Twentynine Palms Cocktail

For this CCC original cocktail, John wanted to play up the vegetal side of tequila. Cynar, an artichoke liqueur, builds on this flavor profile, but includes a pleasant sweetness to counteract it. When lemon juice and celery bitters join the party, the overall effect is an herbal, savory drink reminiscent of a Bloody Maria (Bloody Mary with tequila!).

Twentynine Palms is a town next to Joshua Tree National Park, a sacred California landmark. The majestic rock formations trick you into thinking you've landed on the moon, the cholla cactus garden transports you deep under the ocean, and the stunning, one-of-a-kind joshua trees are like the truffula trees from The Lorax, deserving of preservation and respect.

John and I camped there for our three-year anniversary, and we've gone back a few times since. It's a distinctly magical place.

Twentynine Palms, like other towns next to the park, dregs up images of sorbet-colored sunsets, thrift stores, sound baths, health food restaurants, and some of the best drive-thru burritos in California. It was a fun place to visit, but now, I'm forced to rely on memory.

As the summer days stretch to oblivion, there's an urge to hide from the dry, blistering sun, to sleep away the day in the shade. The Twentynine Palms cocktail combats the haze. Like the desert heat, this cocktail isn't for the faint of heart. It's bold and intense. The soothing, vegetable notes are like a juice from one of those old-school health food places, but the booze is a fun cheat, just like a delicious, oozing drive-thru burrito the size of your forearm. Sip this invigorating tonic on a hot, dry day. Here's hoping it brings you a little magic.

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