With whimsical fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and lush fruit trees blooming around the dining room, Carcara provides patrons with an enchanting dining experience. Enjoy Native American-inspired cuisine while sitting fireside on the sprawling outdoor patio or sip a spicy jalapeno-infused margarita at the lantern-lit bar. We sat down with Carcara’s beverage manager, Tim Smith, to discuss local Sonoran flavors and what he is planning for the sixth installment of Summer Cocktail Camp on Sunday, August 13.
How did you get into the bartending industry?
I started with T.G.I. Friday’s back in the early ’90s. I worked my way up there and then was a bartender for them for about 15 years. I then went to Mastro’s restaurants, where I was the head of their training department before the pandemic hit. I eventually transferred into management and stayed on that route, but bartending was always my passion. Bartending is always something different. You’re surprising the guests and making them something on the fly, whether a typical cocktail or a non-alcoholic option. As a part of the service industry, I enjoy making sure everyone is happy and having a great time.
What can patrons expect while visiting Carcara?
At Carcara, we are designed based on the five Cs of Arizona: copper, climate, citrus, cotton and cattle. All of our cocktails and food have these elements in mind. I also play off of the flavors present in Chef de Cuisine Angy Dykstra’s menu. For example, I incorporate aspects of Arizona citrus groves by using orange vodka, blood orange vodka, lime juice, lemon juice, and pamplemousse in our cocktails. We also nod to the previously booming Arizona mining industry in Ajo, Arizona, with our Ajo Passion Margarita and Smoked Coppermine Cocktail.
What does Carcara have in store for Summer Cocktail Camp?
For Cocktail Camp, we are doing three of our cocktails. We will make the Caracara Sour, a riff on a whiskey sour. Instead of whiskey, it will be a pear gin sour with lemon, simple syrup, and egg whites. We will also make the Ajo Passion Margarita named after the Arizona town. It is a passion fruit margarita. For our last cocktail, we will make the Smoked Coppermine Cocktail, which we smoke with cherrywood. This drink is a riff on an ordinary old fashioned, but we use a local Del Bac Dorado whiskey made in Tucson.
What is your favorite poolside cocktail?
While it may be bland, my favorite poolside cocktail is a normal vodka cranberry. With all my years of experience, I am not a big hoity-toity cocktail drinker. I like it simple, and a vodka cranberry is nice and smooth.
What is the most underrated cocktail ingredient?
Right now, I would say the most underrated ingredient is citrus. Many people solely focus on lemon and lime when making citrus-based cocktails. They do not think about other citruses like grapefruit or orange. I feel like these flavors tend to get overshadowed by the typical lemon and lime juices. Some people do not like sours, but if you add a bit of a twist, they can be delicious summer drinks.
