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This is from a conversation with LaTanya White, Owner/Master Mixologist at 71 Proof, LLC in Tallahassee. She can be found on Twitter @conceptconglom – Joey
Me: Last summer, I had a chance to try “The Commish.” Tell me what’s in it and how it came about.
LaTanya: Every member of my staff has a name tag with either 1) their favorite cocktail recipe, 2) the recipe they make best or 3) a recipe that they developed themselves (while this oftentimes may be three different cocktails, you only get one name tag). Anthony’s name tag reads “The Commish”.
Anthony, or T as we call him, was the main bartender serving up The Commish at a wedding celebration for one of the City of Tallahassee Commissioners and his beautiful bride. When the wedding planner and the bride called me…oh about four days before the wedding to request and confirm that 71 Proof would be able to provide the bartending services for the wedding reception, how could I say no? Then they asked me to consider developing a custom cocktail for the event as well. While, not as quick on the draw, they got the same answer.
Anytime I develop custom cocktail recipes for a client, I conduct what’s called the Creative Interview. What’s the color scheme? Are there any favorite drinks or preferred ingredients? Should it be fruity, sour, served up, on the rocks? I was told that Crown Royal was a definite crowd pleaser, at least from the groom’s perspective. I needed to be sure to develop a recipe that would be just as appealing to the female guests as the male guests in attendance. Enter my secret weapons. Pineapple juice for sweetness and peach schnapps for complexity makes The Commissioner equally enjoyable for guests of either persuasion, at least as it has been proven at different venues where we have bartended.
Other cocktails that have been inspired by people in our network of Young Alumni include the Jaszilla (Godzilla), the Fleur de Lis and the veritable 71 Proof cocktail. See what giving back can do for you?
The Commissioner
1 ½ ounces Crown Royal
¾ ounce Peach Schnapps
2 ounces pineapple juice
Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with ice. Serve and enjoy!
Me: Our events at all about young professionals: hip, sexy, and plenty of fun. specifically, we really seem to like Crown Royal and Ciroc and the new Ciroc Flavors (Coconut & Red Berry). can you recommend cocktails for us to try?
LaTanya: Sexy Red is a great Crown Royal cocktail to try out…it’s made with cranberry juice, lime and just a splash of ginger ale. And Ciroc Lemonade. I like the recipe that calls for an ounce and a half of Ciroc, one ounce each of triple sec and sour mix and three lemon wedges, topped with a splash of sprite. Why three? One each for health, wealth and happiness!
Me: What is 71 proof and what do you do?
LaTanya: 71 Proof is a hospitality services provider- our product is our service. Mostly known to provide professional bartending services for social events, 71 Proof also has bartender training course that we offer in addition to developing custom cocktail recipes. But the question was what do we do. At 71 Proof, we enhance your social experience. You can learn more about us online at www.71ProofLLC.com.
Me: What was your “ah-ha” moment?
LaTanya: My ‘aha’ moment happened on July 21, 2007 when I made my first visit to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Tales is the industry’s must-do event – 5 days of workshops, contests and networking. As Fransceso Lafranconi, Director of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada’s Academy of Spirits and Fine Service, often says, “We’re not drinking, we’re learning!” (My’s Note: I’m stealing this) I remember being in awe of just how vast the options were – the drink options, the glassware, the brands. And how much fun there was to be had. I remember being struck by the fact that, in Tallahassee, we don’t typically have social experiences like the ones I had at Tales and that’s when I decided to do something about it.
I went back to school to pursue a degree in Wine, Spirits and Beverage Management with the goal of owning and operating a venue that would allow me to create social experiences like those that young professionals enjoy in cities like Atlanta, Miami and New Orleans. To date, we have completed business plans, site plans, marketing plans and financial plans for the project. It’s a shovel-ready project that’s just waiting on the capital. The project is called Concept Creative Hospitality Group and it will eventually own 71 Proof and use those existing relationships to leverage its success.
Me: What types of events do you bar tend for?
LaTanya: We bar tend for all types of social events. We got our start with weddings and have created a niche for ourselves in the corporate sector. Currently we are the exclusive bartending service provider for Parks and Crump, Attorneys at Law and Florida Commerce Credit Union. We also landed a two-year contract with Seminole ISP Sports, providing the bartending at the tailgate parties for every home game for Florida State football. Some of our favorite local venues are The Brogan, Goodwood Museum and the Woman’s Club.
Me: What makes you different from bar consulting services?
LaTanya: The thing that makes 71 Proof different from bar consulting services is our level of engagement. Our services are a pretty comprehensive. We like to tune in to who the bar patrons are going to be, relate to them and put ourselves in the position to be served. That way, we know how to serve them better. Bar Consultants are typically involved in the day-to-day or event-by-event aspect of service; they usually only provide a big picture view of an operation. We get in the trenches- and the weeds sometimes- to make it work. And in all of that, copious and meticulous notes are taken for the client. We share with them our thoughts on how to prepare for next week or next year. I would also like to think that we help lighten their administrative load, helping execute a seamless event where we take complete care of the entire bar operation so that they can focus on their bottom line.
Me: So if someone wants to be a bartender, they can learn from you?
LaTanya: Sure can. The curriculum that I developed for the bartender training course comes from my experience as a Mixology Consultant for Grand Marnier (2008, Vail, CO.), a Cocktail Apprentice at Tales of the Cocktail and a participant in the Beverage Alcohol Resource Program (2007 NYC). The course begins with an essential lesson on responsible alcohol service and consumption. I’m doing my best to get people to think differently about bartenders. Everyone thinks our main goal is to get people completely inebriated and it isn’t. Here again, it’s about enhancing your social experience. Just like the DJ brings an added element to any social affair, so should your bartender.
Me: Walking throughsthe crowd, I’ve heard whispers about FTO. What is it and how can non-profits use this to raise money for their organization?
LaTanya: For Tastemakers Only is a term that I prefer to use rather than the ubiquitous ‘VIP’. It’s the influence that you or I have as leaders in our respective positions. To make the idea more tangible, FTO is a concept that I developed with the help of Ms. Diane Jamai when I was matriculating through the beverage management degree program at the Art Institute of Tampa. She wanted my help developing a signature cocktail as a draw to the fundraising event she was planning and the idea evolved from there.
The mission of the FTO fundraising series is to leverage public interest in the development of custom cocktail recipes to raise money for non-profits. The vision of the FTO series is to 1) raise awareness about several philanthropic efforts in the area; 2) develop and encourage the sense of responsible beverage alcohol consumption and 3) expose the general public to mixology as a specialized aspect of the hospitality industry. I’m still looking for takers on the opportunity.
Me: What are your thoughts on tipping? How much do you recommend?
LaTanya: Ah yes, tipping. First let me say, that for those people that regularly tip their bartenders, waitresses, skycaps and maids, THANK YOU! Yes, the service that we provide is a part of our job but to know that the effort that we exert- remembering exactly how you like your Ciroc Lemonade, perhaps- is noticed and appreciated means a great deal. The Law of Averages tends to work in our favor as we don’t expect that every customer will tip every time. I can say though, that in my experience, women are notorious for not tipping. There some men out there that don’t tip either.
Depending on how labor intensive your order is and how efficiently your bartender prepared it, I would recommend tipping anywhere from $2-4 per drink….per visit. One time, a customer tipped me $7- the cost of the drink- because he said he had never had that drink made for him so quickly and taste as good as it did. It helps to know that I’m not the only one that thinks I’m great at what I do!
Me: Awesome. How can people get in contact with you to learn about bartednding or for their next event?
LaTanya: The best bet is by email or text. Latanya [at] 71ProofLLC[dot]com or at 850.443.8544. Thanks!
LaTanya is on the Host Committee for the opening of the new Thursdays at Cafe Cabernet on April 8th, 2010. There is no cover and complimentary Crown Royal cocktails are served until 11pm. Mandatory RSVP may be submitted here.
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