Mod Cocktails: Q&A with Dutch Kills bartender and cocktail consultant Natalie Jacob
Though she’s worked at plenty of storied cocktail institutions throughout her career, Natalie Jacob, 32, is over “dark bars.” The Dutch Kills bartender, cocktail consultant and influencer shares cocktail recipes, home decor inspo and boozy desserts with her 16,000-plus Instagram followers and via her blog, Arsenic Lace. She uses her platform to showcase her love of tropical drinks, mid-century modern design and color. In fall 2019, she’ll publish her first book, Mod Cocktails: Modern Takes on Classic Recipes from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, an ode to drinks of that time. Over cocktails (of course), she talked to Edible Queens about cocktail history, the unusual items she collects and finding her dream job in the borough.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO BARTENDING?
I’ve been in the hospitality industry since I was 15. I started as a host, then I was a food runner, waitress, cocktail waitress and finally bartender. I worked my way up. I moved to Florida out of college, and I was bartending in nightclubs. When I moved back to New York I got a job for a program that Contemporary Cocktails consulted on. From there, I worked for Julie Reiner at Flatiron Lounge and Lani Kai when that opened in 2010. That’s when I started getting into the tropical and tiki categories. Then I went to Painkiller (PKNY) on the Lower East Side and Dutch Kills at the same time in 2011.
WHAT DREW YOU TO DUTCH KILLS?
I’d always dreamed of working in Sasha Petraske’s program. [The late owner of Milk & Honey—among other bars—is credited with launching New York’s craft cocktail scene.] I really looked up to him and [Dutch Kills’ co-owner] Richie Boccato, so when I got offered a job there, it was a dream opportunity.
NOW YOU ONLY WORK THERE ONE NIGHT A WEEK AND COMMUTE FROM JERSEY CITY, WHERE YOU LIVE. WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING IN?
Everyone that works there is my family. To me, that is the best bar in the world. I get to go there and create drinks and have fun. When you get a dream job, you don’t really leave it.
YOU’RE WRITING YOUR FIRST BOOK ABOUT MID-CENTURY COCKTAILS FROM THE 1940S–’60S. WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS?
It’s fun to research and discover history and how some cocktails don’t have any history. Some of the cocktails in the book are standard mid-century drinks, but a lot, hopefully, you won’t know. Then there are original cocktails inspired by that time period.
WHAT ARE THE MOST NOTABLE MID-CENTURY DRINKS?
Definitely the Mai Tai. Another favorite is a variation on the Tom Collins called the Stay Up Late. That’s one of the drinks I always order. It’s gin, cognac, lemon, sugar, club soda. Simple, delicious, refreshing.
ARE YOU DOING THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND PROPPING AS WELL?
I’m doing it all. I shoot my photos, write—everything from my house. When I think about if I ever have to move, I get anxiety because I have so much glassware and booze. A big part of my glassware collection is vintage. I go to flea markets and thrift stores all the time. If I see a pretty mid-century piece of glass, I have to have it.
YOU WEAR MANY HATS—BARTENDER, COCKTAIL CONSULTANT, BLOGGER, SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER, WRITER. TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER SO FAR.
I started the blog [in 2015] to be more transparent to brands, because I wanted to consult more and have a creative outlet. Being behind the bar and coming up with cocktails was always my favorite part. I didn’t start out wanting to do photography, but brands liked my photography and now they reach out and want me to create content for their social media. The blog has snowballed into me doing a bunch of different creative things, but I didn’t know where things would go when I started. As long as I get to be creative I’m happy.
YOUR COCKTAILS SEEM UNABASHEDLY FUN AND FEMININE. BUT THEY’RE ALSO SERIOUS.
I guess I’m tired of dark bars and masculinity. I’m a woman and if I want to wear a dress behind the bar, I should do that. If I like color, I should embrace that. Especially on Instagram, I put out there what I want people to see. But I don’t think I’m trying to put anything out there that is feminine. It’s just my style.
WHAT ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM THE BOOK ARE YOU PARTICULARLY PROUD OF?
There’s a piña colada variation called the Flying Down to Rio, with aged cachaça, banana liqueur, pineapple, orange and coconut. I really, really love that drink.
YOU PROBABLY GET THIS A LOT, BUT DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COCKTAIL?
A daiquiri. That’s my gold standard cocktail. It’s easy—three ingredients—and delicious when made properly. If you can make a daiquiri, then I trust you.
The Dutch Kills
Arsenic Lace | @arseniclace
Mod Cocktails: Modern Takes on Classic Recipes from the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s
Flatiron Lounge | @theflatironlounge
