Unlock your inner bartender

With the cocktail craze at full tilt (think boutique distilleries, speakeasies, Mad Men), Evan Faber, head mixologist at Salt bistro in Boulder, Colorado, has created a mix-and-match drinks menu that speaks to the wannabe bartender in all of us. His Cocktail Element program lets patrons choose a spirit, a style (say, a fizz, sour, or rickey), and an infused simple syrup to assemble their own drinks. Faber knows that the most important part of crafting a cocktail is playing off the flavor of the spirit: tequila’s salty lime notes are great with fruity pomegranate, for instance;  bourbon’s caramel richness begs to be cut with a little lemon juice and enhanced with vanilla simple syrup; and vodka’s clean, clear palette makes it a canvas for anything. His menu makes it easy to create a winner.