Ask A Boston Bartender: Your Best Martini Recipe
Jennifer Harvey has spent over a decade behind the bar exploring spirits and pursuing her passion for hospitality. A born storyteller, Jenn's cocktails draw inspiration from her life – they're memories recreated and shared through familiar flavors and comforting scents. Since taking the helm as Bar Manager at Temple Bar in 2014, Jenn has punctuated the bar menu with her own signature touches and personalized twists. With a degree in Media Arts and Communication from Emerson College in hand, Jenn channeled her talents for messaging into mixology. Here, she shares the recipe for one of her favorite drinks, the Blackmore Pond Martini.
Temple Bar
1688 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-5055
www.templebarcambridge.com
In 2004, Harvey joined the staff at 33 Restaurant & Lounge as a full-time bartender and began to climb the industry ranks. Upon being promoted to Bar Manager, Jenn oversaw the restaurant's bar program and staff, and developed seasonally rotating handcrafted cocktail menus. After six years behind the bar, Jenn decided to supplement mixology with stand mixers and enrolled in the pastry program at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. Following graduation in 2010, she created custom-made cakes and desserts as Pastry Chef at Stix Restaurant & Lounge in Boston's Back Bay. Jenn couldn't resist her cocktail calling for long. After five months at Stix, she let her culinary worlds collide by taking a position as Bar Manager and Pastry Chef at Zocalo Cocina Mexicana. A driven self-starter, she dove head first into her new position and maintained her dual roles for three years. By day, Jenn crafted fresh, Mexican-inspired desserts; in the evenings, she swapped her apron for aperol and managed the booming bar program. She thrived in Zocalo's fast-paced environment and reveled in being the face of both the front and back of house.
In 2013, Jenn crossed the river to Cambridge and joined the bartending team at Grafton Street, where she honed her skills under the direction and guidance of Bar Manager Morgan Carney. A year and a half later, Jenn was prepared to take the lead and jumped at the opportunity to transition to Grafton Street's sister restaurant Temple Bar as Bar Manager. A history buff at heart, Jenn relishes learning the story behind each liquor before it hits her shelves. These stories serve as inspiration for her drinks and inform the voice of Temple Bar's beverage program. Jenn's talent and dedication to customer service precedes her - she has been named one of "Boston's Beloved Bartenders" by the Improper Bostonian and has had cocktails featured in Food & Wine. When she's not serving drinks with a twist, Jenn can be found at home baking her next mouthwatering treat or snuggling up to watch a good ol' black and white film with friends.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz St. George Terroir Gin
- 1 oz Bianco Vermouth
- 2 dash Sweetgrass Cranberry Bitters
Directions:
- Stirred with ice
- Strained into a chilled martini glass
- Add a twist of grapefruit
- Serve immediately
Related: Boston Area's Best Farm Shares
Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.