By Gina Horan
Whiskey Kitchen’s Kimberly Corso Crafts Bourbon Infusions
One of the coolest aspects of bartending is that, with the right owner and the freedom to create, the possibilities of cocktail design are endless.
That’s exactly what I found when I sat down with bar manager Kimberly Corso at Whiskey Kitchen in Mount Dora.
“Ms. Edna is so supportive and gives me the freedom to create what I want and what our guests ask for,” Kimberly says of Whiskey Kitchen’s owner Edna Gonzalez. “We had a movie night here once, and it inspired me to make a popcorn-flavored cocktail.”
The drink was a hit, leading her to create flavors like peach cobbler, maple bacon, chocolate cherry and the rosemary, rye and rhubarb, which she named “Triple R.”
Edna, with husband/co-owner Louie Gonzalez, have put together an extensive whiskey selection and craft cocktail program, so Kimberly is encouraged to experiment.
That kind of trust is an extension of the creative energy the couple displayed when they recently expanded the restaurant’s outdoor space and entertainment offerings.
“I had a guest challenge me,” Kimberly says. “He said banana. That’s how the banana bread Old-Fashioned was created.”
For Kimberly, inspiration can come from almost anywhere.
“The sky is the limit once you start experimenting with flavors,” she says. “I can take just the well bourbon and look around for ingredients like honey, herbs, fruits or even chocolate.”
She walked me through her process as she combined bourbon with fresh ingredients in large glass containers so the flavors could infuse for about three days before being used in cocktails.
“I make batches and batches now,” Kimberly says, adding that this is the most fun she’s had in 20-plus years of bartending.
I’m not sure what Kimberly will infuse next, but I’m betting it won’t be her last twist on an Old-Fashioned.
“People come in just for the flavors,” she says. “Infusions are kind of my thing,”
Whiskey Kitchen also hosts daily happy hour, music video bingo on Mondays, trivia on Tuesdays, whiskey tastings and live music on select nights.
Kimberly’s Kettle Corn Old-Fashioned
Photos: Nicole Hamel
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Gina moved to Central Florida from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2021. She holds a degree in linguistics and has worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist, lifestyle columnist and food writer since 1995. She later covered travel, events, restaurants, music festivals and sports throughout Northern California, including work as a morning show host with KSAN radio and food critic for KRON Bay TV. A veteran bartender, she has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. Gina joined Akers Media in 2022 and is currently the Food and Lifestyle Editor. Her passions include travel, road trips, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map.
