October 30, 2015 By Anh-Minh Le San Francisco Chronicle
The holidays are fast approaching, and along with it, the entertaining season. For many hosts, the libations are as carefully considered as the food. So we asked local tastemakers to weigh in on the components of a good bar setup — from must-have tools and ingredients to go-to resources and decorative accents.
Tineke Triggs is an interior designer by trade, but she also has a knack for making cocktails: At California Home + Design magazine’s mix-off competition at the Palace Hotel in September, her Alpine Mist took top honors. Perhaps the skill runs in the family, since Triggs recalls that her grandmother made the best Manhattans and would let her have one of the cherries from the drink. “I thought they were the best cherries I’d ever tasted,” Triggs adds. As a designer, Triggs is often tasked with incorporating a cocktail station for clients. The bar shown here resides in a home that “is neat and organized, so the thought of mismatched bottles out on display would not work,” says Triggs, who decanted the liquor for “a clean, uncluttered look.” The round decanters are from Anthem on Sacramento Street, while the square one is from Tiffany & Co.
Essential tools: “The glass cocktail shaker is key. The metal ones always seem to stick and the strainers drip. Other important tools include a double jigger, strainer, toothpicks and ice tongs.”
Always on hand: Vodka and bourbon — they are both versatile. One of my client’s mothers is from the South and apparently uses vodka to get rid of poison ivy and ear infections, and bourbon for sore throats. How’s that for versatility!”
Art matters: “The art above the cart is ‘Reflections with Raft’ by Catherine Mackey. The clients were drawn to the piece as it reflects the urban environment where they live. When you pour a cocktail and look up at the painting, you discover something unexpected that you hadn’t seen before. It’s a great distraction from the hustle and bustle of the day.”