Colleen Kelly
Lucia Restaurant & Bar
415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley (831) 877-1099, bernarduslodge.com
Any high-falootin’ bartender could turn to Jerry Thomas’ cocktail guide, published in 1862, for a standup whiskey concoction. But Colleen Kelly can take tradition and make it come alive, thanks to her creative bent and access to the gardens, orchards and apiary of Bernardus Lodge. A simple Old Fashioned dressed with freshly picked rosemary becomes extraordinary. Give her thyme and honey and she will pull together fascination in a glass, with rum, vanilla and pineapple juice. Kelly crafts cocktails with fresh herbs, seasonal fruits and even vegetables – cocktails you cannot find anywhere else in the county.
