For all the distinct memories we will carry with us when we look back upon this time, I suspect great swathes of it will come to seem like a dream. If anyone had told us six months ago that a global pandemic would lead the majority of people around the world to willingly put their lives on hold, then, in the wake of a single act of violence reflective of centuries of racial injustice hundreds of thousands across the country and the world would march to demand real systemic change, it would have been unfathomable. Yet here we are. Even as we continue to be swept up in the convergence of fears around Covid-19, there is suddenly an opportunity to work through societal vulnerabilities that affect us all, whatever our race or ethnicity. Giving voice to anger is understandable, but no means to an end. The Black Lives Matter movement is tugging at the edge of our collective soul. Even for those of us who do not live in ethnically diverse communities, hard questions must be asked and answered about what led us to this moment in history, and what role we can all play to provoke and support real change.
In the midst of all this incredible upheaval, Covid-19 is still very much with us. In navigating our direction as we re-open for dining here in Healdsburg, a great deal of our focus has been on how Barndiva’s version of bespoke hospitality can best serve the present moment. Food is obviously essential, but dining out is not, it’s a luxury and a privilege. We want to honor that while strengthening support for our food shed and all who work within it, specifically our purveyors and our workforce here in Healdsburg who make everything we do possible. If we can give you a great time while doing that, cooking food we are passionate about, surmounting the challenges of the past few months will have led us to better place.
We don’t need to look too closely at Barndiva’s To Go Cocktails sales to know that ‘Cocktail Hour’ has taken on new significance during the quarantine, these days it qualifies as a self care ritual. If you Zoom it can offer brief respite from isolation, a chance to catch up with friends. When dining out cocktails are often the opening act, a chance to shift gears. In addition to the classics and Barndiva favorites we’re now shaking up a series of cocktails we hope you will find both delicious and suggestive: an invitation to sit back, take in the gardens, relax and enjoy. Our days may still be long and challenging, but your time with us doesn’t have to be.
Lift, Flirt, and Slide reflect a thoughtful, curative message, embracing the fact that all cocktails are mood enhancers - therein lies their charms. We’ve been making them for years now, one or more is usually on the bar menu. Lift appeals to anyone just looking for a cocktail to hit the spot and bring the moment into high relief, energizing it. Flirts are a bit more expansive as they seek connection, to the room, the music, the people around them. Slides cater to the (increasingly) frequent desire for a comfort driven few hours - a cocktail, a great bottle of wine, a wonderful meal - before gliding home and to bed.
The series showcases seasonal fruits and fresh herbs and garnishes grown here in our gardens. They are complimented with a dash of a specific elixir made from the roots, rhizome or flowers of organically grown herbs. Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to boost the immune system and bolster recovery from a variety of ailments, both physical and psychological. The Egyptians, West Indians, and the Chinese used them in the 1st and 2nd centuries before they made their way to Europe in the 18th century and the German Dr. Samuel Hahnemann gave them the name and nomenclature we use today as being ‘homeopathic.’
While we always take great care in our choice of spirits - St. George gins are made in the North Bay, Young and Yonder right here in Healdsburg - Lift, Flirt and Slides are built in such a way that they are delicious with or without alcohol.
Barndiva’s bar team, like all members of our staff, are currently working masked and gloved, but I didn’t have the heart to publish this blog without giving you an unmasked glimpse of the three talented women who created these cocktails and will command the bar this summer. Here’s a brief description of what they are shaking up this June.
Terra’s LIFT : two St George gins, Botanivore for its floral notes, and Terroir, intriguingly forest forward. They are complimented by a house made strawberry shrub, Pamplemousse Rosé, and black pepper syrup, St John’s Wort. The flowers of St John’s Wort contain antioxidants - Rutin, Quercetin, and Lutein. A roadside wildflower from Europe that dates back to ancient Greece, it’s commonly used to combat ‘the blues’ and lift the spirit. It’s also thought to ease tiredness and nervousness.
Hayden’s FLIRT : lightly infused rosemary tequila, garnished with fresh rosemary tips from our farm. It has fresh watermelon juice, fresh lime, an intriguing hibiscus Tajin syrup, a hit of peach bitters, Rhodiola. Documented use of the fragrant Rhodiola Rosea Root, also known as Roseroot, to enhance mental and physical endurance dates back to 1725.
Isabel’s SLIDE : Young and Yonder vodka, raspberry syrup, Navarro Verjus, Lillet Rose, Caperitif, fresh mint and Valerian. Native to Europe but cultivated in the US since the early 19th century, numerous human clinical trials conducted on the use of the Valerian rhizome have shown positive results to support a restful night’s sleep.
Adaptogens are natural substances that help your body deal with stress and promote mental balance - they need to be grown, harvested and made into tinctures or pastilles with great care. St John’s Wort tinctures use the flower of the plant while use of Valerian relies upon the rhizome, or root of the plant. Many adaptogens - mint, ginger, tumeric - are likely part of your grocery list. Dan grows both at the farm (see above) but the small amounts of the adaptogens used in these cocktails were sourced from HerbPharm and Nature’s Best. Gaia Farm, located in the Blue Ridge mountains and a Certified B Corporation has been around since 1987 and has a beautifully informative website and blog about a range of herbal remedies and their suggested usses. They grow organically and sell online. https://www.gaiaherbs.com/pages/herb-reference-guide.