We first introduced you to Jack Rose Caravan in the current issue of our magazine. For the issue's Food & Drink feature, "Party Starters," we asked mix-master Nina Pearson, who co-owns and runs Jack Rose Caravan with her hubby, Devin, to whip up inventive and on-trend cocktails in three popular flavor profiles: floral, herbal, and citrus. Good news for local imbibers and teetotalers alike: You can hire the Pearsons to create cocktails and mocktails for your fête via their charming bar on wheels.

"I love weddings," says Nina. "I love the planning process and meeting all the vendors." She says she always wanted to work in the industry, especially following her own wedding two summers ago. She and Devin hosted a Mexican-themed fiesta at Frida Bistro in downtown Salt Lake City. The evening's menu featured a taco truck, churros, margaritas, sangria, beer, and wine.

The couple's original plan was to open a boozy snow-cone shack, but they set their sights on something bigger. Inspired by the many mobile bars that are popular in Australia, they bought an old trailer and spent the last year completely rebuilding it. They tore it apart, sanded it, tricked it out for bar duty, and painted it white. The trailer was reborn as their cute booze-cruiser, named in honor of the Jack Rose cocktail—one of Nina's personal faves—made with applejack, grenadine, and lemon or lime juice. (Fun fact: The cocktail appears in Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises—one of my personal faves—when Jake Barnes orders the drink while waiting for Lady Brett Ashley at the hotel bar in the Crillon Paris.)

Here's how it works: Because of Utah's whack, er, whacky liqour laws, they can't "sell" alcohol to clients (i.e. they can't set up a cash bar). Instead, when you hire Jack Rose Carvan, you supply the booze, they supply the rest, including recipes, mixers, glassware, plus the actual act of mixing, pouring, and serving said booze. The Pearsons and their posse will roll up to your private event anywhere in Utah, park the caravan, and set up shop. The white caravan is essentially a bank canvas, so couples can decorate it as they wish: with flower garlands, banners, signage, bistro lights, you name it. Custom chalkboard signs displaying your drink menu, and fun extras like festive straws and coasters, can also be arranged.

Couples can pick their poison from a pre-set drink menu, or can request custom signature cocktails for their event. Non-alcoholic options, like Italian sodas, lemonade, and limeade, are also available. Nina recommends serving two to three cocktails (consider one made with light alcohol and one made with dark alcohol, like vodka and whiskey), plus beer, wine, and/or champagne. She says gin and herbal drinks are popular, especially those made with St-Germain elderflower liqueur. Nina's a fan of the gin sour, while Devin likes whiskey + ginger ale.

The duo is also working on a pop-up bar concept for weddings: The wooden structure could be set up anywhere, and would make their mobile concept more accessible for indoor and winter events. We'll cheers to that. Clink, clink!

Featured Photo: Elisha Braithwaite Photography