The Tasting Panel magazine

JULY 2011

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David Dimler is GM and Wine Director for fine dining spots Dahl & DiLuca (Sedona) and Cucina Rustica (in nearby Oak Creek). The photo is taken on the patio at Dahl & DiLuca. Director for both restaurants. “We responded to that fine dining/fine service market, when Lisa Dahl and Andrea DiLuca found this place 16 years ago.” Although locals claim these two exquisite restaurants as favor- ites—not to mention the snowbirds who occupy some of the 5,000 second homes in Sedona— it is still the tourists who make up the major- ity of seats in this always-packed establishment. As owner Dahl, who authored acclaimed cookbook The Elixir of Life, was out of town accepting an award for the book, Dimler introduced us to a winery from Bolgheri that Dahl accidentally discovered while “tres- passing” on a trip to Tuscany. The winery, Tenuta Argentiera, claims the highest elevation in Bolgheri and is well-suited for Cabernet Sauvignon. With limited distribution in the U.S., Dahl and friends hope to bring these wines to a wider Stateside audience. More info on the wines—entry level Poggio ai Ginepri, Cab/Cab Franc blend Villa Donoratico and top-tier Bolgheri Superiore Argentiera—can be found at www.argentiera.eu. Mountain Time T he clock stands at 12:25 above the main entrance to the JW Marriott Camelback Inn. Whether it’s am or pm, the year is decidedly 1936, when this property first opened its doors. Not a lot has changed here since; the décor may have been repainted and refur- nished, but the photos of cowboy heroes like Hopalong Cassidy remain. Legends of a cowgirl named Rita JW Marriott Camelback Inn Beverage Director Trudy Thomas sips the signature Cucumber Collins. The recipe is below. continue to inspire at the bar, and signature branded drinks such as the Maker’s Mark–based Cowboy Killer keep the Old West alive in the resort’s saloons-turned- trendy bars. Beverage Director Trudy Thomas is a trendsetter: Her beverage program may not have moved time on the clock tower, but it has moved volumes for brands whose names appear next to well-tested, balanced drinks on the bar list. Tenuta Argentiera’s 2006 Cab/Cab Franc/Merlot blend ($60 SRP) glides across the palate with lasting grace. It’s creamy to the core, soft and sensual. Red fruit lingers. “Quality comes before anything else,” says Thomas, who is also a judge at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. “I tell my team to be proud of what they concoct—and to be consistent [a recurring theme]. That’s why we have jiggers and recipes! I also relay to them that without a passion for their craft, their hand- made cocktails are just drinks.” “Back to simple is more,” she philosophizes. “Consistency and efficiency, fresh plus innovation, is key at a property that has to speak to volume [she oversees five outlets at the hotel] as well as getting orders out to guests in a timely fashion.” Fresh refers not only ingredients, but prod- ucts such as ice; the property boasts two sizes of Kold-Draft machine, a sphere-making device and a crushed-ice maker. This fall, Thomas plans Fiji ice spheres for her frozen, upscale H2 O creations. CUCUMBER COLLINS served at Rita’s Kitchen at the Camelback Inn ■ ■ 1 oz. Effen Cucumber vodka ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 1 oz. Thatcher’s Organic Cucumber liqueur 2 oz. lemon sour 3 basil leaves 1 oz. club soda top with 2 cucumber wheels 1 basil garnish with top Build vodka, liqueur, lemon sour and basil leaves in a mixing glass. Strain over ice and cucumber wheels in a Collins glass. Top with club soda. Stir or roll to combine. Garnish with a basil crown. COWBOY KILLER served at BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn ■ ■ ■ ■ 2 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon 1 oz. sweet vermouth 1 oz. Grand Marnier 6 Morello cherries soaked in Grand Marnier ■ ■ 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters Muddle cherries with bitters. Build remaining ingredients in a mixing glass; add ice, shake and shake vigorously. Strain into coupette and garnish with a pick of Morello cher- ries soaked in Grand Marnier. BEVERAGE DIRECTOR TRUDY THOMAS TAKES US BACK TO THE NOSTALGIC WEST AT SCOTTDALE’S CAMELBACK INN july 201 1 / the tasting panel / 97

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