Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/948966
34 / the tasting panel / march 2018 WELCOME TO Mara's Bar Associate Editor Mara Marski is The Tasting Panel's resident bartender. "Hi! Welcome!" I used to say these words hundreds of times a day as people entered my bar, and it's been too long since I've used them to greet new guests and friends. My name is Mara Marski and I'm an Associate Editor here at The Tasting Panel who's worked in the food and beverage industry for 15 years; in fact, I was working as a waitress in my hometown before I was old enough to drive. When I moved to Los Angeles six years ago, my first job was as a food runner at John Sedlar's Rivera, where I was immediately captivated by the bar program Julian Cox had established there. Despite being a sheltered kid from the Colorado Rockies, I was suddenly working in a cocktail mecca of freshly- sourced ingredients and hand-cut ice. Since then, I've spent my time learning about—and imbibing—every- thing I possibly can. Working at The Tasting Panel has let me combine two of the great loves of my life: drinking and writing. With my new nine-to-five schedule, I don't get to spend as much time as I'd like behind the bar, so this column gives me a venue to stay active in the commu- nity I love. So, if you're reading this, I'd like to extend you a "cordial" invitation to my bar once a month. The Back Bar: Grandeza Premium Orange Liqueur Grandeza Premium Orange Liqueur, which I was introduced to last month, is bursting with the sweet brightness and understated bitterness of a Seville orange. With notes of cinnamon and nutmeg on the back end, it's like drinking an alcoholic marmalade. Grandeza is sweetened with organic agave, and the sidecar packaging stays reliably attached to the rim of a glass as it disperses its precious cargo into any drink you would normally sweeten with orange liqueur. If you're looking for a way to incorporate liqueurs into your own cocktails this spring, try the Lillet It on Me cour- tesy of San Francisco cocktail creator Hannah Chamberlain (you can follow her on Instagram @SpiritedLA). "I envision this low-ABV cocktail as a perfect choice for evenings outside when you want a drink that's cool, floral, fresh, and herbal," she says. PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH CHAMBERLAIN Lillet It on Me ◗ 3 oz. Lillet Blanc ◗ ¾ oz. Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse Rose liqueur ◗ ½ oz. lime juice ◗ 1 tsp. Green Chartreuse Add all ingredients to a shaker three-quarters full of ice and shake for 15–20 seconds. Pour into a glass full of crushed ice, garnish, and serve. PHOTO: DUSTIN DOWNING A Cordial Affair: Liqueurs Make a Comeback A personal favorite trend of mine has been the recent resurgence of liqueurs on cocktail menus. As a young goody two-shoes, I never dared to sip from my parents' liquor collection, but I would often sneak a sniff of DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps and yearn wistfully for a future in which I was old enough to taste this forbidden fruit. It's been a great joy to watch liqueurs evolve from saccharine taboos to quality ingredients making their way into the spotlight.