In the February print issue of 7x7, which is the annual Big Eat Issue and out this week, I take you on a tour of some of the city's most unique and beautiful desserts featuring out-of-the-ordinary winter citrus. Of course, this being the height of citrus season in local farmers' markets, you'll also find tons of great cocktails around town featuring the freshest of the fresh blood oranges, Meyer lemons, and more.
Check out the slideshow above for seven of my recent favorites, a couple from new bars in town, and a couple from old standbys. And look for the magazine on stands now for some pretty sweets and even odder fruits.
Cocktails featured:
The Haight Street Shanghai at Maven(598 Haight and Steiner) - A delicious twist on a brandy sling with the essences of both kaffir lime (from the leaves) and black lime, a powdered condiment from India made from salting, dehydrating, and pulverizing limes. It's garnished with dried coriander seed on an ice cube.
A flight of punches at Novela(662 Mission near 3rd) - They serve seven punches on tap at this new spot near Yerba Buena. Try the delicious milk punch, with aged rum, cognac, allspice, lemon, and clarified milk; or the spicy Scotch punch with chipotle, ginger, lemon and lime juice.
The James Joyce at Range(842 Valencia Street) - One of the current menu cocktails at this Mission mainstay is this tart and layered drink with gin, white wine, Averna (a sweeter, less medicinal amaro than Fernet), fresh ruby red grapefruit juice, pink peppercorn, and lemon.
The Sangre Dulce at Blackbird (2124 Market Street at Church) - They're using fresh blood orange juice in this mescal drink at Blackbird, which also includes Fernet Vallet, and cinnamon.
The Trouble in Paradise at Tosca Cafe (242 Columbus Avenue) - Check out this acidic but well balanced concoction of bourbon, grapefruit, lemon, Campari, basil, and black pepper on Tosca's excellent bar menu.
The Reviver at Alta CA (1420 Market Street) - At Daniel Patterson's latest casual outpost on Mid-Market you'll find this twist on the Corpse Reviver #2, featuring gin, orange vermouth, lemon, and in place of absinthe, a wormwood- and anise-based Swedish liqueur called Malort.
Victory and Brightness! at Verbena (2323 Polk Street) - Another complex and layered gin drink, but this time with hints of pine and cedar from a recently revived, older liqueur called Kina l'Avion d'Or, an aperitif made from Cinchona bark, orange peel, exotic spices, and wormwood. The drink also includes a grapefruit shrub, lime, jalapeno, and orange bitters.
