Dear Humans of the Internet,

If you read START HERE then you know I spent ten years working at San Carlos a restaurant in my hometown. I explained in the “Why SooN LIVING” section that through watching chef/owner Lee Jorgenson and his team and applying the SooN COOKING technique, I built  an incredible repertoire of Southwestern style recipes. However, what I have not yet shared is that San Carlos is also responsible for my mixology skills. While I started in the entry-level position of “busser”, I was “promoted” four times throughout my tenure.  First to host, then bar-back, then server and eventually BARTENDER.  I’ll never forget the conversation I had with Lee on the shift following my 21st birthday.  It went something like this:

After a quick head-to-toe scan of what most certainly looked like a very hungover 21-year old… 

Lee: Hey buddy, looking a little green.

Me: Yes. I’m still catching my breath from my birthday. I’m 21 now!

Lee: The big 2-1, huh?

Me: Yeah, still hard to believe the day finally came.

Lee: Well I guess you can start tending bar now.

Me: Really?

Lee: Yeah.  Why don’t you go start now?

Me: no response (my hungover brain was processing too slowly)

Lee: Seriously, get back there!

That was really it.  In classic SOMETHING out of NOTHING fashion − I just started tending bar.  As it turned out, most adults didn’t appreciate my high-school style pouring method. What I mean is that instead of Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin + tonic, I learned it was supposed to be the other way around. The good news for Lee’s quality control was that most of the bar orders were beer, wine and margaritas. The beer and wine didn’t require ACTUAL skill to prepare, since I just poured it into a glass or opened a bottle. And the margaritas were either prepared in volume beforehand or followed a pretty straight forward step-by-step.  However, there were some customers that first week who were more “traditional” drinkers.  Like the “Rye Manhattan” lady or that “Tom Collins” guy.  It took me more than a few times to get those ones right.

By the time I left San Carlos to start my new career at Amazon, I had I literally worked in every position on the floor. Some of my fondest memories growing up are from San Carlos and most specifically in the bar.  Since leaving, I’ve developed my own SooN creations and SooN DRINKING showcases the culmination of all that beverage-related knowledge.

Cheers,

Elisha