Photo courtesy of Jester Concepts
Jesse Held
Jesse Held
Cabin season contains its own eternal challenge: How can you pack light, but live large?
Personally, I always bring too many shoes, so I must turn to greater minds. Jesse Held is one of the bar stars of the Twin Cities, he’s currently in charge of bleeding-edge downtown hotspots Constantine and Parlour, and has launched the mixer company Earl Giles which features at local top bars like Lyn 65, and drives the wonders at Mercado Earl Giles.
However, Held wasn’t always the mixologist king, once upon a time he was just a kid growing up in Andover and trying to make his dad happy. Maybe that's where this all started? In any event, his dad liked something in the bourbon family to go with a steak on the grill. Held invented a drink that might have launched his career (it was on the menu at dear departed Town Talk), but for our purposes we are calling it the 'Up North Buck,' because why not? It's more a strategy than a recipe, but it is really excellent. “It’s basically a combination of a Manhattan and a Bourbon Buck," explains Held. "You take some mint, lemon, cherries, a little simple syrup, bourbon, muddle it all together, and pour it all over ice—add a mint sprig, it’s beautiful, you’re done. You don’t need fancy bar tools, you don’t need to be a mixologist pro. If you’re in the mood for more cherries, add them. If it’s a hot day and you want it to be more refreshing, top it off with ginger beer.” Held says he makes his with Luxardo cherries and either Old Grandad or Maker’s Mark bourbon—so pack one, and live large.
Up North Buck
- 4 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 lemon wedge
- 1/2 oz. of simple syrup
- 1–4 Luxardo cherries
- 2 oz. bourbon
- Ginger Beer (optional, to finish)
Muddle all ingredients in a glass, pour over ice, garnish with mint.
Optional: Tell everyone around you the mosquitoes are bad, but you've seen worse. Way worse. Why, one time . . .
