Finally with an occasional chill in the air, the produce is starting to match the season at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. Correspondent Gillian Ferguson meets up with Ignacio Murrillo who is the head barman at Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s A.O.C. restaurants. The bar programs have a long history of using farmers market ingredients in their cocktails. Murillo is looking for pears, apples, guavas, pomegranates, and beets at this time of year. He uses golden beets with vodka rather than the expected red beet. Murillo takes Bartlett pears and pairs them with bourbon, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves, with housemade orgeat syrup for creaminess.
Becky Terry of Terry Ranch in Dinuba describes pears that chefs are reaching for and the difference between Asian and European varieties.
Ignacio Murillo pairs Barlett pears with bourbon for a new autumn cocktail at A.O.C.. Photo by LANZA.