Sipping Pretty

One of the great things about living in a small town is taking trips to the big city.  Last night I went to a French short film festival at the Portland Art Museum and then went out for a late-night artichoke and arugula dip at an old favorite, The Sapphire Hotel.  I was practically overdosing on culture after such a prolonged stretch without it.  Don't get me wrong: I love my orchards and countryside bike rides and killer farmer's markets.  It's just nice to get gussied up and stay out past 9pm every once in a while.

Last week, for example, I made the trip out to Portland and engaged in a nice, close examination of the fine art of cocktails.  And no better place to do research than at the Nuevo Latino-inspired Andina restaurant in the Pearl district.  And though Raina and I munched on Yucca croquettes dipped in three different kinds of salsa, and shrimp-salad-stuffed avocado halves, the snacks were really just there to accessorize the true purpose of our visit.  Mine, a cocktail I now daydream about at the end of a long workday at the rural community college, is called the Sacsayhuaman (sound it out).  It consists of habanero-infused vodka, passion-fruit
puree, cane sugar, a sugar rim, and a cilantro leaf garnish.  It's darn near perfect: spicy, sweet, tropical.  It's hard not to suck it down and order two more.

And here's Raina's: the Atardecer Porteno.  To quote from the menu, because I couldn't top this description: "pink quava nectar shaken with honey infused vodka and lime juice topped with a float of ruby port and a spritz of lime zest, served up with an anise sugar rim."  Whoa.  As you can see it looks like a sunset, which reminds me of the exact time of day I'd like it to be when I'm sitting on a cafe terrace in Rio de Janeiro, sipping on this very drink and happily regarding the Atlantic.