When did you first become interested in mixology? (When was your first taste? How was the experience?)
I can trace it back to my college days, when every house party featured a keg of cheap, skunky beer. One of my friends smuggled in a flask of Southern Comfort, which we mixed with Coke, and then every other mixer we could find in our host's kitchen. It was such a revelation, that there was an alternative to beer; that it tasted better; and that we could add ingredients to adjust the taste.

If you don't order a cocktail at a restaurant or bar, which beverage do you choose?
I love crisp white wines. Usually I gravitate toward a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc.

What's your least favorite drink?
Those ersatz green Apple-tinis. I've had plenty of fabulous apple cocktails, and not one has been that fake lime green color.

What's your best mixology/drinking memory? What was the occasion?
Drinks are always best when shared with friends or family. Perhaps my favorite recent memory was mixing up a batch of Spiced Caramel Apple cocktails at Thanksgiving for the extended family. It's fun watching people try a new drink that you've created, and getting their feedback on the spot.

What is the first thing someone learning about mixology should know?
Cocktail recipes are only guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. Always feel free to tweak drink recipes to suit your taste.

What are some of your favorite food and drink pairings? I love spicy food, but I'm not a fan of pairing spicy food and spicy drinks together; it's always one or the other for me. I love a spicy Margarita paired with nachos with plenty of sour cream and guacamole to cut the heat, bourbon drinks with barbecue, and spicy Asian dishes with chilled rose wine.

What booze should no home be without?
Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur is one of my favorites right now. It has the right balance of sweetness, alcohol, and that faintly spicy ginger tingle. It's lovely as an after-dinner digestif on its own, mixed in gin cocktails, or in a long spritzer-style drink.

Do you have any favorite bartending/mixology gadgets? Are there any new ones on the market? If so, what are they and where can people get them?
Although I believe that you don't need fancy gadgets to make a great drink, I have a few mixology toys on my wish list: Hand-stitched ice-crushing bags from The Boston Shaker -- I'm tired of plastic bags busting open; pretty cut-glass Yarai mixing glasses from Japan sold at Cocktail Kingdom; and Bittermens Xocolatl Mole bitters (spicy chocolate bitters!) from The Bitter Truth.

What are your three best tips, tricks or techniques cocktail fans?
--Keep flavors balanced. Look for the right mix of sweet, tart, alcohol, and heat.
--start with a little spice. You can always add more later, but it's hard to subtract heat from a cocktail without ruining the drink.
--Use cocktail recipes as a starting point, but always feel free to experiment

What was the thought process behind the Peppered Poire?
I'm honored that this drink was a finalist in the Pear Panache competition. Whenever possible, I prefer to work seasonal produce in drinks, and from the fall harvest on through the winter months, pears are readily available from local farms here in the Northeast. For the Peppered Poire, I used both fresh pear puree and pear liqueur. Then I made a simple syrup flavored with black peppercorns and red pepper flakes, which add just a touch of heat and smoky flavor, but don't overwhelm the pear, which is the centerpiece of the drink. And finally, it's all lightened up with sparkling wine, which balances out the richness of the fruit and adds a fun, fizzy texture to the drink.

Which cocktail in "Spice and Ice" is your favorite? Why?
I have a few favorites, and one of them is the Blackberry-Poblano Margarita, which uses sweet, plump summer blackberries and has a stunning purple color. In fact, I could go for one right now!