A Lemon Drop Martini, with Limoncello Even for the most persnickety guest, this one will do. Summer in a glass, year-round. Why it works? Limoncello. If you want to make your own, comment below and I’ll get you a recipe. Hint: Seville oranges that taste similar to lemons are best. Otherwise, store-bought limoncello is fantastic. Lemon Drop Martini 2 oz vodka½ oz Cointreau¼ oz limoncello¾ oz fresh lemon juice¼ oz simple syrup Shake hard with ice Kold-draft ice. Fine strain into a chilled tini martini glass. Sugar rim optional. Preferred. Glassware: Tini martini glassGarnish: sugar rim/lemon twist Bar chef notes: Citrus before sweetness. Orange rounds. Bright and lemony. Toast. Taste. Train. Shop the post (may be commissionable)
SIT Vol. II Studies in Taste— Vol. II Confections — Chocolate Shop the Print—$32 Celebration — Champagne Shop the Print—$32 Culture — Parmigiano Reggiano Shop the Print—$32 Harvest — Pomegranate Shop the Print — $32 Ritual — Roe Shop the print— $32 Studies in Taste was created in a small format intentionally. A single 5 × 7 can be displayed framed on a shelf, in a kitchen, placed beside books, or hung as one small piece with presence. Think of them as little studies: individual works, or part of a larger collection. Perhaps displayed for inspiration as a layered, collected personal chic salon-style wall. Made from the details I notice first: structure, texture, color, repetition, and the ordinary things that become more interesting when you look a little longer. Available as digital downloads. Digital downloads are intended for small-format personal printing; 5×7 inches or smallish recommended with square works best suited for square formats. Larger prints may appear softer depending on the image, printer, and paper. $32 each For personal residential display only View Studies in Taste on the blog For hospitality, commercial, or bulk licensing inquiries: blondebehindthebucket@gmail.com © 2026 Tatum Lorraine Barnes. All rights reserved.Studies in Taste — Vol. IIBlonde Behind the Bucket® Toast. Taste. Train. Shop the Post
SIT Vol. I Studies in Taste — Vol. I A curated collection of photographic still lifes exploring food, beverage, texture, and ritual. Structure — cabbage Shop this print — $32 Aperitivo — grapefruit Campari Shop this print — $32 Tide — octopi on ice Shop this print — $32 Earth — mushrooms Shop this print — $32 Harvest — strawberries/asparagus Shop the print — $32 Shop this print — $32 Morning Ritual — espresso Shop this print — $32 Studies in Taste — Vol. I Made from the details I notice first: structure, texture, color, repetition, and the ordinary things that become more interesting when you look a little longer. Available as digital downloads. Digital downloads are intended for small-format personal printing; 5×7 inches or smallish recommended with square works best suited for square formats. Larger prints may appear softer depending on the image, printer, and paper. $32 each. For personal residential display only View the full Studies in Taste collection For hospitality, commercial, or bulk licensing inquiries: blondebehindthebucket@gmail.com © 2026 Tatum Lorraine Barnes. All rights reserved.Studies in Taste — Vol. IBlonde Behind the Bucket® Toast. Taste. Train. Shop the Post
Blueberry Rye Reserve A test drink gone right. Russell’s Reserve Rye, Carpano Antica, blueberry jam, bitters, and saline. Stirred cold, fine-strained, finished with a Luxardo cherry. Blueberry Rye Reserve 2 oz Russell’s Reserve Rye1 oz Carpano Antica Formula1 bar spoon blueberry jam4 dashes Angostura bitters2 dashes tobacco bitters2 drops salineLuxardo cherry, for garnish Add rye, Carpano Antica, blueberry jam, bitters, and saline to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until well chilled and diluted. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry. Bar Chef Notes: Optional: Muddle cucumber before building and serve over ice. Garbage dump or double strain. Shop the post. Toast. Taste. Train.
Before Dinner: A Campari Apéritif An apéritif comes before the meal. The word comes from the French apéritif, derived from the Latin aperire, meaning “to open.” An amuse-bouche prepares the palate for the meal. An apéritif wakes up the appetite and signals the beginning of the dining experience. Think Pastis, Campari Soda, Aperol Spritz, Select Spritz, Lillet Blanc, Negroni Sbagliato or Champagne. Each serves the same purpose: to mark the beginning of the evening and awaken the appetite. Today, I am featuring a Campari Soda, one of my favorites. For those of you who may not know, Campari is an Italian aperitivo known for its vibrant red color and pleasantly bitter profile. Produced in Italy since 1860, it has long been a staple of bars, cafés, and dinner tables. Served simply with soda water and a neatly trimmed orange or grapefruit slice, it remains one of the easiest apéritifs you can make. Fun fact: Campari’s signature red color originally came from carmine, a natural dye derived from cochineal insects. One of the things I appreciate most about the apéritif tradition is what it represents. It creates a pause between the day and the dinner table and what better way than a cold, crisp, bittersweet apéritif. A moment to gather, converse, relax and enjoy. Have one or two. Who’s counting? Campari Soda Ingredients 2 oz Campari 3–4 oz soda water Orange slice or grapefruit slice, neatly trimmed Ice Method Fill a glass with ice. Add the Campari Top with soda water Garnish: neatly trimmed orange or grapefruit slice Glass: A rocks glass, double old fashioned, or what I still call a bucket glass Bar Chef Notes The beauty of this drink is simplicity. There is an elegance in simplicity. Sometimes hospitality is not about doing more. Simple drinks often have the longest history. Lime offers a brighter, sharper citrus note than orange or grapefruit, should you choose. Some days a coffee cup instead of bucket glass is just fine too. In the end, it’s about creating space for people to slow down, enjoy what is already in front of them, appreciate the good company around them, and appreciate the simple ritual of beginning a meal together. Cin cin. Toast. Taste. Train. Shop the post Purchases may be commissionable.
Test Smoothie Test Smoothie There’s a version you measure. And a version you repeat. The repeat is the test. Made at the counter. Despite the cup and saucer, not styled. Ingredients 1 cup water 1 teaspoon maca (Sprout Living) 1 scoop collagen (Agent Nateur) 1 scoop protein — Green Kingdom (Sprout Living) 1 scoop celery powder (Koyah) 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed Frozen fruit blend — dragon fruit, açaí, mango (Navitas Organics) 1 mandarin orange ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon Blend until smooth. Why Each Ingredient Works Water — Carries everything. Hydration, without interference. Cleans. Maca (Sprout Living) — A Peruvian root traditionally used to support energy, mood, and hormonal balance. Collagen (Agent Nateur) — Skin, hair, and nails. A shiny, ultra-fine pearl powder. Plant Protein (Sprout Living — Green Kingdom) — For those of us who don’t eat enough vegetables. Adds density and weight. Celery Powder (Koyah) — Mineral-forward. Clean, subtle depth. Ground Flaxseed — Fiber and omega-3s. Adds density and weight. Dragon Fruit / Açaí / Mango (Navitas Organics) — Antioxidants with natural sweetness and acidity. Mandarin Orange — Fresh citrus lift. Brightens the blend. Ceylon Cinnamon — Warmth. Shop the Ingredients This may be commissionable. Toast. Taste. Train.
Paper Plane, All Grown Up A bourbon-forward Paper Plane with Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Bright, balanced, and served chilled in a coupe or Nick & Nora. Bar Chef Notes Traditionally served in either a coupe or Nick & Nora. The coupe has long carried the rumor that it was modeled after Marie Antoinette’s breast — one of hospitality’s favorite lingering myths. The Nick & Nora, named after the cocktail-drinking couple in The Thin Man films, is favored for its slightly narrower shape and cleaner for actual service. Traditionally made with Amaro Nonino, though Montenegro makes a softer, slightly sweeter variation. Either works perfectly. Shop the BBB Storefront This may be commissionable.
What Is an Amuse-Bouche? The First Move. An amuse-bouche is not a course. It’s a signal. It wakes the palate. Prepares the mouth for dinner. Like an aperitif signals the stomach it’s time to eat. In French, it translates loosely to “amuse the mouth.” In practice, it’s calibration. One bite. Precise. At home, it doesn’t need to be complicated. Layer a salted licorice star between two dark chocolate wafers or melt the chocolate and dip. If using a microwave, heat in 20–30 second increments. If using a bain-marie, melt until smooth and remove from heat. A touch of coconut oil or avocado oil adds shine. Dip.Use a fork or your fingers to lift and let the excess chocolate fall away. Let it set on the countertop or refrigerate until the chocolate is firm. Serve at room temperature. Sweet, bitter, saline. Merlot comes to mind. A sample. Certainly not an afterthought. It’s the first move. Sometimes I stand in my kitchen and eat these. No reservation required. Shop the setup This may be commissionable. Toast. Taste. Train.
Fresh Basil Syrup Recipe Fresh basil syrup is bright, aromatic, and quietly useful. It adds that green herbal note to cocktails, sparkling water, lemonade, tea, fruit, and even the occasional smoothie. Simple ingredients. Strong payoff. If basil is thriving on the counter or in the garden, this is where some of it should go. And in pasta dishes, of course. Less aggressive than mint. More elegant than vanilla. Don’t tell vanilla. Unexpected in the right way. Basil Syrup Ingredients: 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 6–10 medium basil sprigs (mostly leaves + tops) Method: Add water and sugar to a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add basil sprigs and lightly press into syrup. A wooden spoon works best. Start with 8 sprigs of those 6-10, add more if desired. Cover and steep 20–30 minutes. Taste after 20 minutes. Remove basil when flavor is where you want it. Strain and cool. Store refrigerated. How to Use It Toast Add to gin and soda. Shake with vodka, lemon, and ice. Build into a tequila spritz. Add a touch to sparkling wine. Taste Spoon over berries. Brush onto cake layers. Add to fruit salad. Matcha latte. Goji tea. Train Stir into sparkling water with lemon and lime. Add a small amount to mango orange smoothies. Shop the Post This may be commissionable. Toast. Taste. Train.
Age Is Just a Number: The Durand Age is just a number. Until you’re opening a 1989. The Durand is designed for older bottles where corks can be dry, brittle, and prone to fracture. It stabilizes these fragile corks so the pour stays clean. Cork-free. Named for sommelier Yves Durand and developed by Mark Taylor, a collector who needed a better solution for mature bottles, the tool combines a traditional screw with prongs to support compromised corks. Corks deteriorate with storage shifts, oxidation, temperature fluctuation, and time. It’s just material science. Blonde Behind the Bucket Mid-service the other night, I didn’t stop to photograph the bottom half of the cork beside the decanter. Invasive guests service and all. The cork split. Bottom half extracted. Wine untouched. Job done. The Durand stores in its cork case and requires little maintenance. Wipe with a polishing cloth. If needed, wash with warm water and mild soap. Dry thoroughly before storing. Some bottles don’t require safeguarding. A screw cap. A standard waiter’s key. That’s it. Done. Others do. Link below if you’re building a bar or cellar with intention. Shop The Durand corkscrew This may be commissionable Taste. Toast. Train.