Crafting cocktails is part art, part science, and part je ne sais quoi. All that and more will be on dazzling and delicious display when a group of local bartenders compete for “best drink” in the third annual Behind the Stick Cocktail Competition at Ledger Restaurant & Bar in Salem. “They make the drink in front of three industry judges and a large crowd. We have a DJ, snacks, open bar, and raffle prizes throughout the night,” says Kelsey Tenore, Ledger’s general manager. “We award first and second place to our competitors and have a lot of fun while doing it! It’s a friendly competition and it’s a great excuse for the local restaurant community and guests to come out to root for their favorites.”
This year’s event, happening Thursday, April 30, at 6 pm, welcomes the public, and tickets cost $50. In the meantime, we caught up with three of Behind the Stick’s competitors, who shared their takes on what’s hot in the world of mixology, their go to cocktail order, and what’s shaking in the bartending world.
OLIVIA AMORATI
WHERE TO FIND HER:
Ledger Restaurant & Bar in Salem
WHAT THE VIBES ARE LIKE:
“We have a lot of people that are really into coming in and seeing what we’ve created, not just ordering the same thing that they always get. I actually just put my first drink on the menu. It’s a lavender fog martini. It has Earl Gray-infused vodka and lavender syrup in it.”
ANY FAVORITE COCKTAIL TRENDS?
“I’m seeing a lot of recipes that are leaning away from overly sweet or leaning more into savory and spicy, and I think that that’s pretty cool to see. It gives you a lot more freedom with the flavor profile.”
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO COCKTAIL ORDER?
“I like any – thing with gin, typically on the citrusy side. I like a little French 75 or a Bee’s Knees.”
WHAT MAKES A GREAT COCKTAIL?
“Balance. Not making anything too sweet, not making anything too strong, so that you can indulge in a few without feeling too overpowered by anything.”
VIRGINIA ROSENBLATT
WHERE TO FIND HER:
All Souls Lounge in Salem
WHAT THE VIBES ARE LIKE:
“At All Souls, our cocktail menu focuses on classics cocktails with a twist. Jen Tran, the wonderful owner, creates most of the cocktails with the help of her wife, Maggie Tran. The drinks are stiff and you won’t wait long for one!”
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO COCKTAIL ORDER?
“My go-to cocktail is a vodka martini or a vodka soda with lots of lemons. I call that one a vodka sunshine. Not really into fancy stuff although I like making them for others.”
WHAT MAKES A GREAT COCKTAIL?
“Flavor. You gotta like the way it tastes. Life is too short to drink gross cocktails. I love shaking a martini so hard it gets those little ice crystal on top, the violent shaking also helps get out that dinner service anxiety.”
ROZ PERRY
WHERE TO FIND HER:
The Babe in Salem
WHAT THE VIBES ARE LIKE:
“All of our bartenders are creative, and we give them all an opportunity to play around and be creative and create different cocktails throughout the year. Right now on the menu I’ve got one cocktail, the ‘Live and Let Lime,’ that is a very simple vodka gimlet, but it’s a jalapeno-infused vodka that we do in-house with lime juice and a pandan simple syrup.”
ANY FAVORITE COCKTAIL TRENDS?
“I like the challenge and limitation that mocktails create where you’re not just using syrups, you’re not just using juices, you’re not just making something sweet and tangy. You’re trying to craft a mature-tasting beverage, much like what cocktails would normally be.”
WHAT MAKES A GREAT COCKTAIL?
“A lot of inspiration for a great cocktail can come from the principles of really great cuisine. A really good cocktail has complexity and simplicity at the same time. It has to be understandable by the palate and recognizable, but also something that can surprise and delight someone.”