THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MAY 2017
83
MAD MIXOLOGIST
Getting down and dirty with the Valley’s hottest shot slingers
after classic episodes of Cheers. It’s an episode during the “Sam and Diane” years. In it, Sam’s old broadcaster buddy, Dave, predicts that Sam and Diane will be broken up in the next 24 hours. Then, Dave sets out to make sure that it happens.
Alison Bailin Batz » The Entertainer!
T
ucson-bred Travis Parsley grew up wanting to be a sportscaster or teacher. But, when he turned 18, he took a job busing and serving at a local sports bar and quickly saw how much fun bartenders had. Within the first month, he offered to bartend whenever anyone needed him. One day, after staying late and coming in early, a coworker left the bar for another gig. He landed his opportunity. His next big break would come thanks to Lowe’s Ventana Canyon, where he started as a bartender in his early 20s. Soon, he was asked by his superiors if he owned a tie. A tie? Turns out, they wanted Parsley to be the resort’s assistant restaurant manager. For the next several years, he worked with world-renowned in-house and visiting chefs, mixologists and fellow bartenders, learning everything he could, and developing a passion for wine. So much so, when he moved to Atlanta for a job opportunity in 2008, he earned his level one sommelier designation before making his way to Hyatt Lake Tahoe as its beverage manager. He added a craft beer program to the resort and completely reimagined its cocktail menu. In 2015, Parsley made his way back to Arizona and Phoenix, this time as the restaurant manager for the JW Marriott, especially focused on the award-winning Desert Ridge Resort & Spa property in Northeast Phoenix. Most recently, he
took the venue’s longtime golf course steak concept, Meritage, and transformed it into MERITAGE, an urban tavern. “Because of our location and proximity to the Desert Ridge neighborhoods, we felt that an urban tavern concept would provide an atmosphere that encourages friends to gather and sit outside on the expansive patio, enjoy a la carte Sunday Brunch – with a vibrant atmosphere,” Parsley says. Since opening the urban tavern, Parsley has ensured that all draft beer on rotation is from Arizona, with another 40 bottles/cans highlighting great regions around the country and world to complement the local options. He also did away with all big-box, namebrand spirits and is really focused on shining a light on the local spirits in the market whenever and however possible. The Entertainer! recently sat down with the mixologist to dish on all things behind his bar. Tell me about the oddest drink request you’ve received. I once had a guest order dry vermouth – on the rocks. So, just one little problem there. While a key ingredient in cocktail greats such as the martini and the Manhattan, vermouth is a mixing spirit, meaning it is never really served on its own. Especially dry and on the rocks. What is your No. 1 pet peeve when working? It has to be a three-way tie between three types of co-workers: “yes men;” people who don’t like anything, ever; and people
who refuse to try anything even the slightest bit unique or new to them. You see, when you are crafting a new menu – or even revitalizing or updating an older one – you generally make up all the cocktails for the entire internal team to sample and provide feedback. “Feedback” being the keyword. Sometimes, all you get is the one group who just nod and say it is perfect, but can never share why or what they like about it. Then there is the other group, who just hates everything, but again can offer no actual constructive reasoning why or how to improve upon the recipe. And, of course, there is the third group – those who won’t try anything “just because,” as if that is a reason. Ideally, you want to have a team with as many people in between these extremes as possible. You need folks who are honest with wide-ranging tastes, but also looking to help up your game with their own ideas and input. What is your go-to drink? If I am going out, I love to try a craft beer that I’ve never had before. And I really like to try local if the bar has any. What does ordering a Jack and Coke say about a person? That they have never had a truly good craft cocktail – and they might never want to. What is one cocktail you would love for us to feature in the magazine this month? Old Flames. Now, one thing you need to know first is that each of our cocktails is named
What do you like about this drink? That answer is easy – everything. First, the drink allows us to smoke the glass with hickory chips. That is just fun for us and the guests. Second, we got to use Whistle Pig Rye in it. Rye whiskey has the potential to be the best whiskey in the world. There is no more flavorful whiskey than rye; it has a robust, spicy character and a dark, rich flavor. As rye contains less sugar than any other grain, rye whiskey is a challenge to produce, requiring aging longer than other whiskies to attain a desired smoothness. But when handled properly, there is no comparison: the brat rye whiskey, once tamed, emerges from many years in the barrel with the power of a linebacker and the grace of a ballerina. Third, though it seems a very heavy, “manly” drink, it has a very soft finish to it. Like most guys, in fact, hard on the outside and all soft and sensitive on the inside! And finally, I love camping – and this drink smells like the most perfect campfire of all-time.
OLD FLAMES
1.25 oz. Whistle Pig 10-year Straight Rye 1.25 oz. Slaughter House Whiskey .5 oz Smoked Peach Simple Syrup 3 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters 1. Smoke rocks glass with hickory smoke 2. Build all ingredients in mixing glass with ice and stir 3. Place on large ice cube in smoked rocks glass 4. Strain into rocks glass 5. Garnish with torched orange peel WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM