spirit-forward" or boozy. The success of the freeze-ahead cocktail relies on the alcohol content of the drink stopping it from freezing fully through.

We chose to mix up a Cold Brew Negroni, which is equal parts Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee, Campari, and sweet vermouth, each about a 1 oz. pour. Twists on other classic drinks like a Martini, Manhattan, or Old Fashioned are great options as well.

2) Do the math.

Once you've selected your cocktail, find out how many cocktails you plan to serve. You can estimate based on how many guests or by starting with what spirit you already have handy.

For our Negroni recipe, we can make about 25 cocktails with one bottle of Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee. From there, we calculate how many ounces/milliliters we'll need of Campari and vermouth.

Since our recipe calls for equal parts, it is pretty simple. For more complex recipes, you'll need to spend a little more time doing the math. And like any great chef would, we recommend tasting as you go along.

3) Dump, then dilute down.

Now that you have all of your ingredients together, dump them into a freezable dispenser. Any carafe or glass bottle will work, as long as it is big enough for your batched cocktail. Before it goes into the freezer, you'll need to dilute down your cocktail with water.

Deciding how much water to dilute with isn't an exact science, but you can make a more informed decision based on how the drink is typically made (shaken, stirred, built over ice) and how boozy it is. Shaken drinks are more diluted than stirred, and stirred are more diluted than built drinks.

If your cocktail is lower in alcohol, you can vary more with how much water you add. For our cocktail, we add 3/4 oz. of water per each cocktail serving. If you're serving something stronger like a martini, you might consider adding 2-3 times more water for dilution.

4) Stick it in the freezer.

With all of the math and guessing games out of the way, you can celebrate with an easy step. Stick your batched cocktail into the freezer and get back to your busy day!

5) Reveal your masterpiece.

Now that you're ready to relax and celebrate with friends or loved ones, pop open your freezer and pull out your batched cocktail. It should come out still in liquid form, but a little thicker and velvety.

If your cocktail froze through into a solid chunk, don't worry! Run the container under some cold water and gradually turn the water warmer. Do this for a minute or so, then set the cocktail out on the counter to defrost. The alcohol will cause the cocktail to melt fast, and should be ready to serve in no time.

6) Serve, sip, and enjoy!

Grab your glasses and get ready to share your creation. We garnish our Cold Brew Negroni with an orange peel. If your cocktail still tastes a little too strong, pour over ice to dilute it a tad more.

While enjoying your cocktail, take some mental notes on how it tastes and drinks, comparing it to how it normally tastes. Are certain notes or flavors more prominent? Does the alcohol give off the same heat or burn? Find an inspiration for more freeze-ahead experimentation in the future!

Photos by Kate Magee

Ruby Red Grapefruit Cocktails for February

Did you know February is National Grapefruit Month? We're ringing in the month-long celebrations with three fantastic Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit cocktails that will help you slide out from winter's chill and into something brighter.

Whether you want to whip these up at your Galentine's Day party or your Mardi Gras festivities, Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit is perfect for entertaining and incredibly easy to sip. Unlike other grapefruit spirits out there, ours is made with all-natural, organic grapefruits and no artificial colors or sweeteners. Let's get to mixing!

MS. FRIZZLE

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit

• ½ oz. Domaine de Canton

• ¼ oz. lemon juice

• 4 oz. sparkling wine

Preparation:

Add first three ingredients over ice into a large flute and stir lightly. Top with sparkling wine, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

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BELLE ISLE SEGMENT

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit
• Grapefruit wheel or wedge
• Cherry
• Sugar for rim

Preparation:

Add the fruits to a shaker tin, then top with Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit. Muddle ingredients and top with ice. Shake, then pour over fresh ice into a sugar-rimmed glass. Gently smack a basil leaf between your hands and garnish on top.

Recipe by The Betty on Davis

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MOULIN ROUGE

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• ¼ oz. lemon juice
• ¼ oz. Chambord

Preparation:

Combine the first three ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. Shake lightly, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Sink a bar spoon of Chambord to the bottom of the glass, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

New Year's Eve...And the Day After

No matter how you plan to ring in the New Year, you're going to want something tasty to toast on New Year's Eve and something invigorating for the day after. Have no fear, we've got you covered.

A Sparkling Citrus Celebration

2 oz. Sparkling Wine + 1/2 oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit

Toast the new year with this simple and delicious champagne cocktail. Just top your favorite sparkling with our Ruby Red Grapefruit. This recipe also works great as a punch so you can make sure the whole party has something tasty to toast at midnight.

A ZESTY REFRESHER

4 oz. Bloody Mary Mix + 2 oz. Belle Isle Honey Habanero + Ice + Garnish

Leave the vodka in 2016. Try our Honey Habanero with your favorite Bloody Mary mix (our pals at Texas Beach make a great one) and garnishes for a spicy restorative tonic that will help you shine on New Year's Day.

Better with Belle Isle: Cocktail Recipe Gift Tags

With the holidays right around the corner, there's no time like right now to pull together a great gift for your friends, loved ones, or colleagues. We're teaming up with Studio Two Three + Richmond artist Daniel Torraca to make it that much easier for you.

Just pick up a bottle of Belle Isle Premium Moonshine and print out a cocktail recipe gift tag below. Click the tags to get a printable PDF with the full recipe.

Big thanks to our friend Daniel Torraca and the folks at Studio Two Three for illustrating some of our favorite cocktails! Head here to check out the full zine of Daniel's illustrations with even more recipes.

 

BELLE ISLE PREMIUM MOONSHINE

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Belle Isle Honey Habanero

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Belle Isle Cold Brew Coffee

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Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit

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Drinksgiving: A Survival Guide

Whether your Thanksgiving festivities are full of joy or look more like a war zone, one thing remains certain: the right drink makes any celebration better.

We'd never leave you high and dry in this time of need, so here's our survival guide to making a bad Thanksgiving good, and a good Thanksgiving great.

For the Early Planner:

Cranberry + Sage Infused Moonshine

Already have your whole feast planned out and place settings ready? This delicious concoction takes some wait time to achieve perfection, making it the right pick for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
• 6 oz. cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 10-20 sprigs of fresh sage

Serving suggestion:

Pour 1.5 - 2 oz. of the cranberry and sage infusion over ice and top with soda water. 1 infused bottle yields 10-15 cocktails.

Preparation:

1. Place cranberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir.
2. Simmer the cranberry mixture until the berries burst, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the cranberry mixture to cool completely.
3. Place sage leaves in the bottle of Belle Isle Premium Moonshine, and add the cranberry mixture once it has cooled.
4. Store in a cool, dark spot for 3 to 5 days.
5. Strain the spirit and save the cranberries for a garnish.

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FOR THE CROWD-PLEASER:

Honey Habanero Cider

Got the entire family coming over for dinner? This easy big-batch recipe will help keep the peace while you focus on feeding a full house.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle Belle Isle Honey Habanero
• 1 cup Grand Marnier (or your choice of orange-flavored liqueur) 
• 2 liters apple cider (store-bought or your favorite homemade recipe)
• 2 oranges, cut into wedges
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Preparation:

1. In a 4 liter+ beverage dispenser, combine the apple cider and Grand Marnier.
2. Add the orange wedges and cinnamon sticks, then stir to combine. Let the mix stand and infuse for as long as desired.
3. Right before serving add the Belle Isle Honey Habanero and stir again.
4. Serve over ice in a rocks glass.

1 batch yields approximately 15-20 cocktails.

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FOR THE SIDELINER:

Livin' On A Pear

Notorious for always burning the stuffing? Reclaim your place in the kitchen with our simple but satisfying recipe. Trust us - you can't mess this one up.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
• 1/2 oz. pecan-walnut simple syrup*
• 3 oz. Crispin Pacific Pear Cider

Preparation:

1. In either a chilled glass or a over a big rocks cube, combine the Belle Isle Premium Moonshine and pecan-walnut simple syrup.
2. Top with Crispin Pear Cider, stir lightly, and garnish with a dash of cinnamon.

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*Pecan-Walnut Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks

Yields 1 cup of simple syrup.

Preparation:

1. Place pecans & walnuts into a saucepan, then top with 1/4 cup of sugar & cinnamon. Toast on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Add the rest of the sugar & 1/2 cup of water. Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil and stir.
3. Once the mixture has come to boil, remove from heat and continue stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Let the simple syrup cool, then seal in a container and refrigerate.

Behind the Bar: Tyler Hoppel / HK on the Bay

Getting ready to celebrate its 10th anniversary in December, HK on the Bay is nothing new to Hampton Roads and Chic's Beach residents. Popular among Virginia Beach locals and garnering the attention of the thousands of tourists that flock down annually, HK on the Bay is one of the few great places in the area where you can stroll in off the beach in your bathing suit and sit down to enjoy a high-quality meal and cocktail using local, fresh ingredients.

We took a trip down to Chic's Beach off Shore Drive to find out more about why HK on the Bay has become such a popular stalwart among locals. When we arrived, Tyler Hoppel, General Manager at HK on the Bay, treated us to an abundance of knowledge and one extremely refreshing cocktail.

Tell us about yourself…

I am the General Manager at HK on the Bay, located on Chic's Beach in Virginia Beach. This will come as a shock to most people, but I actually don’t have any bartending experience! I began my restaurant career as a server right here over 8 years ago. Over the years, I just learned by doing. I worked my tail off to learn my new craft.

What do you do when you’re not managing? Any hobbies/side jobs/secret identities?

Side job while being a restaurant manager? That’s just crazy! But hobbies, definitely anything outdoors. Camping with my fiancé and step-daughter is something I love. I also homebrew and am a huge Baltimore Orioles Fan.

What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?

I used to own a clothing company called Redemption Brand and tour with a band from Richmond called Conditions. I lived in Church Hill for a year while touring.

What’s your favorite thing to drink? Favorite classic cocktail?

Favorite thing to drink when no one’s looking? My go-to is a Session IPA. My favorite classic cocktail is a Manhattan. And no shame here, I’ll never turn down a Mojito or a jumbo Margarita. 

Tell us about your bar… 

The vibe at HK on the Bay is casual, but refined. Our bar guests consist of mainly regulars. HK on the Bay is cozy, timeless, and almost cottage-like. When you walk in you’ll see old school pictures on the wall of a time in 1977 of when the Chesapeake Bay froze over, or the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on April 15, 1964. We want to show the history of our storied neighborhood and building.

What’s the neighborhood like?

Our neighborhood is filled with a large mix of people. This place is our home. We like to say that we are just stewards of this building, as it was built in the 1930s. Our guests expect a casual setting but know they can get a $28 hand-cut all natural ribeye while they sit at the bar in their bathing suit. 

What makes your bar unique?

We want you to drink better and, if possible, drink local. I wrote an article last September called “Rethink Your Drink”. The studies show that when you drink liquors with fewer impurities, you are more likely to not feel as bad the next day; compared with drinking the same amount of “bottom shelf” liquor. We recommend you have one or two nicely prepared cocktails and enjoy the depth of flavors we create. We know you’ll pay a little more for the “higher end” spirits but you’ll thank me when you’re not as hungover the next day. We carry the same concept through to our menu as well by serving all natural, steroid free, humanely treated beef, poultry, and pork. We know when you eat and drink better, you will feel better. 

What’s your favorite part about working there?

Our guests and our employees. Our guests are truly the best. I know it’s cliché, but our staff and our guests are our family. Our Service Manager Matthew Pere and our Chef Danny Hughes work really hard to provide a truly unique experience every day, not only to our guests, but to our team as well. I love walking in the door and knowing that it is going to be different than yesterday. There are thousands of restaurants in Virginia Beach and our guests chose HK on the Bay? They pass easily 20 to 30 others on their way here. Literally, I’m humbled every single day.

What’s a good night look like for you? What are people ordering?

We sell a lot of craft beer. I wouldn’t call us a craft beer destination, but we do have over 30 craft beers and over half of them are local. On the spirit side, we sell a good amount of whiskey and vodka. I personally love visiting with tables and learning about who are guests are! Guests could have had a crappy day at work and when they come into our restaurant, we want to turn their day around before heading home. 

What’s your favorite menu item / cocktail pairing?

My personal favorite foods include pizza and burgers. Our sister restaurant, The Butcher’s Son cooks a mean rare Prime Rib and pair that with a Manhattan, I am in heaven! On our menu I can’t get enough of our new Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. Our chef really knocked it out of the park with this one! We grind all of our beef in-house, so it’s homemade in the truest form. We make a chipotle ketchup that tops off the meatloaf that just enhances the total experience. 

Can you share a Belle Isle creation with us? What inspired it?

We wanted to use a locally made spirit on our last cocktail list. We chose Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit Moonshine because of the bright flavor of the grapefruit. We wanted to enhance that experience by pairing it with pomegranate to create the ultimate cocktail to beat the summer heat.

Ruby Red Shine

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapefruit Moonshine
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 oz. Pama Liquor
• 1/4 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• Splash of Soda Water

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for soda into a shaker tin with light ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass and top with a splash of soda water.

Recipe by Katie Frank

Photos by Joey Wharton

Behind the Bar: Pete Konrad / Southbound

If you've been in Richmond long enough, you've probably heard it called "the biggest small town you’ll ever see.” With an abundance of opportunities that exist in this vibrant community, folks have the opportunity to try new things or to become a master at their skill set. Enter Pete Konrad, the Bar Manager at Southbound, who knows a bit about just how close-knit this "big small town" seems to be and what it is like to grow alongside your community.

Pete invited us Behind the Bar for an afternoon to teach us more about his eclectic background that led him to where he is and how he is bringing his craft with cocktails to yet another beloved Richmond neighborhood.

Tell us about yourself...

I've been bartending a little over 10 years now. I started really bartending when I took a job as a bartender at Gallery 5. After about a year, Nick Crider and I built a bigger bar at the Gallery and I began taking over the duties as bar manager there.

After several years of doing that, I passed the torch on and picked up a bartending gig at Portrait House. Those couple years at Portrait House were probably some of the best times in my life and made lifelong friends while working there. From there I moved to Metzger Bar and Butchery, where my drink game went from shooters to craft cocktails. Big shout out to Kjell Anderson for teaching me the ways. Now I’m the Bar Manager of Southbound.

What do you do when you’re not bartending? Any hobbies/side jobs/secret identities?

I enjoy home brewing, which set into motion the interest to earn my degree in Chemistry at VCU. I recently graduated this past Spring. Starting this Fall semester, I will be a teaching assistant for one of VCU’s newest courses on brewing, yeast, and fermentation. The science behind the drinks we serve is very intriguing to me. 

What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?

I served 6 years in the Coast Guard. I also was a tower crane installer/tester for a few years. There are several other jobs I have done, but way too much to list them all. Through most of them though, I’ve always been a bartender at night.

What’s your favorite thing to drink? Favorite classic cocktail? Favorite thing to drink when no one’s looking?

My favorite thing to drink is probably a Rittenhouse rye with one big cube or an All Day IPA.  As far as classics go, I would say a Boulevardier is my favorite. Something I drink when no one's looking would be a nice Beaujolais.

Tell us about your bar… 

I would describe the atmosphere at Southbound as casual fine dining. I want people to be able to sit at the bar have a fantastic meal and try some new drinks. As a bartender, I want to know my neighborhood and I feel that this is very much the neighborhood bar of Bon Air. Our neighborhood is a pretty neat part of town. I’ve had a lot of friends move out here in recent years. I like the rural suburbia feel of it.

What makes your bar unique?

I think we have the perfect amount of variety of selections of different beverages without that feeling of being overwhelmed by choices. It's nice have a large inventory of different spirits not only for guests, but for me as a bar manager. It allows me to be creative and come up with new things all the time. I was lucky when I picked up this position to have such a wonderful staff as well.

What’s a good night look like for you? What are people ordering?

A great night for me is a full bar, but not super fast-paced. I like to be able to have a conversation with someone who sits down at the bar. I also love to be able to introduce people to new things, so that takes time getting to know them and their interests.

What’s your favorite menu item / cocktail pairing?

I personally think we have some of the best wings in town. If I were to pair it with one of my cocktails, I would pair it with the “Long Drag”.

Can you share a Belle Isle creation with us?

Sure thing. I've actually got two that we're serving up at Southbound.

Bobcat’s Yoohoo

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Belle isle 100 Proof
• 1/2 oz. Champion Megalodon vinegar
• 1 oz. Coconut milk
• 1/4 oz. Demerara syrup

Preparation:

Shake and strain into a rocks glass with a big cube, garnish with shaved bitter chocolate bar.

Recipe by Pete Konrad

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MI9

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Premium Moonshine
• 3/4 oz. Cocchi Americano
• 1/2 oz. Dolin Blanc
• Laphroaig 10 yr. rinse

Preparation:

Rinse chilled coupe with Laphroaig 10yr. Stir and strain into rinsed coupe garnish with lemon peel.

Recipe by Pete Konrad

Photos by Joey Wharton

Behind the Bar: Melissa McGoniagle / Can Can Brasserie

The famous painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec once said of the Can-can, "La vie est belle, voila le quadrille!", translating to "Life is beautiful, here comes the Can-can!" Much like the dance craze that swept France off its feet, Can Can Brasserie in the heart of Carytown has quite the following of its own.

We were lucky enough to sit down with the Melissa McGoniagle, lead bartender at Can Can Brasserie, to talk more about this Richmond classic with an Old World charm that continues to garner the love and attention of neighbors and visitors alike.

Tell us about yourself…

I'm a lead bartender at Can Can Brasserie in Carytown. I've been bartending for six super fun, interesting, enlightening years! They promote from within at Can Can, so I worked my way up from the bottom and eventually was lucky enough to have a bar spot open up. The slot I filled was actually that of Beth Dixon, who has been the bar manager over at Pasture for a while now, and has made quite a name for herself on the national cocktail scene. She was so gracious and encouraging to me when I started, its been really cool seeing how much press and recognition she has earned in the time since. 

I had some fantastic mentors here when I started, who opened my eyes to the world of classic cocktails and creative flavor combinations, and who encouraged me to experiment and really let my personality come through in my drinks and the way I relate to my guests. The Richmond bar scene is pretty insular in that a lot of people know each other from having worked together at one point or another, so it's a very supportive community. Can Can is a big restaurant with a large staff, so I have the privilege of knowing a ton of cool people around town who are now either working in other restaurants or in other facets of the food and beverage industry.

Bartending, particularly at a restaurant that draws in such a broad clientele, has also allowed me to get to know the community in a way that I might never have had the chance otherwise... people really open up to their bartender in a way they might not with coworkers or acquaintances. It has been a wonderful experience!

What do you do when you’re not bartending? Any hobbies/side jobs/secret identities?

I teach yoga as a side gig, it is really rewarding to share something that has been so beneficial in my life with others. I'm very interested in wellness in general, and would love to eventually transition into a career helping others optimize their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Bartending might seem contrary to that, but I think providing good drinks, good company and good vibes is right in line with those ideals. It's all about balance, right? 

Beyond work, I love to be outside, being active. I love the mountains, both for hiking in the warmer months and snowboarding in the winter, and any activity on the water...one of the things I love about Richmond is the James River Park System, there are so many things to do at our fingertips! I really enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, wakeboarding, and have recently taken up trail running, and also can frequently be found down by the river or at one of the city's many awesome parks slung up in my Eno hammock with a good book. I also started rock climbing this summer, which is super fun and challenging. I love going out with friends for a good meal... there are so many amazing options around town, I wish I had more nights free to get to them all!

Probably my favorite thing to do with friends or family is to see live music. My tastes are all over the place... I lean toward jam bands, funk, jazz, and dance music, but I truly like anything and everything if it's good. I also love to cook, mostly healthy stuff, but I have a bangin' chocolate chip/coconut/butterscotch cookie recipe that I'm happy to share, come visit! I have been known to make my own granola. Am I painting too much of a hippie dippy picture here? Haha, oh well.

What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?

People frequently comment on me being sweet, which I wouldn't say is false. It takes a lot for me to not like someone. Basically, don't be a dick, and we'll be friends. That being said, people are surprised to find out, as they get to know me, that I have a really raunchy sense of humor. It is pretty much impossible to offend me. I will laugh at the darkest joke you've got. Unless you're a dick, of course. Then you'll get a stern look of disapproval. Probably followed by a laugh. 

What’s your favorite thing to drink? Favorite classic cocktail? Favorite thing to drink when no one’s looking?

Tequila is my favorite spirit, it's the easiest booze for your metabolism to work with, as long as it's 100% agave, and has as much variance and terroir as scotch. I'm really feelin' mescal right now. Los Amantes Reposado, on the rocks, with a tiny squirt of fresh lime... simple, clean, smoky, perfect. For a classic cocktail I'd say a Manhattan, up, rye, with orange bitters, skip the cherry unless someone made them with love, and not corn syrup. When no one's looking? Hmm. I don't really do many shame beverages these days, but I'd be lying if I said I'd never enjoyed a beer-mosa with PBR and OJ over ice. It's not as bad as it sounds!

Tell us about your bar… 

Can Can is one of the most beautiful bars in the city, no doubt. There's the bar itself, which is 80 feet of solid zinc, made in France, backed by a massive wall of wine and spirits. The restaurant is huge - there's three private dining rooms in the back, in addition to a full bakery, pastry kitchen, and enormous downstairs prep kitchen - but still full of character and Old World European charm. The owners took a lot of care to build out the space to look as if it had been there forever, from the molded tin ceilings, hand tiled mosaic floors, retro light fixtures and speaker boxes, all the way to subway tile bathrooms and chain-pull toilets. People have a hard time believing it was a bridal salon less than 15 years ago.

We are a full service brasserie, meaning we open early in the morning for coffee and pastry service, and stay open all day long, through lunch and dinner, to bar-only service at the end of the night. Can Can has become a destination for a very broad clientele based on this model, from business meetings over incredible pastries in the morning, to lunch with Mom, to celebratory dinners after graduations or while entertaining out of town guests, to late night drinks or again, incredible dessert after a show or on the way to or from the more raucous night spots in town.

What’s the neighborhood like?

Carytown has really blossomed over the last decade, there is something for everyone. High end clothing and gift shops, skate shops, yoga studios, a historic landmark movie theater, dozens of restaurants of all price points, including some of the best ethnic food in town, ice cream, cupcakes, vegetarian/vegan friendly, you name it. 

A lot of businesses have come and gone over the years, but there are some anchors that have kept it feeling very homey. Can Can of course, Galaxy Diner and Weezie's Kitchen across the street (you'll hardly ever go into Weezie's without seeing at least one or two Can Can employees, it's pretty much our living room), New York Deli, and Bev's Ice Cream are all standards that locals feel fondly toward while in town, and nostalgic for if they move away.

What makes your bar unique?

Can Can attracts so many different types of people, from all walks of life. It is a gorgeous space that might feel intimidating, until you realize that many "regulars" are people from the neighborhood who come to read the paper or shoot off emails in their flip flops. The point of a brasserie is to provide a high quality atmosphere and product, all day, without pretension, and I think we nail that. We can wine and dine you with the best of 'em, but we'll also remember how you like your latte and ask you about your kids.

What’s your favorite part about working there?

The people I've met, for sure. My coworkers over the years have been some of the most interesting, talented, dynamic people I've ever come in contact with. We have a lot of fun together, which I think comes across to guests, and they appreciate that. Many of my dearest friends are from this job, and I feel super lucky to have a broad network, literally across the globe, of people I've worked with here. I also have had incredible, life-changing interactions and relationships with people on the other side of the bar, people who have provided love, humor, knowledge, friendship and opportunity, among other things. I'm super grateful for the positions I've been placed in through this job, my life is definitely richer for it. I will definitely look back on this job fondly, which is a blessing, as I spent a lot of time here!

What’s a good night look like for you? What are people ordering?

A good night is one where guests are interacting with each other, soaking up the atmosphere, talking and laughing and making merry. I love when I look down the bar and don't see anyone staring at their cell phone. I am happy when people are drinking what makes them happy, but it's fun when people are adventurous and trusting enough to give me some creative liberty. I think a mark of a good bartender is being able to read a guest and make them something they'll like, off the cuff.

What’s your favorite menu item / cocktail pairing?

There's a drink of mine from a previous cocktail list that still gets ordered often, it's called the Absinthe Presse, made with, you guessed it, absinthe, limoncello, lemon and champagne, over crushed ice. The anise and citrus components make it a really nice accompaniment for raw oysters, or, even better, the moules frites with white wine, garlic and parsley.

Can you share a Belle Isle creation with us? What inspired it?

My current contribution to the cocktail menu at Can Can is The Ruby Moon. It's a take on a Negroni, with a fresh, zesty twist to help beat the Virginia heat.

The Ruby Moon

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Belle Isle Ruby Red Grapfruit Moonshine
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. Lillet Rose
• 1 oz. white grapefruit juice

Preparation:
Stir ingredients with ice in shaker tin, strain into a rocks glass over ice, preferably a single large cube. Garnish with a large twist of grapefruit. Voila!

Recipe by Melissa McGoniagle

Photos by Joey Wharton