Galloway’s Cocktail Bar

At Galloway’s Cocktail Bar in Bellingham’s Fairhaven district, patrons who joined us for Bellingham Alive’s Sips of the Season on January 20th were treated to a lesson on making creative winter cocktails. Gone are the days of dark, heavy winter drinks in a light-deprived den. Hello magical ingredients like citrus and elderflower.

Galloway’s general manager Alli Sutherland and mixologists Chris Cheesman, Holly Smith, and Matt McRae showcased four cocktails, each served with small plates featuring local fare. Staff gave step-by-step instructions on how to mix each drink, and provided tips, advice, and answers to questions from a crowd that took up nearly every available seat in the art deco-inspired bar connected to the Fairhaven Village Inn.

The first round was the Classic Gin Gimlet, served with Galloway’s Tossed Green Salad, for the perfect start to an afternoon of sipping and nibbling. The gimlet featured gin, lime cordial and simple syrup and danced on the tongue with zest and lime tartness. Garnish with a thin slice of lime. For slightly more floral notes, use St. George Botanivore Gin. Bartender’s tip: Add ice late to keep from diluting the finished product.

The next round, Rose’s Greyhound, was a delicate pink beauty that surprised with grapefruit overtones, a welcome taste of summer in winter’s midst. Rose Vodka with lemon juice, simple syrup, grapefruit juice and Pamplemousse liqueur combined for a refreshing drink, tangy and not too sweet. Two dashes of tincture of rosewater added a floral element. Served with a small plate of brie, apple, fig jam, and a baguette was just the right, light touch. Bartender tip: Feel like something’s missing? Add a dash or two of bitters to highlight your desired flavor, like lemon or lavender.

For the third round, a Toasted Hazelnut Old Fashioned brought a nutty twist to this classic, paired with the petite meat and cheese plate. Muddle a ground sugar cube with black walnut bitters, add hazelnut-infused bourbon, and stir. Garnish with bourbon-soaked Luxardo maraschino cherries to complement the drink’s sweet, rich tones, says mixologist Holly, a fan of savory concoctions. Bartender tip: Brown liquors, like those in Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, should always be stirred, not shaken.

The fourth and final cocktail, the French Royale, came with some magic. Gin, butterfly pea blossom, Gifford elderflower and prosecco produced a drink that changed from indigo to lavender when lemon juice was added, making this sparkling dessert drink even more festive. Served with the richly layered chocolate Nanaimo Bar from Pure Bliss Desserts, it was a fitting finish to a fine afternoon. Bartender tip: Drop a sliver of lemon peel in the glass before pouring—the citrus oil will keep the prosecco from bubbling over.

Bellingham Alive would like to thank the staff at Galloway’s Cocktail Bar, along with Roger Jobs Motors and other local businesses who contributed to our swag bags.

gallowayscocktail.bar

For more like this, visit our Dine section here.