It's summer in Oregon, so drink it in.Byline: Best of ... by The Register-Guard It seemed a natural Best Of ... quest: In a region that champions organic farmers' markets  It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. , the slow food movement and
community-supported agriculture Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a relatively new socio-economic model of food production, sales, and distribution aimed at both increasing the quality of food and the quality of care given the land, plants and animals – while substantially reducing potential , why lower our standards when it comes
to wetting our whistles?
So, with local produce at its peak, we set out to find the best Oregon ingredient cocktail. After perusing area bar menus, we identified three finalists, then dispatched Best Of ... for a taste test. (The drinks may have tasted even better, knowing the boss was picking up the bar tab. But we digress di·gress intr.v. di·gressed, di·gress·ing, di·gress·es To turn aside, especially from the main subject in writing or speaking; stray. See Synonyms at swerve. .) Our criteria: Most flavorful and refreshing use of fresh local ingredients. The results: Three delicious drinks, a two-way tie for run- ner-up and a distinctive winner. Don't let the name sweet-talk you. Marche's runner-up Marionberry Cosmopolitan ($7.50) packs the same pucker puck·er v. puck·ered, puck·er·ing, puck·ers v.tr. To gather into small wrinkles or folds: puckered my lips; puckered the curtains. v.intr. as its cranberry cousin, with the perfect sweet-tart blend. And it's hard to argue with Andrea Davis Andrea Davis (born 1980) is a beauty queen from El Paso, Texas who holds the Mrs. Pacific Islands 2007 title. Davis is the first Mrs. Pacific Islands in the history of Mrs. United America to hail from this state. , the bar manager who created it. "How much more `Oregon' can you get than marionberries, which are only grown in Oregon?" she asks. Davis brews her own berry-infused Absolut vodka, then adds lemon juice, simple syrup and a tongue-tickling squirt of soda water. The rosy drink, served up in a martini glass, is as gorgeous as it is tasty. Down Fifth Avenue at Red Agave Agave, in Greek mythology Agave (əgā`vē): see Pentheus. agave, in botany agave: see amaryllis. , local berries also star in the other runner-up, the Blueberry blueberry, plant of the large genus Vaccinium, widely distributed shrubs (occasionally small trees) of the family Ericaceae (heath family), usually found on acid soil. They are often confused with the related huckleberry. Kamikaze kamikaze (kä'məkä`zē) [Jap.,=divine wind], the typhoon that destroyed Kublai Khan's fleet, foiling his invasion of Japan in 1281. ($7). And we do mean local - head bartender Zeb Henson designed this drink around berries from west Eugene's own Royal Blue Organics. His deep purple concoction features icy swirls of muddled fruit in a refreshing blend of Seagram's vodka, fresh-squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, triple sec and blue curacao. Drink your salad! If vegetables had tasted this good when you were a kid, your mother never would have nagged you. Adam's Place bar manager Chris Murphy based his Caprese (pronounced kuh-pray'-zay) cocktail ($6) on the classic Italian salad. The drink features Bend Distillery's Crater Lake vodka, infused with local heirloom tomatoes and organic basil from the Sweetwater farm in Creswell, then garnished with speared fresh mozzarella moz·za·rel·la n. A mild white Italian cheese that has a rubbery texture and is often eaten melted, as on pizza. [Italian, diminutive of mozza, a cut, mozzarella, from mozzare, . Murphy strains out the tomato pigment, so the Caprese pours as icy and clear as the namesake of its vodka. Each crisp sip carries the subtle sweetness of both fresh tomato and basil. We can't think of a better way to savor two of Oregon's best summer flavors. Salute! Best Of ... is an icy Oregon cocktail at an outdoor cafe on a warm August night. For an infusion of previous Best Of ... winners, visit our archive at www .registerguard .com/bestof. BEST OREGON INGREDIENT COCKTAILS The Caprese: $6 at Adam's Place, 30 E. Broadway The Blueberry Kamikaze: $7 at Red Agave, 454 Willamette St. The Marionberry Cosmopolitan: $7.50 at Marche, 296 E. Fifth Ave. CAPTION(S): Chris Murphy of Adam's Place concocted this special martini, which uses fresh tomato and basil-infused Crater Lake vodka. |
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