Behind the Scenes of Our Video Shoot with Victoria George [pictures]

These days I feel like I am running around from video shoot to video shoot. Weekdays, weekends, nights, days—shoot, shoot, shoot! It's a good thing that I enjoy it. Because at the end of the day, the things to know about shoots are that: 1) Video shoots can take a long time, 2) Video shoots are a lot of work, and 3) Video shoots are tons of FUN! (The extra No. 4: Video shoots require a lot of coffee.) Everyone should try to take part in one at least once in their life.

For Victoria's shoot, we arrived on set at 11 am and wrapped at 7 pm (with some breaks and the help of a lot of coffee and tea). Whew! During that period, we were running around, setting up lighting, capturing Victoria in her natural element. We also had a lot of fun just catching up and talking, as she got her bar ready and we fiddled with the cameras. My video mentor Dave says that after you shoot with someone, you suddenly feel like you've been through a lot together. It is very true!

I wanted to share a tiny bit of the experience with you guys. Video shoots are not only a great chance to have fun together. We also get to take some fun pictures! Here are a few from the shoot:



Here we are getting ready to roll. I am testing the shot, and Victoria is getting ready behind the bar and looking so chic in the process!



Getting ducks in a row as Victoria preps to make her drink.



Josh is getting ducks in a row, too.



"Dry run!"



One thing that shocked me is how much work it takes to open a bar. Lugging large buckets of ice, carrying cases of bottles, setting up all the garnishes—it's no easy task.



And of course, the drink that took the spotlight! The Panic at the Pisco—a really fun summery twist on a mint julep. Bright and tasty. The drink was made from these guys:



See the full behind-the-scenes set on Flickr here.

Spotlight on Rickhouse's Victoria George: How to Make a "Panic at the Pisco"

Josh and I are convinced that Victoria George from Rickhouse is one of the city's most elegant bartenders. When we watch her raise her shaker and gently rock the cocktail into existence, there is an uncanny grace to the movement—like a waltz.

That's just one reason why we were elated when Victoria asked us to help her make a video for the Campo de Encanto Pisco apprenticeship contest. Aside from being a completely delightful person, Victoria posses the winning combination of a finely tuned palate paired with an elegant flair to her bartending. We couldn't wait!

The only challenge? We had only a few days to shoot and edit the video.

Well, after days of hard work, we are excited to share this short spotlight on one of San Francisco's most darling bartenders, Victoria George. She shares a little about her passion for bartending and teaches us how to make her original Panic at the Pisco—a fun, refreshing twist on the classic mint julep. (This recipe will be handy come summertime!)

Meet Victoria and learn how to make her drink in the video above (for those with ADD—you know who you are—find a shorter version with just the cocktail recipe here). Watch in 1080p for best results!

Czech out Becherovka, the Czech Republic's finest amaro

You've probably seen the distinctive bottle on the shelf at BevMo, on some back bar, or perhaps in the hands of SF bartender Russell Davis (above) but could never pronounce it: it's "becker-OV-ka." Becherovka, an amaro, has been produced in the village of Karlovy Vary (aka Carlsbad) in the Czech Republic for over 200 years. It's making its way onto the cocktail menus all over the city, such as Local Edition and Rickhouse. It's also regularly stocked at a huge variety of bars, such as Clock Bar, Cantina, Dave's in SOMA and Bender's in the Mission.

The amaro is by far the most drinkable amaro I've had. Anyone can pick up an ice cold glass of this stuff (keep the water content to a minimum, so store it in your freezer) and immediately fall in love. It's not very bitter, but you definitely get a little bit of bite, especially when it's served cold. The flavors I get most are cinnamon and then clove on the finish. There are 38 other spices and herbs in the secret recipe, but only two people in the world know what they all are and in what proportions (seriously).

In addition to tasting great on its own, Becherovka also mixes very well with others. We recently enjoyed a few cocktails starring Becherovka at the Burritt Room in the Mystic Hotel

Bijou variation



Usually, a Bijou contains gin, vermouth, and chartreuse. This version substitutes the Becherovka for the chartreuse, and it's incredible. The Becherovka blends perfectly into the cocktail; it doesn't drown out any of the flavors but only enhances them.



Becherovka citrus cocktail. This one is a variant on an Aviation or Last Word, depending how you interpret the recipe. It's got Becherovka, gin, lemon, falernum. I was pleasantly surprised to see Becherovka work so well in a citrusy drink.





A Hot Toddy with Becherovka is my next winter drink obsession. Its flavor profile makes it super easy, too. All you need to do is add a bit of lemon and honey to some Becherovka and hot water and you're done.



At $24.99, this amaro is substantially cheaper than most amaros we'll review. It's worth buying.