Showing posts with label #tequila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #tequila. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

How to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: Mix the Most Delicious & Healthy - Margaritas!

Rosa Picante Margarita - Patrón - from Art of the Garnish
Before taking that first sip or bite, sink your teeth into the history of Cinco de Mayo.

You’ll be the champion and star of the annual homage to Mexico and it’s celebrated food and drink.

Know this: Cinco de Mayo originated in the Mexican state of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War in 1862. The win in Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement eventually leading to France withdrawing from Mexico.

Cinco de Mayo has evolved from a salute to brave warriors, to an ever-elevated salute to the extraordinary Mexican cuisine and its distilled beverages -- especially the country’s incomparable signature tequilas, mezcal, and chile liqueurs.

Tequila 



Say margarita and the brand Patrón Tequila is the name that most readily comes to mind for discerning drinkers. For good reason. Patrón is the global leader in the 100 percent Weber Blue agave ultra-premium tequila category, crafting a crisp, flavorful spirit, marked by hints of floral notes yet is still made in small batches in the Highlands in Jalisco, Mexico.

Patrón graciously provided the recipe for the delicious Rosa Picante Margarita for my book, Art of the Garnish. I adore the rose petal garnish and a slice of jalapeno pepper! This is what I will be shaking up later to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Here’s another recipe from Art of the Garnish. Can’t get to Las Cabos? Here’s the next best thing. (well, kinda’) The Hilton services this welcome drink at their Azul Bar.



Here’ a few other drinks that you’ll love sipping for Cinco de Mayo.


Photo courtesy of Patrón Tequila

Coralina Margarita
Created by Riesler Morales of Mexico City, Mexico

Ingredients: 
  • 1.75 oz Patrón Reposado
  • .75 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange 
  • .75 oz Simple syrup 
  • 1 oz Fresh lime juice 
  • .5 oz Red Wine (Mexican, or other) 
  • + Sugar-salt rim* 
Garnish: *Sugar-salt rim:

Pulverize .25 cup dried hibiscus in a spice grinder. Add .25 cup sugar and .25 cup kosher salt and pulse until combined.

Method:
1. Combine Patrón Reposado, Patrón Citrónge Orange, simple syrup and lime juice in a shaker tin; add ice and shake vigorously.

2. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe rimmed with sugar-salt rim.*

3. Carefully float red wine on the surface of the cocktail and garnish with a lime wheel.

Mezcal
Mezcal has become increasingly popular in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing spirits over the past several years.

Choosing the right mezcal for you may be tricky, but if you’re looking for an authentic Mexican spirit with an approachable and complex taste, look no further than Montelobos Mezcal. Made in Mexico, Montelobos Mezcal is a mezcal created in collaboration by world-renowned agave spirits expert Iván Saldaña and five generations of Lopez family mezcaleros using the finest, 100% organic agave espadin. The result is a mezcal with a balanced smoke that shifts between chili and dark chocolate. While Montelobos can be enjoyed neat, its complexity makes it an excellent cocktail companion.

A Montelobos Mezcal Ambassador, Camille Austin’s knowledge and enthusiasm for innovative cocktails play a complementary role to brand creator Iván Saldaña. Together, they set out to share the unique taste and versatility of Montelobos Mezcal and the artistry behind agave.

The below flavorful and festive cocktail recipes include Montelobos Mezcal and another authentic Mexican spirit, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, and are the perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Ancho Reyes was born from the sacred earth of Puebla and with a recipe dating back to 1927, Ancho Reyes is the original chile liqueur. Ancho Reyes Verde, launched just in 2016 to much acclaim, also derives from the poblano chile like Original, but some slight tweaks in the production process results in a wildly different flavor profile.

Puebla and poblano are inextricably linked - the peppers are named after the citizens who refer to themselves as poblanos. “Ancho chiles are widely considered a culinary delicacy and Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur is created using Puebla’s signature crop,” reports Camille Austin, the celebrated Mexican mixologist. He continues, “Pleasantly sweet, followed by the moderate heat from the chile, Ancho Reyes is delicious in all types of cocktails.

Pair your rajas -- a savory Mexican dish -- with robust cocktails that can stand up to the food.

Juan to Juan



Ingredients:
Method:
Shake, serve in a coupe glass

Garnish:
Lemon wheel

Ancho Verde Margarita

Ingredients:
  • 1 part Milagro Silver Tequila
  • 1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
  • 1 part Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/3 part Agave Nectar
Method:
Add all ingredients to a shaker, add ice, shake hard and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass

Garnish:
Salt half the glass rim. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Montelobos Picador


Ingredients:
  • 2 parts Montelobos Mezcal
  • 1 part fresh lime juice
  • ½ part simple syrup
Method:
Combine ingredients over ice and shake well. Serve over fresh ice in a rocks glass.

Garnish:

Rim the glass with a salt & black pepper; Add an orange slice.


Mexican cuisine is as diverse and rich as the country’s landscape, thanks to its wealth of regional ingredients and deep roots in ancient civilizations and traditions. In the southern state of Oaxaca, the cuisine is defined by two staple ingredients: mezcal and insects. Here, mezcal is not only a drink, but a source of pride and a foundation of cultural identity.


Cricket Cuisine - Photo courtesy of Meutia Chaerani / Indradi Soemardjan


Traditional Mexican flavors have been fused into healthy options that include new ingredients, no frying or oil, a gluten free menu, antibiotics and hormone free steak, an innovative juice bar and more.
 



Not too long ago - BC - (before coronavirus) Bill and I attended a hands-on New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) lecture class on Mezcal - detailing the plant, the region where it grows, the distillation, and a tasting.




Oh - and the news about that worm?

The worm - is ground into a powder and sprinkled on the hand - no worms in the bottle, please! The worm powder has a umami taste. Terrific!


FYI, NYBG offers online education classes - now you have the time to take all those courses you meant to attend but couldn’t find the time in your schedule. Boost your botany IQ!

With longing, I look back to enjoying just about the best Mexican food anywhere -- at Empellón. The James Beard Award winning chef, Alex Stupak had opened his fourth dining emporium in Midtown, NYC. I met friends there to dine right after it opened having reviewed and enjoyed his menu at the other locations downtown. Chef Alex came to our table and we were brimming with praise. The homemade chips dipped into fabulous, spiced sauces.
And Yellow Beets with Coconut Crema and Green Chile Ice -- that’s an ice infused chile that is the most curious and incredible taste!

How to celebrate a healthy Cinco de Mayo on a budget at home
Skip the sour cream. Skip the sugary mixers. Take a look at some health snacks and party ideas, and don’t worry, it still involves alcohol.

Enjoy a festive nacho bar with half the calories for you and your friends by having low-calorie toppings such as beans, tomatoes, quinoa, spinach and ground turkey.

Create your own calorie-friendly True Lime Frozen Margarita or True Lime Mojito.

Each True Citrus True Lime packet equals the taste of 1 lime wedge and is made with only 3 ingredients. It has 0 calories, 0g of sugar and no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.

Art of the Garnish ~ Finishing Touches using Herbs and Spices
Lime Frost Sea Salt - was pretty much 'born to rim' classic Margaritas. A tangy hint of lime in a crunchy coarse salt stylishly smooths tequila's bite.

Chipotle Smoked Sea Salt - This is perfect if Ancho, Chipotles, Poblanos, or any other smoky chili pepper is on your menu. The smoky-aromatic hint in the salt will turn that tart tequila concoction into a mellow, fruitier experience.

Coconut Sugar with Chardonnay Oak Smoked Sea Salt - Tropical or fruit flavored margaritas, like peach and mango, beg for this rim! 2 parts sweet to 1 part (or less) salt gives you a sweet tropical hit of coconut with a gentle note of smoke and salt.

Ghost Pepper Sea Salt and Brazilian Petite Sea Salt- This rim brings fire to the fiesta! Grind 3 parts Brazilian Petite Sea Salt with 1 part Ghost Pepper Sea Salt for the ultimate hot & salty rim!

Habanero Sugar, Lemon Sugar & Raspberry Sugar - Who says rimmers have to be salty? Add tangy, spicy and/or fruity sweet to your rims with these flavorful sugars.

Method:

MIX desired salt(s) and sugar(s) on a saucer or plate for rimming. Ensure that the mixture covers an area larger in diameter than the rim of your glass.

MOISTEN rim of glass with a slice of lime.

RIM glass by turning moistened rim in salt/sugar mixture. - See more at: http://www.spiceandtea.com/drink-rimmers.html#sthash.iqx7Dov6.dpuf

See more at: http://www.spiceandtea.com/drink-rimmers.html#sthash.iqx7Dov6.dpuf

Cheers!

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

How to Celebrate National Tequila Day with the Taste of Summer: Cool Cocktail Recipes & Garnishes




I adore tequila. It’s rich flavor and rich history offer so much to talk about during the bewitching cocktail hour.

Not that we need any other reason to pour this most tasty spirit; but it is National Tequila Day, after all.

I love all these cocktail mixes -- made the watermelon and Patron for our Independence Day/Fireworks/Birthday party grand Fiesta -- and served it in the watermelon! With a Williams Sonoma Watermelon Tap Kit. Adorable. So Love and Lust (I just like saying the moniker!) is tops on my tasting list, followed in short by It’s Summer - because well - this is the nicest day of the summer so far. And I’m not just saying that because it’s National Tequila Day. Well, maybe a little…

But mainly because the Prosecco and the St. Germaine are two of my favorites. So delicious and refreshing.

Cheers!



Love and Lust

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 oz Patrón Silver
  • 2 oz Fresh watermelon juice
  • .15 oz Fresh lime
  • 4 Fresh basil leaves
  • Fresh black pepper drops
  • Watermelon slice for garnish
  • Simple syrup to taste 
Method:
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill.
Strain onto fresh ice in a double old fashioned glass.

Garnish with a watermelon slice



It’s Summer

Ingredients:

Method:

Add all the ingredients, except the MARTINI Prosecco, in a shaker.
Pour into a highball glass.
Top with MARTINI Prosecco.

Garnish with a mint sprig, blackberries and raspberries.




Heritage Margarita

Ingredients:
2 oz Patrón Estate Release
.75 oz Patrón Citronge Orange
.5 oz Persian lime juice
.25 oz Simple syrup

Method:

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill.
Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.

Garnish with a key lime wheel.



Patrón Añejo (SRP: $66) A distinctly barrel-aged spirit, Patrón Añejo develops a sweeter profile over time due to its interaction with oak barrels for 12 to 15 months. Big wood notes become prevalent during this time without overpowering the baked agave flavors that are uniquely Patrón. Perfect for sipping or in your favorite cocktail, the spirit also features an elegant, smoky sweet finish. Sip Patrón Añejo neat or in a craft cocktail, as it makes an incredible bourbon or whiskey substitute. Many people find Patrón Añejo to be the perfect after dinner drink or dessert accompaniment.






Patrón Reposado is aged for at least two months in a combination of new and used American, French and Hungarian oak barrels. This is done to maintain the fresh agave flavors unique to Patrón that mingle in perfect harmony with hints of light oak. Finally, subtle sweet smokiness from the aging process adds yet another dimension to this incredibly smooth aged tequila. Sip Patrón Reposado neat or mix it into the occasional cocktail. Margaritas, Manhattans, Old Fashioneds and more are enhanced with the unique flavors in the gently aged spirit. It also makes a great digestif.





Prickled Pink by Jaime Salas, National Milagro Ambassador

Ingredients:
  • 2 Parts Milagro Silver
  • 1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
  • 2 Parts Pink Agua de Tuna**
  • 3/4 Part Agave Nectar
Method:

Pour all ingredients into a Boston shaker, shake and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.

Garnish with a lime wheel.

**To make Agua de Tuna: Peel and roughly chop 5 prickly pear fruits (green and red), add to blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp, discard.




Spicy Milagro Paloma by Jaime Salas, National Milagro Ambassador

Ingredients:
  • 2 Parts Milagro Anejo
  • 1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
  • ¾ Part Agave Nectar
  • Fresh Cilantro
Method:

Pour all ingredients into a Boston shaker, shake and strain over ice in a rocks glass.

Garnish with a lime wheel, cilantro, smoked salt rim.




Ancho Verde Margarita
Ingredients:
  • 1 part Milagro Silver Tequila
  • 1 part Ancho Reyes Verde
  • 1 part Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/3 part Agave Nectar
Method:

Add all ingredients to a shaker, add ice, shake hard and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass with half its rim salted. 

Garnish with a lime wheel.

Milagro Tequila (meaning ‘miracle’) is made from 100% estate-grown, hand-selected, blue agave in the town of Tepatitlan in the Jalisco region of Mexico. The agaves are harvested about 8 to 12 years after planting and the juice is extracted from the heart of the plant by roasting in clay ovens made from the estate’s volcanic soil. Milagro Tequila is triple distilled and aged longer than most tequilas to obtain its distinctive flavor.

The available expressions include Milagro Silver, Reposado, Añejo, Select Barrel Reserve Silver, Select Barrel Reserve Reposado, and Select Barrel Reserve Añejo.

Mezcal

Mezcal has become increasingly popular in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing spirits over the past several years.

Choosing the right mezcal for you may be tricky, but if you’re looking for an authentic Mexican spirit with an approachable and complex taste, look no further than Montelobos Mezcal. Made in Mexico, Montelobos Mezcal is a mezcal created in collaboration by world-renowned agave spirits expert Iván Saldaña and five generations of Lopez family mezcaleros using the finest, 100% organic agave espadin. The result is a mezcal with a balanced smoke that shifts between chili and dark chocolate. While Montelobos can be enjoyed neat, its complexity makes it an excellent cocktail companion.

A Montelobos Mezcal Ambassador, Camille Austin’s knowledge and enthusiasm for innovative cocktails play a complementary role to brand creator Iván Saldaña. Together, they set out to share the unique taste and versatility of Montelobos Mezcal and the artistry behind agave.

The below flavorful and festive cocktail recipes include Montelobos Mezcal and another authentic Mexican spirit, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur. Ancho Reyes was born from the sacred earth of Puebla and with a recipe dating back to 1927, Ancho Reyes is the original chile liqueur. Ancho Reyes Verde, launched just in 2016 to much acclaim, also derives from the poblano chile like Original, but some slight tweaks in the production process results in a wildly different flavor profile.

Puebla and poblano are inextricably linked - the peppers are named after the citizens who refer to themselves as poblanos. “Ancho chiles are widely considered a culinary delicacy and Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur is created using Puebla’s signature crop,” reports Camille Austin, the celebrated Mexican mixologist. He continues, “Pleasantly sweet, followed by the moderate heat from the chile, Ancho Reyes is delicious in all types of cocktails.



Juan to Juan

Ingredients:
  • 1 part Montelobos Mezcal
  • 1 part Ancho Reyes Original
  • ¾ part fresh lemon juice
  • ½ part simple syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters - or homemade bitters or Fee Brothers bitters
Method:

Shake, serve in a coupe glass

Garnish with a lemon wheel






Montelobos Picador

Ingredients:
  • 2 parts Montelobos Mezcal
  • 1 part fresh lime juice
  • ½ part simple syrup
Method:

Combine ingredients over ice and shake well. Serve over fresh ice in a rocks glass

Garnish is a salt & black pepper rim and orange slice.

Cheers to a memorable National Tequila Day!

Sunday, July 24, 2016

International Tequila Day! Celebrate this “Sunday /Funday” with Cocktail Recipes

Bloody Mary Tequila Mariachi, courtesy Patron
Don’t know your tequila from the days of shots and salt?! A quick primer: Tequila is a Mexican spirit from Mexico, dating back thousands of years to the Aztecs when it was known in the form of a milky, fermented drink known as pulque. This drink, which used the sap of the agave plant - used to make tequila today, was worshipped by the Aztecs - so much so that two gods were attributed to it, Mayahuel - a female divinity, (naturally) and Patecatl - the god of healing and fertility; the husband of Mayahuel. A cocktail couple to rival Zelda and F.Scott Fitzgerald, no doubt. 

Fast forward to the Spanish Conquest, when Spanish troops expedited the tequila we know today by improvising with mud and agave. From this, mezcal was created. In the mid 16th century, the trade between Mexico and Spain launched the first major tequila distillery in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico.

In 1974, Mexico claimed intellectual property of the term “tequila” which is why it must be made and aged in specific areas of Mexico - in the same way France safeguards its native Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) system.

And now, in 2016, bars and restaurants everywhere have fallen back in love with tequila, which is a must-serve cocktail at parties, events, and, of course, on International Tequila Day!

Creative tequila recipes to celebrate National Tequila Day: 

Twisted Bocktail 

Just as its name suggests, this beer cocktail highlights a refreshing twist by combining Tres Agaves Reposado’s wonderfully fresh taste with lemon and a splash of Hefeweisen.

1 ¼ parts Tres Agaves Reposado

¾ part Lemon

½ part Cointreau

½ part Simple Syrup Hefeweisen

Method:
Combine all ingredients minus the beer; shake and strain into a highball. Top with beer and garnish with lemon.

Green with Envy 
Cruz Tequila’s smooth and soft palate compliments the tart yet fresh tasting concoction that has just the right sized pinch of heat to tantalize your senses in the heat of July.

1 ¾ parts CRUZ Reposado Tequila

¾ part Lime

¾ part Honey Water

2-3 pieces Green Pepper

Dash of Cayenne

Method: 
Shake and strain into a lowball glass rimmed with a cayenne, sea salt and white pepper rim.


Maestro Dobel Diamante Lemon Margarita

16 oz ice

8 oz Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila

2 oz of fresh lemon juice

4 oz Agavero Orange Liqueur

1 lemon wheel

Method: 
Add ice, Maestro Dobel Diamante tequila, lemon juice, and Agavero, stirring vigorously. Serve in a cocktail glass with ice and a lemon wheel for garnish.

Bazaar Bloody Maria

Red tomatoes + Pinch Piri Piri

Orange tomatoes + Habanero

Yellow tomatoes + Saffron

Green tomatoes + Zaatar - a spice that is a mix of salt and sesame seed

Pinch Salt

Pinch Pepper

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 oz Water

Method:
Blend ingredients together well and strain for seeds. Make the Bloody Maria ice cubes in advance and freeze each color individually.

In a highball glass crush 1-2 Bloody Maria ice cubes of each tomato color. Fill the highball with ice, layering by color.

In a glass, combine 2 oz Patron Reposado

.75 oz lemon juice

3 dashes Bittermans hellfire bitters

5 dashes horseradish tincture

Pour mixture into the highball glass over ice; add straw and garnish.

Cheers!

This feature was prepared and written in conjunction with Shannon Ho, Garden Glamour guest reporter and intern.  Thank you!