By Flavor & The Menu
May 6, 2021

Camille Cavan

Camille Cavan is the Bar Manager of Quaintrelle, a modern American restaurant featuring cuisine driven by the seasons. Although her cocktails typically mirror the restaurant’s ethos, the events of the last year drew her to the sunny flavors of the tropics. “I have always tried to only use local, seasonal ingredients, but I have been introducing more tropical flavors, such as coconut and passionfruit, banana and pineapple,” she says. “It has been fun to open my horizons and take cocktails a little less seriously this year.”

Aptly named Wishful Thinking, her tropical getaway in a glass is a refreshing combination of vodka, amaro, charred grapefruit and passionfruit cordial, Thai basil, lemon and ponzu. It’s served over crushed ice and garnished with mint, lime leaf, dehydrated lemon and bitters. Cavan attributes the cocktail’s success to its tropical profile and approachability—tempered by an unexpected undertone of umami, thanks to the ponzu. “The contrasting flavors make for an interesting combination not commonly seen. I love the elements that tie and complement Quaintrelle’s food while being a flavor standout all on its own.”