cheers
A FUCHSIA FUSION
twenty6’s Prickly Pear Margarita packs a locally sourced punch BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
T
PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS
here are just 81 JW Marriott hotels and resorts across more than 4,000 destinations. And one of them happens to be right here – the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. “The JW Marriott Desert Ridge was the 26th resort to open under the JW luxury brand,” says Jamie Baize, the resort’s restaurant manager. “In 2013, we reimagined our Vista Lounge into a craft cocktail bar called twenty6 in honor of our place in Marriott lore.” Among the best-loved aspects of twenty6 is the bar’s focus on using locally sourced ingredients. “The Prickly Pear Margarita is a great example,” Baize says. “Since prickly pears are synonymous with and indigenous to Arizona, it made sense to offer our own take on this uniquely desert drink.” According to Baize, the cocktail starts by combining the fresh, fantastically fuchsia fruit with sugar and simmering until the ingredients come together. The result is a bright syrup that tastes like a cross between sweet raspberry and kiwi, with a hint of watermelon. “We then blend that syrup with the resort’s Maestro Dobel Tequila, which was hand-chosen by our general manager and is a blend of reposado, añejo and extra añejo tequilas,” Baize says. All of the ingredients meld to create a taste that’s perfectly tart, yet sweet. The Prickly Pear Margarita is served in a mason jar glass with a salted rim and is available for $13. twenty6, 5350 E. Marriott Drive, Phoenix; 480.293.5000; www.jwdesertridge.com.
SO SCOTTSDALE! |
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| AUGUST 2016
7/22/16 9:16 AM