Carrie comes to San Francisco by way of Palm Beach, Florida. Raised down the peninsula, she cut her teeth behind the bar with her first big industry gig in Palo Alto. There she learned the importance of the cocktail and memorized over 80 drinks so secretive the recipes were only told to her.

Thanks to the service industry and a dogged work ethic, Carrie put herself through law school and just passed the bar exam for California, generally considered the hardest in the country. The newly minted lawyer shrugs it off and smiles, mostly because she doesn’t have to take it again.

These days she mixes drinks for crisp-suited denizens of the Financial District at SOMA favorite, Salt House, a place she describes as a high-end neighborhood bar. The art of bartending, she says, is putting customers at ease with a wonderfully crafted product, skills she’s worked hard to fine-tune. Whether it’s her relaxed demeanor, a cold drink, or the cozy interior of Salt House, it’s all part of the experience.

Under the watchful gaze of bar manager Gabe Cothes, Carrie measures and stirs and shakes a refreshing cocktail for the summer season. The inspiration? “My favorite spirit is gin,” she says, “so I wanted to create something well balanced with the spirit, herbs, fruit, and effervescence. Something perfect for summertime.”

Romance & the Stone

1.5oz Bombay Dry Gin
0.5oz Apricot-Thyme infused simple syrup
0.5oz Lemon juice
0.75oz Cocchi Americano Dry Vermouth
One dash Angostura Bitters

Shaken, served over ice with a float of Cava.

Text by Alex May
Photography by Pierre Gussman