Taste CHEERS
CELEBRATE OUR STATE Spotted Donkey Cantina’s 1912 pays spirited homage to Arizona’s anniversary
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH BARRY
Did you know that Feb. 14 is more than just Valentine’s Day in Arizona? On February 14, 1912, we became a state! “We wanted to celebrate our statehood by creating a drink that celebrates the flavors that we think make this region so special,” says Scott Peterson, the liquid chef for the Spotted Donkey Cantina at the Boulders Resort & Spa. The resulting cocktail, fittingly named 1912 ($16), celebrates all that grows wild and tastes delicious in the Southwest. “We knew if we wanted to showcase the Southwest, it had to have tequila, famously made from blue agave in Mexico,” Peterson says. “We use Herradura Double Barrel Reposado, which is aged after distillation in American oak barrels for 11 months to allow flavor maturation.” Spotted Donkey’s Herradura is even more special, as it comes from a barrel his team hand-selected in Mexico for the resort’s exclusive use. “While there, we noticed fields of lavender growing wild around the agave,” says Peterson, who plays on this natural connection by making his own lavender syrup infused with macerated celery to pair with the tequila, amping up the spirit’s subtle sweet, herbal notes in the process. Peterson then squeezes two tangerines into the shaker with the other ingredients, directly infusing one of Arizona’s famous “Five Cs” (citrus) into the cocktail. He pours the contents over a laser-cut artisanal ice cube in a vintage rocks glass, then finishes it with a splash of club soda for balance. Garnished with fresh lavender, the 1912 is a bright, refreshing homage fitting of the Grand Canyon State. Spotted Donkey Cantina, 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 480.488.3358; www.theboulders.com.
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