Like chefs, mixologists making name for themselves

In today's dining world, phrases like "eat local," "eat clean" and "farm to table" are becoming familiar sights on menus, as are the faces of the chefs who produce them. The orchard or vegetable patch that provided the food is stamped on the menu like a designer label. And the chefs behind these dishes are gaining credibility for their thoughtful and pointed fare. Especially in the South, where turning a fried-licious classic into an elegant, refined meal is seen as the height of culinary innovation. Nipping at the heels of this trend is a rise in fresh, unique cocktails -- drinks that play off the flavors on the menu, yet can stand alone as well thought-out creations of their own. Just as diners revel in original dishes, why not expect the same individuality from our cocktails? We know the chefs. Now, it's time to get to know the bartenders. "Bartenders are kind of like the new chef," said David Mason, the beverage director at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff. Bartenders at the Inn focus on using fresh, local ingredients and create their own bitters in-house, Mason said. The Inn's drink menu advertises "Garden to Glass" libations like the Garden Margarita, a mix of Sauza Silver tequila, fresh strawberries and cilantro.

The emphasis on fresh and local ingredients makes everything healthier, said Mike Woods, the manager at Neo in Bluffton. "It begins with your food and what you drink," he said. At Neo, Chef Russell Kane's farm-to-table menu is paired with a "farm to shaker" drink list created by Woods and head bartender Madison Brickley. The fruit used in the drinks comes from nearby Hilton Head Plantation. Grenadine is bought in small batches from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co., a family-run company based in Charleston. Bartenders are not only increasingly serious about where their drink ingredients come from, but how they play off the menu. "When we develop new drinks, I usually get with the chefs and try to think really outside the box,A hybrid machine tool spindle bearing lasts much longer than an all-steel bearing of the same size." Mason said.A pillow block bearing is a type of bearing that is housed within a cast-iron mounting bracket that doubles as the outer housing for the bearing. "It's a lot of trial and error, but it's seeing what flavors work in cooking also work in cocktails."

Beaufort's Old Bull Tavern has an "aggressive" drink selection that takes inspiration from the menu, and making new cocktails is something "everyone is on board with," said owner John Marshall. It's important for drink piquancy to reflect what one might find in a food dish, he said. Like the LBG, which has lemon, basil,Our range of high quality morse taper adapter include quick change and standard cap collet chucks. ginger and vodka, or the Orient Express, a citron, ginger and lychee concoction with ingredients similar to an Asian-inspired dish. "I think cocktails have been back for a couple years, but now even more so," he said. "Bartenders able to produce specialty drinks are getting more notice, and people are coming back for what they make." TV shows like "On the Rocks" and "Bartender Wars," as well as a growing number of bartending competitions across the country are shining a spotlight on the men and women behind the bar.