Taste CHEERS
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Farm & Craft’s refreshing Cucumber Melon cocktail is true to its name
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH MARIE
Farm & Craft believes in sourcing ingredients locally for its cocktail program as well as weeding out artificial flavors and sweeteners. The brand is also a huge advocate for decreasing wastefulness. “For this reason, we offer our guests our Forbidden Fruit menu, where we use every element of the fresh fruit, quite literally,” says Matt Thompson, beverage director for Farm & Craft’s parent company, Riot Hospitality Group. The Forbidden Fruit cocktails not only use the juices of each fruit, but also the remains (such as the rind or skin) as the drinks’ vessel and garnish. “There are four options, including two – our Paloma and Greyhound – made with and served in a massive grapefruit, and then two – our Spicy Melon and Cucmber Melon – served in a whole watermelon,” Thompson says. The guest favorite Cucumber Melon ($14) is made by coring a watermelon and juicing its pieces, double-straining the juice into a shaker. Thompson then adds fresh lime juice, a little agave syrup, and Prairie Cucumber Vodka (which is distilled from organic corn) to the juice. The lime provides some zest to the flavor profile, while the agave syrup brings out the sweetness of the fruit. After a few good shakes, Thompson strains the shaker over the cored watermelon, which has been filled with crushed ice, and then tops it off with ginger beer for some bubbly action. He garnishes it with cucumber wheels, watermelon slices and fresh mint. “The flavor transports you poolside without being overly tropical or sweet,” Thompson says. “It’s very refreshing, and if you’re looking for a little more heat, then you’ll also enjoy the Spicy Melon.” Farm & Craft, 4302 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 480.568.8980; www.ilovefarmandcraft.com.
102
So Scottsdale! September ‘18