Drink

Cocktails for the People at Public Kitchen & Bar

Creating seasonal libations from fresh ingredients

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Jackie Turmenne has tended bar at various spots over the years. Now, she creates and serves cocktails at Public Kitchen & Bar. Just like the chefs in the kitchen, Jackie makes concoctions with a certain philosophy in mind: food and drinks for the people.

You have an extensive craft cocktail list. How often does it change?
It’s seasonal, so as soon as we get fresh ingredients. All the drinks are made from scratch, from the freshest products. As soon as there’s something new and exciting in house, we begin experimenting and we figure out what’s going to be featured for the upcoming season.

Any plans for a summer cocktail?
Yes, we are going towards something with a lot of fresh ginger, or maybe a raspberry-based cocktail. Definitely something very refreshing. We also try and keep in mind what items will be on our menu for the season and try and pair the drinks accordingly.

What’s your favorite wine/dish pairing for a summer meal?
White peach and ginger champagne sangria paired with a barbecue lemon chicken.

Explain your (and the restaurant’s) ideals when it comes to crafting dishes and drinks.
Creating food for the people – drinks for the people. Everything must be made with high-grade, fresh ingredients; a lot of our produce is locally sourced. Obviously, we want our menu to be exciting and interesting, and there is a definite international influence to our food. When it comes to cocktails, we like to have unique, better quality versions of your typical drinks. Take a vodka cranberry, sure we can make you one, but we can offer you something even better with a similar flavor profile.

How do you go about choosing wines?
We basically try and keep in mind what’s on our menu and pair a lot of the wines with the food. Things from a super food salad – which has farro and mint and spinach, etc. – we would try and choose a nice, crisp Sauvignon Blanc that best complements those flavors and textures. Also, our wines are not typical; for instance, we have a Spanish Pinot Grigio (Pinot Grigio is most commonly grown in Italy).

What’s your drink of choice?
What do I drink ? I’m not going to lie... I love a Cosmopolitan made with citrus vodka. But if I’m in the mood for wine I like a good French red; a really nice Bordeaux.

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