by Tiffany Maleshefski
Instead of doing keg stands and shooters, the guests at tonight's gala at the Conservatory of Flowers will be sipping on the decidedly more appropriate Conservatini™.
The delicious and just-invented beverage is the creation of Kevin Deidrich of Michael Mina's Clock Bar. It will be served at the Conservatory’s gala tonight, celebrating the debut of the its newest exhibit, the Golden Gate Express.
And as much as we thought this meant a vintage train constructed entirely out of ferns, rhododendrons and chrysanthemums, it’s actually much cooler.
Conservatory staff created an elaborate course for model G-gauge trains, constructed from special dwarf plants and miniature structures of San Francisco landmarks, such as Coit Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Adding even more flavor to the Conservatory’s lush landscape is the organiztion’s new signature cocktail, to which it owns all rights and branding. Yes, that ™ symbol you are seeing after each mention of it is for real. Just go and try to steal it. We dare you?
The recipe for this legally-protected drink came out of a competition held a few weeks ago between five local bartenders.
Deidrich duked it out with bartenders David Nepove, VP of the US Bartenders Guild, Jackie Patterson of Zinnia Restaurant, Jen Astrup of Waterbar, and John Ricklef of Aurea for the bragging rights to the Conservatini™, what's bound to be the hottest new cocktail passing through the livers of green thumbs.
We were a judge at the competition and, we must admit, it was good. Damn good. Hopefully, the Conservatory can think of a way to get that nectar of the gods on menus in and around the San Francisco. Oh, and it kind of tasted like a Creamsicle, but with a kick at the end. You can guarantee that tonight folks won’t have any problems knocking this bevy back. Just keep away from the glass everybody.
(For the recipe, follow the jump.)