Anthony Vitacca puts a modern spin on classic
cocktails with locally sourced ingredients
BY PETE RERIG
PHOTOGRAPH BY TED HOLLADAY
Anthony Vitacca is a kid with a chemistry set. A very, very nice chemistry set, made up of incredibly rare Old World aperitifs and liqueurs, small-batch bourbons and ryes, hand-crafted gins, infused vodkas and so much more. And as the “executive mixologist” at the Monterey restaurant Montrio Bistro, Vitacca gets to play with that chemistry set whenever he wants, cooking up everything from classic drinks to truly inspired cocktails that utilize local ingredients and, at the same time, pay homage to them.
“I was very fortunate because the owners of Montrio allowed me to take control of the bar program and do my own thing,” says Vitacca, who admits he finds his inspiration from the classic pre-Prohibition era cocktails such as the Aviation and the Manhattan. “I love putting a modern spin on something as well known as the Singapore Sling, reworking it in a martini style and using pineapple and grenadine foam.”
Vitacca also gets a good deal of his behind-the-bar ideas from food. “Whenever my wife and I go out to eat I’m always thinking ‘how can I incorporate these flavors into a cocktail?’ That’s why I use everything from saffron to chipotles to cucumber in my drinks, as well as homemade maraschino cherries, which we get from Swank Farms in Hollister and stone ourselves.” In addition, Vitacca makes his own syrups, falernum (a sweet concoction used in tropical drinks and containing flavors of almond, cloves and lime), ginger-peppercorn, and blackberry-plum shrub.
Indeed, a trip to a local farmers’ market can yield a whole new idea for a cocktail, depending on what jumps out at him while perusing fruit, vegetable and herb bins. Consider some of these tempting libations: the Beta Vulgaris, which counts among its ingredients juice made from local beets, the classic Pisco Sour made with local freerange egg whites, martinis that use gin and vodka infused with Salinas Valley artichokes—the list goes on and on. There’s also local citrus for bitters, alongside basil for the Mambo and sage for the Velvet Crush.
Aside from the normal drinks menu, Vitacca keeps a secret, more-extensive one behind the bar, a listing he’ll draw from only when he has the time due to the laborious nature of each drink’s preparation. “I want our guests to remember their cocktail with a smile,” he adds. “I pride myself on creating a surprising experience that can only come from deconstructing classic drinks and recreating them with a modern twist. I want people to ask me, ‘How did you get a beet to taste so good in a cocktail?’”
RECIPE
Montrio Bistro
414 Calle Principal, Monterey
831.648.8880
www.montrio.com
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
