Drink Your Veggies: Farm-Fresh Cocktails
4 out of 5 doctors agree*: One should eat at least nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. 
A. Armstrong Evelisciousness
Most everyone else agrees*: That seems ambitious.
Let us toast to the health of our local publicans, the men and women who scour the weekly farmers markets to source fresh fruits and vegetables, supplementing our favorite cocktails with stuff that's actually good for us. After the jump, a round-up of where to score the freshest vegetable and fruit cocktails. They're like a healthy smoothie, just made with booze.
Eveleigh: Dave Kupchinsky (a.k.a. Old Man Winter) might be managing the bar at this Sunset Blvd oasis, but for his birthday, Mareld Kevin Tidwell took over the Sunday farmers market cocktail program and Negroni'd on down with four different variations on the classic drink; two or three of them will wind up on the menu this fall. All named after song titles, Love & Happiness is a Genever Negroni on the rocks with a side of Dolin dry vermouth-soaked olives, fresh lemon zest and cracked pepper. Crown of Thorns is a blend of rosemary-infused bianco vermouth, genever and Campari with a sprig of rosemary to finish. Black (which is actually more magenta in color) is made with fresh date syrup, genever, Averna, Campari and lemon zest with an almond-dusted rim. Finally, Tell Me in the Morning is a blend of dry vermouth, Campari, genever and house-made red onion syrup, finished with lemon zest in an absinthe-rinsed glass. If you order both Love & Happiness and Tell Me in the Morning, it's almost the same as eating a salad. Almost. 8752 W Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, 90069; (424) 239-1630
A Armstrong Michael's Mix
The Hungry Cat: The giant tubs of fresh fruit on the bar of Hollywood's Hungry Cat recall a juice bar. You can come here after working out to replenish all those important electrolytes the Gatorade ads say you lose when you sweat. Ask Danielle Motor to mix you up a Rum Dandy. It contains opal basil in addition to peaches, lemon and Flor de Caña white rum. Take that, Vitamin Water. 1535 Vine St Los Angeles 90028; (323) 462-2155
A Armstrong Rum Dandy at Hungry Cat
Library Bar at The Roosevelt: When we caught up to Library Bar's Matt Biancaniello, he said that except for the occasional out-of-town trip, until last week he hadn't missed a day at the farmers market in three years. He scours locations all over SoCal, collecting the healthiest produce to mix into his cocktails. Some of those ingredients, like lime and Asian pear, are blended with agave syrup and sake. The citrus flavor is underscored by the pear's foresty sweetness. In his Easter Island cocktail, Biancaniello blends tarragon, ginger, gin and Veuve Clicquot Champagne. The tarragon hogs the spotlight, with bright bursts of ginger dancing in the chorus line. 7000 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90028 (323) 466-7000
A Armstrong The Bar at The Library Bar at The Roosevelt
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
