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Summer Cocktails on New Mexico Bar Menus

By
Abdul Rafay
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0
A tropic funder cocktail in a tall, faceted glass is garnished with two green leaves, an orange dehydrated pineapple slice, and a purple edible flower.

It’s summer and cocktail sipping is easy in New Mexico. TABLE contributor and skilled mixologist Andrea Duran asked six ace mixologists to shake and share a favorite summertime creation. They obliged with cocktails that will make you hope the lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer will never end.

Sip These Summer Cocktails From New Mexico Bar Menus

Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Alex Basinger, Central Bodega

A vibrant pink cocktail is presented in a rocks glass filled with ice, garnished with two dried lime wheels and a small rosebud.

You’ll find mixologist Alex Basinger behind the bar at Nob Hill’s Central Bodega, the welcoming, upscale wine and cocktail bar that makes you think a European bistro has landed in Albuquerque. His summer sipper has its roots at Vail’s Root & Flower. Its subtle layering of flavors–a mélange of cassis, mint, cucumber, ginger, and a unique jalapeño vodka–have found their home at Central Bodega. A testament to refreshing innovation, it invites you to savor the unexpected harmony of sweet, cool, and spicy notes.

Tropic Funder by Michael Weller, Apothecary Lounge

A tropic funder cocktail in a tall, faceted glass is garnished with two green leaves, an orange dehydrated pineapple slice, and a purple edible flower.

Step into this stylish bar in Albuquerque’s Hotel Parq Central where expert mixologists craft seasonal cocktails, each a celebration of fresh and local ingredients. The scenic rooftop lounge offers panoramic views so you can cast your eyes to a stunning summer sunset while sipping one of their cocktails, like their perennial favorite, the Tropic Funder. Mixologist Michael Weller’s cocktail bridges the gap between the complex world of amaro and the easygoing vibe of Tiki. The recipe takes inspiration from Underberg – a digestif bitter produced in Germany – and transforms it into a vibrant, summer-ready drink that introduces unfamiliar flavors in a playful and delightful way.

Spanish Gin and Tonic by Clay, Still Spirits

A Spanish Gin and Tonic cocktail, garnished with dried orange and lime slices and peppercorns, is presented in a large stemmed glass.

Step into Still Spirits Tasting Room in Albuquerque, a haven for the discerning drinker. They’ve transformed an old industrial building into a vibrant hub of cocktail culture and spirit production. The in-house distillery provides the foundation for an imaginative cocktail menu, showcasing the versatility of their handcrafted spirits. From classic recipes reimagined to bold, experimental concoctions, they’re dedicated to pushing the boundaries of flavor. This Spanish Gin & Tonic continues the sensory journey with a taste of summer, and an invitation to unwind on a warm afternoon.

Unicorn Tears by Katie Valdez, Dinner for Two

A tall, clear glass holds a layered purple and white unicorn tears cocktail, garnished with several gold-colored, spiky decorative leaves

This casual Santa Fe bistro offers locally sourced dishes, global wines, and a uniquely ‘funky’ cocktail menu that will keep you coming back. And did we mention their killer happy hour? Katie Valdez’s enchanting Unicorn Tears cocktail owes its ethereal hue to a truly unique moment of inspiration. While traveling through Thailand, Dinner for Two’s owner, Andy Barnes, experienced something… otherworldly. Let’s just say a mythical encounter led to a burst of vibrant color, captured perfectly in this magical concoction. We’ll leave the details to your imagination.

Clear the Fog by Swan Mjaares, Bar Norte

A short, clear glass holds a light brown clear the fog cocktail with ice and an orange peel twist. The glass is placed on a rustic wooden surface with peeling paint.

Bar Norte is Los Poblanos’ Santa Fe outpost and a destination for sophisticated drinks built around the unique flavors of Los Poblanos Spirits. In his Clear the Fog cocktail, mixologist Swan Mjaares deploys the milk clarification technique. This transforms Los Poblanos Lavender Gin and Earl Grey tea into a smooth, refined quaff. This base is then artfully balanced with light vanilla syrup, orange bitters, and a touch of chamomile, resulting in a cocktail that’s as technically impressive as it is delicious. The combination of Earl Grey tea and milk clarification is a playful and indulgent twist on traditional teatime.

Sugar Cane Supper by Karli Guerrero & Ashley Lynn, Palace

A vibrant sugar cane supper cocktail with a reddish-brown top layer is presented in a tall glass, garnished with a cucumber ribbon and a pipette.

The bar team at this Palace Prime, crafts innovative drinks using premium spirits that perfectly complement the food menu. Enjoy your cocktail in the chic bar/lounge, elegant dining room with its plush booths, or – weather permitting – on the enchanting tree-covered back patio or fully covered front patio. Mixologists Karli Guerrero & Ashley Lynn’s Sugar Cane Supper is perfect for sunny Santa Fe afternoons savored from a shady spot. Refreshingly low-ABV, it’s built on the bright, grassy notes of Mexican sugar cane Rhum, creating a light yet satisfying experience.

Story by Andrea Duran
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla

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Clear the Fog, A Clarified Milk Cocktail

By
Star Laliberte
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0
A short, clear glass holds a light brown clear the fog cocktail with ice and an orange peel twist. The glass is placed on a rustic wooden surface with peeling paint.

Bar Norte is Los Poblanos’ Santa Fe outpost. It’s a destination for sophisticated drinks and the unique botanical flavors of Los Poblanos Spirits. In his Clear the Fog cocktail, mixologist Swan Mjaares deploys the milk clarification technique to transform Los Poblanos Lavender Gin and Earl Grey tea into a smooth, refined quaff. This base artfully balances light vanilla syrup, orange bitters, and touch of chamomile. The cocktail is as technically impressive as it is delicious. The combination of Earl Grey tea and milk clarification is a playful and indulgent twist on teatime traditions. When you make it at home, perhaps some elegant slices of focaccia tartine sandwiches are in order!

How to Make a Clarified Milk Cocktail

To milk clarify a cocktail, you slowly pour the cocktail into milk and let it sit. The milk curdles, separating the solid particles from the liquid. Once strained, probably more than once, the cocktail will be completely clear once finished but retain the original flavors. The LP Lavender Gin is infused with Earl Grey Tea bags until optimum flavor has been reached and then clarified to create a stunning clear cocktail.

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A short, clear glass holds a light brown clear the fog cocktail with ice and an orange peel twist. The glass is placed on a rustic wooden surface with peeling paint.

Clear the Fog

  • Author: Andrea Duran
Print Recipe

Description

The extra work is worth the smooth texture and clear look of this clarified milk cocktail.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 oz milk-clarified Earl Grey tea-infused Los Poblanos Lavender gin (see above)
  • .75 oz light vanilla syrup
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • 1 dash chamomile glycerite (sold at some grocery and health foods stores)
  • Orange twist

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir, pour over large cube in rocks glass, garnish with orange twist.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Swan Mjaares, Bar Norte
Story by Andrea Duran
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Graham Crumble

By
Abdul Rafay
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0
A beautifully plated dessert featuring a dome-shaped panna cotta, surrounded by a ring of graham crumble, fresh raspberries, and blueberries.

Panna cotta – that classic Italian dessert made with cream thickened with gelatin – is welcome any time of the year. But summer is when it sings, since it’s a way to calm your sweet tooth without overwhelming your palate. It’s creamy yet light. Plus, when you add a hint of lemon and a jumble of berries you’ve got a joyous riot of summertime on a plate. Chef David Sellers kindly shares his Buttermilk and Vanilla Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Graham Crumble recipe for your summer dining pleasure.

Why Panna Cotta?

Panna cotta is a bit of soothing culinary magic. It’s decadent while not being too much. It calms the palate at the end of a meal, even as it shimmers alluringly across the tongue with its own virtues. It seems fitting that Horno’s chef-owner, David Sellers, quiet in tone and far from prolix, is a big fan. He adds a squeeze of lemon and plenty of berries. This turns the subtlety into a burst of flavors that represent the summer season. Without losing its original charms. Or its cool. Thank you, chef!

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A beautifully plated dessert featuring a dome-shaped panna cotta, surrounded by a ring of graham crumble, fresh raspberries, and blueberries.

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis and Graham Crumble

  • Author: David Sellers
  • Yield: Serves 6
Print Recipe

Description

A treat that is just sweet enough for those hot summer days.

Ingredients

Scale

For the panna cotta:

  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3 sheets unflavored gelatin or 3 tsp powdered
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp high quality vanilla paste
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon peel

For the coulis:

  • 9 oz raspberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • White wine to cover

For the crumble:

  • 1 cup graham crumbs
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • 2 oz melted butter

Instructions

For the panna cotta:

  1. Heat cream, lemon peel and sugar in a medium saucepan stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Soften gelatin in warm water and add to mixture. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring often. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.
  3. Divide mixture among six ramekins sprayed with non-stick spray. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
  4. Turn out panna cottas by running a paring knife around the edge of the ramekin and pulling out gently. Garnish with the coulis and the crumble. Also garnish with your favorite combination of fresh berries.

For the coulis:

  1. Add all ingredients to small saucepan with just enough white wine to cover. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
  2. Remove from the heat and strain, pushing the solids with the back of a rubber spatula or spoon until all the liquid is extracted. Discard the seeds.
  3. Set the coulis aside.

For the crumble:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine ingredients, place on a small baking tray, and bake until toasted, about 10-15 minutes.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by David Sellers, Chef/Owner Horno Restaurant
Photography by Tira Howard

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Harry’s Roadhouse Cherry Pie

By
Kylie Thomas
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0
A whole Cherry Pie sits on a white table with a serving knife below the dish and two cherries in the right corner.

“Cherry pie is everyone’s childhood”, says Kathleen O’Brien, co-owner of Harry’s Roadhouse, Santa “Fe-mous” for their pies.  It’s a seasonal favorite on Harry’s menu, alongside their extensive dessert offerings. Cranking out four cherry pies a day, they typically sell all but a piece or two by noon. That’s how beloved and special their cherry pie is. Harry’s Pastry Chef, Karina Lira, also shares tips for best pie results.

A little boy bites into a piece of cherry pie that he holds in his hand.

Tips for Making This Harry’s Roadhouse Cherry Pie

  • Use local tart or sour cherries. Start at the Farmer’s Market.
  • Mix the ingredients correctly, beginning with corn starch and sugar, then adding the fruit.
  • For the crust, keep the ingredients cold and don’t over-mix!
  • “Warm pie, a la mode!” (that means with ice cream) is Karina’s suggestion for serving.
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A whole Cherry Pie sits on a white table with a serving knife below the dish and two cherries in the right corner.

Harry’s Roadhouse Cherry Pie

  • Author: Kathleen O’Brien
Print Recipe

Description

A memory from childhood, cherry pie is simple nostalgic and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

For Harry’s pie crust:

  • 4 cups pastry flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp butter
  • 10 tbsp margarine
  • 1 cup ice water (with ice removed)

For the filling:

  • 6 cups tart cherries, pits removed
  • 3/4–1 cup sugar, depending on how tart the cherries are
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • Sugar, for dusting on top of the lattice

Instructions

For Harry’s pie crust:

  1. Assemble ingredients.
  2. Keep butter, margarine, and water cold.
  3. Cut up butter and margarine into small pieces.
  4. Mix together flour and salt.
  5. Cut the butter and margarine into the flour until it is crumbly like cornmeal, without a lot of big chunks, using an electric mixer or by hand.
  6. Add ice water all at once to the dough.
  7. Continue mixing until the dough seems fairly smooth.
  8. Throw in a small handful of flour, then beat it again for a few seconds. This seems to smooth out the dough a little more and make it easy to work with. Avoid overworking so dough does not become tough.

For the filling:

  1. Mix cornstarch, salt, sugar, orange juice and zest.
  2. Add cherries and mix until just combined.
  3. Add filling to prepared uncooked pie crust.
  4. Roll out the other two discs and cut out ½ to ¾” lattice strips to form the top crust. Weave the lattice strips on top of the pie and crimp to the edge of the crust or do as Harry’s does and trim to fit inside the crust.
  5. Fold the strips over the edge of the pie crust dough and either pinch or crimp the edges.
  6. Brush the lattice with the egg white and sprinkle sugar on top.
  7. Bake for 45-55 minutes.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Kathleen O’Brien, Co-Owner of Harry’s Roadhouse
Story by Cyndy Tanner
Photography by Tira Howard
Production and Styling by Parasol Productions
Shot on location at El Zaguán
Pie by Harry’s Roadhouse

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Plum Kuchen

By
Kylie Thomas
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0
A plum kuchen with plums peaking through the dough coverings and sitting on top of a kitchen towel with plums throughout the table.

Kuchen (pronounced koo-ken or koo-gen) is a German word that means cake and is usually made with a sweet dough and often includes fruit or custard such as this plum recipe. Traditional kuchen is like a delicious mashup of cake and pie. I learned how to make kuchen in my early 20’s from my friend Margy and I have been making it ever since, especially during late summer when plums come into season (Margy made kuchen with peaches, but I substituted plums which I prefer for their tartness.) Kuchen can be topped with crème fraiche, vanilla ice cream, plain yogurt ,or my favorite, cinnamon whipped cream. And always remember: sweet baked goods are considered one of the four food groups. 

How to Forage Plums in New Mexico

Patience is going to be your key when it comes to plum season. Wild plums are usually ripe in late summer to early fall. To find them, look in areas with well-drained soil and plenty of sun. Sometimes you’ll find them along streams, ponds, woodlands, or in thickets of brush. When foraging, seek out plump, vibrant red or yellow fruits that come away easily with a slight touch. Remember, if you have to tug, they’re likely not fully ripe yet.

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A plum kuchen with plums peaking through the dough coverings and sitting on top of a kitchen towel with plums throughout the table.

Plum Kuchen

  • Author: Cyndy Tanner
Print Recipe

Description

Delicate plums mix with a sweet handmade dough.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup flour
  • Pinch of baking powder
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp cream or milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8–9 Italian plums

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together all the ingredients (except plums).
  3. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate.
  4. Slice plums into halves, remove pits.
  5. Place plum halves, round side up, on top of the dough mixture.
  6. Bake for one hour.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Cyndy Tanner

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A Stone Fruit Tea Party at El Zaguán in New Mexico

By
Kylie Thomas
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0
A white table hosts a variety of stone fruit desserts at El Zaguan with a green window sitting behind the spread.

Stone fruits signal it’s summer in New Mexico with the much anticipated arrival of juicy apricots, plums, peaches, or cherries. The season is short so it’s a time to savor, and what better way to celebrate the season than with an al fresco tea party at historic El Zaguán.

A group of people sit outside at El Zaguan, enjoying stone fruit desserts from a white table.

Savoring Summer at El Zaguán With a Stone Fruit Tea Party

If you’ve ever meandered up Canyon Road on a hot August day, you might yearn to stop and rest on a wicker chair on the back porch of historic El Zaguán and sip a cool drink under the shade of a century-old horse chestnut tree. And you might think that American novelist Henry James was imagining that exact back porch and garden when he said that the two most beautiful words in the English language are “summer afternoon”.  

A person pours tea from a white tea pot into a white tea cup on a black wicker table at El Zaguan.

El Zaguán was a small adobe house located next to farmlands when it was purchased in 1854 by Santa Fe Trail merchant, James L. Johnson – a rural site that was then outside Santa Fe. Today, El Zaguán (zaguán means a passageway or entry hall in a house that leads from the front door to a courtyard or patio), houses the office for the Historic Santa Fe Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to preserve, protect and promote historic properties, and the diverse cultural heritage of Santa Fe. As well as a gallery and gift shop, the foundation provides artist’s spaces to rent for a select few to live, work and pursue their art. 

A man holds a piece of cherry pie as he leans against a white wall.

The Relationship Between El Zaguán and Stone Fruits

The back porch of El Zaguán, overlooking its historic garden full of fresh blooms and stone fruit trees, provided the perfect setting for a summer tea party, hosted by the foundation in honor of the artist community of El Zaguán. Santa Fe artist and illustrator Jone Hallmark’s Garden Lady, painted on a page from an antique book purchased in a Paris flea market, was the invitation to an afternoon tea party that celebrated not only the artists but also the seasonal harvest of stone fruits in New Mexico.  

Stone fruits, or drupes, are fleshy fruits with a single seed and a hard shell. Apricots may be the harbinger of spring in northern New Mexico but other drupes such as peaches, plums, and cherries also thrive at 7000 feet. They tend to fare better than apricots since they blossom later.  

A two tier cake stand holds various stone fruit bites on white plates.

When the first warm days of spring arrive, apricot trees erupt into bright white blooms like freshly popped popcorn. But northern New Mexico’s mercurial spring weather means that a late snowstorm and freeze could mean a season without any apricots. When the weather cooperates, stone fruit season arrives slowly and then seemingly all at once. This abundance of fruit needs to be picked and transformed into jams, jellies, preserves and yes, of course, delicious baked goods.  

A stack of stone fruit scones sit on a plate with a bowl of honey and a bowl of stone fruit nearby.

Using Stone Fruits in Baking

It’s no surprise that culinary skill and an artist’s sensibility pair well. When painter Anna Booth arrived with homemade cherry cream scones, they were a happy addition to the stone fruit splendor laid out on the table, joining ranks with a freshly baked plum kuchen and a luscious cherry pie from Harry’s Roadhouse which you can even bake up at home.  

A whole Cherry Pie sits on a white table with a serving knife below the dish and two cherries in the right corner.

Anna Booth remembers her time at El Zaguán as deeply grounding, when she reset her course in life, and as an artist. The fixtures in her apartment were the same as the ones in the old farmhouse she grew up in. It felt familiar and immediately like home. She feels as though she packed many years into only two, making lots of work and giving birth to her son, Kai, who she says, “undoubtedly heard my staple gun while in the womb”. 

A man in a straw hat looks down at a table full of stone fruit food as a women smiles at him from down the table.

El Zaguán is a Creative Force for Artist Residents

Many of the artists who attended the tea also recalled their time at El Zaguán as deeply nourishing and productive. Ceramic artist Mary Olson fell in love with El Zaguán’s beautiful setting, gardens, and back porch with its picket fence. Having spent decades as an arts educator providing instruction for grades K-6, she was delighted to spot a former student, Liza Hale Doyle, at the tea. Liza, she remembered, was already an accomplished artist in grade school. Liza – now a full time artist – was joined by her mother, writer Sarah Stark, who spent her residence at El Zaguán re-learning how to draw in order to illustrate the graphic novel she had just finished writing.  

A man in a blue button up holds up a small drawing on a piece of paper with colored pencils.

Summer Pairings Beyond Stone Fruits

Guests bite into open-faced savory tea sandwiches including a purée of edamame beans, olive oil, and lemon zest spread on rounds of baguette and garnished with cucumber slices and dill sprigs. Bread studded with cherries was thinly sliced and topped with creamy goat cheese, fresh sliced peaches, a drizzle of chile honey, and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios. Santa Fe’s Artful Tea continued the stone fruit theme with the makings for freshly brewed pitchers of their iced organic Peachy Keen herbal tea and steaming teapots of Apricot Brandy black tea. 

Various colored glasses sit on a silver serving tray as someone pours water into the glasses.

Poet Diane Ackerman described eating an apricot, with its intoxicating scent of honeysuckle and vanilla, as “somewhere between a peach and a prayer”. Apricots and other stone fruits are all the more sacred for their sunny but short-lived season, a taste and scent one wistfully remembers on a grey winter day. In high summer, on the back porch of El Zaguán, a gathering of artists savored stone fruit treats, the magic of a perfect summer afternoon, as well as each other’s company. 

A woman bites into a piece of cherry pie at the El Zaguan stone fruit tea party.

The Guest List

Anna Booth 

Anna’s paintings are inspired by New Mexico’s open landscape, quality of light, and rich history. Anna moved from Brooklyn, New York to northern New Mexico in 2010. 

Ice cubes with little purple flowers and leaves sit in an ice bucket with a silver grabber.
A silver tea pot holds a bouquet of white flowers on a table setting.
Kai Mott 

Anna’s five year old son, Kai was in utero for the first year of her residency, and an infant for her second year. 

A little boy hugs his mother wearing a long blue dress and sunhat.
Mary Olson 

An arts educator and ceramic artist who draws inspiration from nature and the joy of creative expression, Mary’s wit as well as her whimsy infuse everything she does.  

Bites of stone fruit peaches on top of goat cheese and rye bites on a white plate.
Sarah Stark 

A writer, teacher, illustrator, and political scientist, Sarah believes in the redemptive necessity of art. Her early writing about nuclear nonproliferation, international security, and peacekeeping continues to inform her fiction work, as does her teaching of world literature.  

Liza Hale Doyle 

Engaged in a multidisciplinary exploration of the human body and the physical, imagined, and energetic landscapes it interacts with, Liza is a multimedia artist and teacher born and raised in Santa Fe.

Bites of tomatoes in orange and red on pieces of bread all on a wood table.
Jesse Wood 

Trained in traditional intaglio and relief printmaking, Jesse Woods is both a painter and lithographer. He was born in California and now lives in Santa Fe. He received a Certificate in Professional Printer Training from the Tamarind Institute, the renowned center for fine art lithography.  

Paul Baxendale

Paul Baxendale is a multidisciplinary artist who finds inspiration in Santa Fe’s unique architecture. His work includes photography, painting, and sculpture.

A blue and white tea cup full of tea sits beside a bucket of paint brushes.
David Sloan

David Sloan is a recognized Diné (Navajo) member as well as an artist working in printmaking and silversmithing. 

Jacob Sisneros

Jacob Sisneros is a designer and artist and Preservation Projects and Programs Manager at the Historic Santa Fe Foundation.   

Bites of cucumber on rye bites sit arranged on a white plate.
Hanna Churchwell

Hanna Churchwell is Education Programs and Publications Manager at the Historic Santa Fe Foundation.

Giulia Caporuscio

Giulia Caporuscio is Education Manager and Historian at the Historic Santa Fe Foundation.

Story by Cyndy Tanner 
Photography by Tira Howard 
Production and Styling by Parasol Productions 
Shot On Location at El Zaguán 
Flowers by Feral Farm, Taos, NM 
Tea by Artful Tea 
Pie by Harry’s Roadhouse 
Scones by Anna Booth 

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Unicorn Tears Gin Cocktail

By
Star Laliberte
-
0
A tall, clear glass holds a layered purple and white unicorn tears cocktail, garnished with several gold-colored, spiky decorative leaves

Dinner for Two is a Santa Fe bistro that offers locally sourced dishes, global wines, and a uniquely ‘funky’ cocktail menu that will keep you coming back. And did we mention their killer happy hour? Katie Valdez’s enchanting Unicorn Tears cocktail owes its ethereal hue to a truly unique moment of inspiration. While traveling through Thailand, Dinner for Two’s owner, Andy Barnes, experienced something… otherworldly. Let’s just say a mythical encounter led to a burst of vibrant color, captured perfectly in this magical concoction. We’ll leave the details to your imagination.

What Turns Empress Gin Lavender in This Cocktail?

If you look at a bottle Empress 1908, you’ll find the butterfly pea blossom gives it a deep, dark indigo hue. However, this same blossom also means that the color gets a shake up when mixed with other ingredients. For instance, since we add the acidity of lemon juice to the Empress Gin, it turns our cocktail a bright lavender shade. Other chemical reactions can also cause a variation of colors from soft pink to fuchsia depending on the mixer’s acidic content.

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A tall, clear glass holds a layered purple and white unicorn tears cocktail, garnished with several gold-colored, spiky decorative leaves

Unicorn Tears

  • Author: Katie Valdez
  • Yield: 1 Cocktail 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This cocktail bring the magic to summer.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a Collins glass, add ice and top with grapefruit soda.
  2. Garnish with decorative leaves (not edible).

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Katie Valdez, Dinner for Two
Story by Andrea Duran
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Sugar Cane Supper: A Summer Craft Cocktail

By
Anna Franklin
-
0
A vibrant sugar cane supper cocktail with a reddish-brown top layer is presented in a tall glass, garnished with a cucumber ribbon and a pipette.

The bar team at Palace Prime in Santa Fe crafts innovative drinks using premium spirits that also perfectly complement the food menu. Enjoy your cocktail in the chic bar/lounge, elegant dining room with its plush booths, or – weather permitting – on the enchanting tree-covered back patio or fully covered front patio. Mixologists Karli Guerrero & Ashley Lynn’s Sugar Cane Supper is a perfect craft cocktail for summer Santa Fe afternoons lounging in a shady spot. Refreshingly low-ABV, it relies on the bright, grassy notes of Mexican sugar cane Rum, creating a light but satisfying experience.

What is Suze in Our Summer Craft Cocktail?

Suze is a bright yellow French aperitif liqueur that uses gentian root and carries a bittersweet, earthy, as well as slightly floral taste. Its signature bittersweet flavor is predominantly from the wild gentian root, which comes from the mountains of France. Beyond the prominent earthy bitterness, you’ll also find subtle notes of citrus, florals, and a bit of herbaceousness. It’s traditionally served neat or with soda water, but its unique profile makes it a versatile ingredient in modern cocktails like our Sugar Cane Supper: A Summer Craft Cocktail.

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A vibrant sugar cane supper cocktail with a reddish-brown top layer is presented in a tall glass, garnished with a cucumber ribbon and a pipette.

Sugar Cane Supper

  • Author: Karli Guerrero & Ashley Lynn
Print Recipe

Description

We promise this Sugar Cane Supper is not too sweet with hints of spice, aloe, and bitters.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients in a shaker, whip shake together, strain into Collins glass, add ice, top with soda water and Peychaud bitters, garnish with cucumber ribbon.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by Karli Guerrero & Ashley Lynn, Palace Prime
Story by Andrea Duran
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Tropic Funder Tiki Cocktail

By
Anna Franklin
-
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A tropic funder cocktail in a tall, faceted glass is garnished with two green leaves, an orange dehydrated pineapple slice, and a purple edible flower.

Step into the stylish Apothecary Lounge in Albuquerque’s Hotel Parq Central where expert mixologists craft seasonal cocktails, each a celebration of fresh and local ingredients. The scenic rooftop lounge offers panoramic views so you can cast your eyes to a stunning summer sunset while sipping one of their cocktails, like their perennial favorite, the Tropic Funder Tiki Cocktail. Mixologist Michael Weller’s cocktail bridges the gap between the complex world of amaro and the easygoing vibe of tiki. The recipe takes inspiration from Underberg – a digestif bitter produced in Germany – and transforms it into a vibrant, summer-ready drink that introduces unfamiliar flavors in a playful and delightful way.

Why Put Liquid MSG in a Tiki Cocktail?

While it might seem wrong to add liquid MSG to a tiki cocktail, its inclusion is actually about enhancing the overall flavor experience by introducing the fifth taste: umami. Tiki cocktails have complex layers of sweet, sour, bitter, and also fruity flavors. A tiny dash of liquid MSG, a concentrated form of glutamate, doesn’t make the drink taste explicitly “savory” or “meaty” like broth. Instead, it subtly rounds out and deepens the existing flavors, making them more cohesive and satisfying.

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A tropic funder cocktail in a tall, faceted glass is garnished with two green leaves, an orange dehydrated pineapple slice, and a purple edible flower.

Tropic Funder

  • Author: Michael Weller
Print Recipe

Description

A true melody of all flavor combinations in a festive tiki form. 

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into the shaker except Averna, shake and strain into a Tiki glass over crushed ice. Float Averna on top and garnish with pineapple leaves, dehydrated pineapple and edible flower.

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Recipe by Michael Weller, Apothecary Lounge
Story by Andrea Duran
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla

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Fresh Produce to Grab From New Mexico Farmers

By
Abdul Rafay
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An outdoor dining table is laden with a vibrant edible tablescape featuring gifts from the garden including a variety of fresh produce like cabbages, kale, and other greens, along with silver goblets and dark plates set for a meal.

We asked photographer Ashley Hafstead to trawl northern New Mexico farmers markets and farm stands to find the very finest produce the season has to offer. She shares a cornucopia of fresh fruit and vegetable finds then creates an edible tablescape for summertime entertaining inspiration.

A person in a white hat and flowing white attire holds a basket overflowing with fresh produce, including various shades of green and purple cabbages, cut artichokes, and leafy greens, against a textured adobe-colored wall.

Supply Your Kitchen With Fresh New Mexico Produce

Radish and Onions

A close-up shot of bundles of red and white radishes with their leafy tops, alongside a pile of white onions.

Ruby red radishes that only need a quick rinse, a lick of butter, and a sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect snack. Slice them thinly on salads or gobble them whole. New season onions are so sweet you can eat them raw or brush thick slices with olive oil and give them a kiss of fire from the barbecue.

Sunflowers

Vincent Van Gogh said that for him, sunflowers meant gratitude. While roses may be refined, sunflowers are unashamedly joyous, exuberant, and a potent reminder of the sunny spirit of summer.

Eggplants

The story goes that original eggplants were white and oval shaped and thus earned their name ‘egg-plant’. Today, we have more of a choice whether it’s a slender eggplant the color of a purply night or a Zebra with undulating stripes of purple and white. The heat of summer brings out the best in eggplant, producing a glorious profusion of shapes and colors from the deepest purple to green, and yes, white.

Green Beans

Assorted green, yellow, and purple string beans are laid out in rows on a damp wooden surface, showing water droplets.

Beans in jewel tones of creamy yellow, purply blue, and of course green. So fresh you can eat them raw or gently steam them and toss with a glug of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt.

Cabbages, Melon, Kale and Artichokes

Summer is a show off but can you blame her? Bite into a slice of melon and wait for the juice to trickle down your chin. An artichoke that asks only for a dish of melted butter. Cabbages and kale that are frilly, edible artworks. A cornucopia of nature’s bounty.

Flowers

Fresh cut flowers direct from the field make winter flowers look tawdry in comparison. No need for complicated arranging – a jar or jug is all that’s needed. A taste of the great outdoors, brought indoors for summer living that blurs the lines between the two.

Peaches

Wooden baskets filled with ripe peaches, some with a single green leaf, are displayed on a white surface.

Peaches – along with its stone fruit friends – are a joy of summer. They don’t linger and demand a place on your plate (or better yet, held in your hand). Scatter slices on a rough disc of dough for a rustic galette. Cook up into a jam for a winter reminder of what summer tastes like. Eat. Enjoy. Repeat.

Table Setting

An outdoor dining table is laden with a vibrant edible tablescape featuring gifts from the garden including a variety of fresh produce like cabbages, kale, and other greens, along with silver goblets and dark plates set for a meal.

The table is set. The wine is chilled. It’s that moment – that brief, delicious moment – before the guests arrive. A calmness and peace and pause. Summer dining is casual dining. The freshest fruit and vegetables do the heavy lifting. Your job is simply to let them shine. Your table is the same – a cornucopia cascades down the table. An edible wonderland that hints at the deliciousness to come.

Story by Julia Platt Leonard
Photography by Ashley Hafstead

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