Cadiz’s “Gingham and Palomino” cocktail. Photo by Taylor Micaela Davis.
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg
Santa Barbara’s Spanish heritage is always on display at the beautiful Cadiz restaurant (509 State St.), but this month, there’s an extra injection of that Fiesta spirit with a special cocktail menu celebrating Patricia Houghton Clarke‘s Old Spanish Days photographs which are featured in the summer issue of Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine.
“Girls Give It A Go”—inspired by Clarke’s kinetic portrayal of a trio of mechanical bull-riding pre-teen queens—combines vodka, peach liqueur, Peychauds Bitters, lemon juice and Cava for a kicky cocktail that packs a nice punch on a warm summer night.
Cadiz’s “Girls Give It A Go” cocktail. Photo by Taylor Micaela Davis.
“Gingham and Palomino”—a salute to Clarke’s contemplative horse parade portrait—features a powerhouse combination of tequila, Aperol (an Italian apertif made with bitter orange, gentian flowers, rhubarb, and cinchona) and grapefruit juice.
Both are enjoyable cocktails with layers of both bitter and sweet complexity, not unlike Clarke’s photographs, many of which are on view at Cadiz. (Including all of the photos featured in our summer issue.)
Don’t worry if those aren’t to your taste, Cadiz has a fabulous menu of hand-crafted cocktails such as the “Capri,” featuring serrano-infused tequila, Luxardo Amaretto, mango puree and lime juice, with a Spanish paprika garnish; or the spicy “Sevilla” cocktail with serrano-infused tequila, muddled mint, ginger liquer, lemon juice and a jalapeño wheel; as well as a nice selection of wine.
“Capri” cocktail at Cadiz. Photo by Leslie Dinaberg.
Nibble on Prosciutto di Parma Flatbread with wild argula, fontina and black mission figs (my favorite), delicious house marinated olives, delectable diver scallops or the Mediterranean dip trio, which pairs well with just about anything.
Psst … if you’re looking to rest your weary flip flops after the Tuesday farmers’ market, look no further: Tuesday nights at Cadiz feature Happy Hour prices all night long. Perhaps we’ll see you there.
Cheers!
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Leslie Dinaberg
When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”
Originally appeared in Santa Barbara SEASONS on June 14, 2013.
