cheers
LIKE STRAWBERRY WINE
A refreshing sip of summertime BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
A
PHOTO BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE
t Market Street Kitchen, there are two rules to creating a successful cocktail. “Ideally, we want to educate our guests about a spirit or wine they might not have tried before,” says Garrit Guthrie, beverage director for Keeler Hospitality Group, Market Street Kitchen’s parent company. “But to get people to try it, we play with flavors that are approachable.” Like Strawberry Wine ($11), which is new to the menu, succeeds on all levels. “In this case, the educational element is vermouth, or fortified wine, which most people only know as an almost throwaway ingredient in martinis,” Guthrie says. The vermouth is combined in a shaker with strawberry gin, which adds a complex fruit flavor. To make this element, Guthrie infuses Fords Gin with strawberries using an immersion circulator, which helps the strawberries break down faster. “Once we have the base, we add housemade rhubarb balsamic syrup that gives a bright tartness meant to ramp up the deep berry flavors,” Guthrie says. “The vibrant pink of the syrup also gives the cocktail its signature look.” A hint of lemon is then added for acidity, and the ingredients are muddled with fresh strawberries, then shaken and strained into a wine glass with ice and topped with Topo Chico Mineral Water, giving the drink a refreshing effervescence. A basil leaf serves as the garnish. “The result is a jammy, bubbly, slightly fruity sipper tailor-made for the summer.” Market Street Kitchen, 20825 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale; 480.278.7044; www.marketstreetkitchen.com.
SO SCOTTSDALE! |
62
| AUGUST 2017