Everything in Moderation: Monday Magic series supports local service workers

Welcome to Everything in Moderation. Xpress is reviving the popular cocktail and spirits column from contributing writers Audrey and Bill Kopp after it abruptly ended at the start of COVID-19 in 2020.

Sharing fellowship and conversation over a cocktail at the end of the day is a time-honored social tradition. Monday Magic, an initiative from The Low Down and The Crow & Quill founder Casey Campfield, combines that practice with a fun way to support Asheville-area bartenders whose lives and livelihoods took a hit from Tropical Storm Helene.

Campfield launched Monday Magic in December at The Low Down in West Asheville in response to the wounding effects of the storm on local service workers. “Even now, with many places reopening, people have not gotten back to their full schedules,” says the bar owner and bartender. “They’re still paying off bills from the period when we were all out of work.”

It struck Campfield as logical to contribute in the best way they knew how. “Throwing events at bars is my specialty.”

‘Easy and streamlined’

When Campfield shared the idea on social media and by word-of-mouth, the response was immediate and nearly overwhelming. Within a few weeks, 28 bartenders had responded and were added to the calendar to participate in the once-a-week event.

Each week, the featured Monday Magic bartender receives 50% of the day’s total sales, plus 100% of the tips. “That’s money they get to take home with them that night in cash: no paperwork, no delays,” says Campfield, who uses the pronoun they.

They emphasize that for many workers, processing unemployment claims in the wake of Helene was frustrating and time-consuming. “We wanted to make Monday Magic as easy and streamlined as possible, so people could get on top of their bills and payments immediately.”

Campfield opened “whiskey library” at The Crow & Quill at 106 N. Lexington Ave. in 2014. With its extensive spirits menu — including well over 100 varieties of bourbons — the cozy bar quickly became a favorite among locals.

Building on that success, they opened The Low Down in a basement space at 723 Haywood Road in October 2023 with the goal to create “a cute neighborhood pub with a date-night feel.”

The space presented some challenges. “It’s essentially a concrete bunker,” Campfield says. “I knew that we would have to literally transform the place to make it comfortable.” Extensive custom woodworking — laser-cut based on Campfield’s hand drawings — gives the space a warm ambiance.

“I love it when people feel transported out of their everyday lives,” they say. “That’s a goal of mine with The Crow & Quill and with The Low Down: to have décor so different from what you’re used to, yet cozy and comfortable.”

The Low Down’s intimate vibe provides a perfect setting for Monday Magic. Campfield has created the event in a way that allows the featured bartender to mingle with patrons and friends. “They don’t have to learn our menu or our register system,” they say. “We do most of the behind-the-scenes work.”

The community response has been remarkable. “Each night that we’ve had the event, we’ve raised anywhere from about $380 to $1,200,” Campfield says. In late February, The Low Down announced that the series had so far raised $7,865 for participating bartenders — an average of $787 per person.

Recently, a scheduled bartender couldn’t make it, so Campfield reached out to Mary Taylor. Taylor’s basement had taken on 6 inches of water from the storm; six months later, she’s still without central heat. “Casey called me last-minute, and it was amazing,” she says. “I was able to make my mortgage payment.”

“Everybody seems really happy with Monday Magic,” Campfield says. They look forward to the series’ continuation, helping more Asheville service workers. “[Our featured bartenders] have made some new friends, and we have some new regulars now, too. It’s been a really good time.”

Featured bartender: Stephanie Wood

Stephanie Wood has been tending bar in Asheville for 25 years; her first gig was at Garfield’s Restaurant in what was then Biltmore Square Mall. She went on to work in Biltmore Village at The Melting Pot and then at Neo Cantina (later The Cantina). “I started there after the 2004 flood,” she recalls. “I made millions of margaritas!”

The Helene-related flood destroyed The Cantina; management has opted not to reopen. “It’s a big deal to lose your job of 20 years,” Wood says. Her home sustained some damage from the storm, and like many, she still looks forward to repairs being completed.

Wood eventually found a new bartending gig at the Village Pub, also in Biltmore Village. But in mid-February, she welcomed the opportunity to participate in the Monday Magic series. “It was great camaraderie,” she says with a warm smile. “When people were leaving, it was all hugs and see-you-tomorrows.”

She remains in awe of Campfield’s initiative. “I mean, who does that? It’s above and beyond,” she says.

Stephanie Wood’s top-shelf margarita

Sour mix:

• 2 cups simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
• 2 cups lime juice
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup orange juice

For one drink:

• 2 ounces tequila (Wood recommends Corazón reposado)
• 1 ounce sour mix (see above)
• 1 ounce Grand Marnier

Combine and shake with ice. Salt rim of glass if desired; strain mixed drink into ice-filled glass.

A note from the author: “I love Stephanie’s margarita recipe; it’s as good a ‘rita as I’ve ever tasted. But it’s certainly not the only recipe I’ve enjoyed. My dad lives in South Florida, where it’s always margarita season. He recently celebrated his 97th birthday. While Audrey and I were there visiting him, he reminded me of his frozen margarita recipe. It’s simple and makes use of lower-cost ingredients. It’s the recipe I grew up with (well, from my college days onward, anyway).”

Don Kopp’s frozen margarita

For four drinks:

• 8 ounces gold tequila
• 8 ounces Triple Sec
• 6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate (half of that “paper can”)
• splash (about 2 ounces) of orange juice
• ice

Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until consistent and slushy. Serve in parfait glasses.

Hints:

• For salted rims, spread some kosher salt on a saucer before pouring the drinks. Hold a parfait glass upside down and dip in the still-full blender to wet. Dip the wetted glass in the salt. Turn right side up and fill with frozen drink.
• For strawberry, peach or other fruit margaritas, replace some of the ice with roughly an equal volume of frozen fruit. You may have to run the blender a bit longer.

For information on upcoming Monday Magic featured bartenders, follow The Low Down at avl.mx/eo5.