SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 // 21
COLUMBIA BAR
Sunshower
By RYAN HUME
FOR COAST WEEKEND
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Redmen Hall, aka, the River Life Interpretive Center / Cen-
tral School
Drink wine, bid
on prizes, help
Redmen Hall
SKAMOKAWA, WASH. —
The Friends of Skamoka-
wa will hold its annual
fundraiser, “A Cornucopia
of Wines: Wine Tasting
& Auction,” 6:30 to 10
p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at
the Skamokawa Grange
(18 Fairgrounds Road,
Skamokawa, Washington,
98647). The doors will
open at 6:30 p.m.
This is the friends
group’s main fundraiser of
the year; all funds are di-
rected to the maintenance
and operation of the River
Life Interpretive Center/
Central School/Redmen
Hall.
The event draws visi-
tors from throughout the
Pacific Northwest. There
will be fine wines to sam-
ple with a delectable menu
prepared by Don and Kitty
Speranza.
Prepare for a spirited
evening of bidding on
auction items, including
getaways to local bed
and breakfasts, paintings,
ceramics, blown glass, gift
baskets, river kayaking,
gift certificates to local
restaurants, breweries,
farmers markets and much
more.
Auctioneer Brian
McClain presides over
the open auction with his
friendly, fast-paced style.
Nonalcoholic beverages
will also be available.
“Here is your oppor-
tunity to help keep this
beautiful building standing
tall,” organizers wrote in a
release.
Advance tickets are $15
each, or two for $25, and
can be purchased at Daisy
Chain Floral in Cathlamet,
the Skamokawa General
Store and at the River Life
Interpretive Center/Cen-
tral School/Redmen Hall
in Skamokawa. Tickets
sold at the door will be
$20 each, or two for $30.
For questions, call
360-795-3007, email
fos1894@gmail.com, or
stop by the River Life
Interpretive Center (1394
Washington State Route 4,
Skamokawa, Washington,
98647) during open hours,
noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays
through Sundays.
I
n late August, I stopped
by the immense and
ornate bar central to Car-
ruthers Restaurant, as they
were celebrating their one-
year anniversary of bringing
great food, great drink and
great service to downtown
Astoria.
In a year’s time Car-
ruthers had plowed through
many seasonal changes to
its menu and the activity
behind the bar has been no
less adventurous. It was ex-
actly a year ago that I fea-
tured the Bulleit-based Rye
Witch, one of Carruthers’
first signature cocktails.
Since then, David Licitra
has taken over the bar menu
from Laura Cherau, but the
mixology shows no signs
of becoming complacent
anytime soon.
The Sunshower, a recent
drink special, combines the
heavy sweetness of dark
rum with the effervescent,
warm tartness of a mango/
chile/finger lime shrub.
Shrubs have been all the
rage lately, having appeared
at the Harding Trading Co.
in Cannon Beach as well as
at the Seaside and Astoria
outposts of Pilot House
Distilling through their sis-
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respected source of
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and information for
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ter company Grumpy Dog
Shrubs.
Shrubs are old-fashioned
drinking vinegars which,
according to the knowl-
edgeable website Serious
Eats, were popular in
Colonial America as a way
to preserve fruit. Shrubs
usually combine fruit,
vinegar, sugar, as well as
herbs and spices, and tend
to pack a punch that is both
puckering and sweet.
The rediscovery of
these syrups seems like the
natural next-step evolution
for any bar that prides itself
on its infused spirits. While
most shrubs are non-alco-
holic, they are often right at
home in a cocktail.
The Sunshower essen-
tially takes its general form
from the Mojito, though
here the muddled herb is
basil instead of mint. The
salt and pepper on the rim
calms down the aggressive
bite of the vinegar. This is
one last splash of summer
in September before the
skies draw dark again.
Sunshower
1 1/2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce Mango/Chile/Finger
Lime Shrub*
1 ounce fresh lime juice
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper
Ice
Wipe the lip of a cocktail glass
with a slice of lime and dust the rim
in salt and pepper. In the bottom of
a cocktail shaker, muddle the basil
with ice. Add the rum, lime juice and
shrub, mix and pour into the rimmed
glass.
*There are many resources on-
line that will help you begin brewing
and stewing your own shrubs.
Some general guidance offered
by David Licitra of Carruthers is to
begin with equal parts fruit, vinegar
and sugar and heat the mixture
to just below a boil—about 190
degrees. The infusion can then
be left to marinate in the fridge
for between three and 30 days
before being strained and is ready
to use. Licitra also noted that the
discarded fruit is excellent for using
in chutneys.
This particular shrub combined
mangos, serrano and jalapeño
peppers and finger limes, which are
an odd Aussie citrus that forms little
pearls that look like caviar as opposed
to the petals of the regular super-
market-varietal limes. Regular limes
would make a fine substitution.
If you are not up for waiting a
week or month before trying your
drinking vinegar, Grumpy Dog’s new
Mandarin Habanero Shrub would
make an interesting contribution to
the mix.
—Recipe and advice courtesy
of David Licitra, bar manager,
Carruthers Restaurant, Astoria,
Oregon CW
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Saturday September 9 th
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