Cocktail Recipes: SERRANO CHILI AND FRESH GINGER MARGARITA (as created by Joey Gottesman, Honolulu mixologist)
Jake Lustig, head of Mexican brand Las Joyas del Agave. “More agave pungency. More complexity. More minerality. Distilling the agave mash at a slower rate. All of this extra labor-intensive effort retains more of the purity and flavor of the spirit in the final product.” “The best tequilas out there at the moment are the ones that are made from one brand, one distiller, and represent one distinct taste,” affirms Ryan Fitzgerald, director of spirits and cocktails for Beretta Pizzeria and Bar, a craft cocktail hotspot in San Francisco’s Mission District. “They’re focused on flavor profile, heritage and family to create real authenticity in their tequila.” “Generally speaking, craft spirits like tequila are growing in popularity due to the whole farm-to-table movement,” says Chandra Lucariello, director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits in Honolulu. “Consumers want to support local, and just like the local farmers, the local distilleries produce limited quantities of product while putting their heart and soul into it. The public can see and taste that in the glass.” Since tequila’s distillery process is as complex and varied as modern winemaking, tasting is paramount to finding that one perfect tequila you’ll enjoy. In general, premium 100-percent agave tequilas fall into four basic categories: Blanco (or silver), reposado, anejo and extra anejo. Blanco is un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months by law in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels. Reposado (meaning “rested”) is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months, but less than a year. In addition to the sweetness of the agave, the tequila takes on the more complex flavors of the oak. Some distilleries even use recycled bourbon barrels.
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Muddle in the bottom of a mixer glass: 2 – quarter-sized slices fresh skinned ginger Then add: 1 ½ oz. (your favorite handcrafted) Tequila Reposado ½ oz. Cointreau or Bols Triple Sec 1 oz. fresh pressed lime juice 1 oz. agave nectar or simple syrup 3 – dime-sized slices of fresh serrano chili Method: Glass: 14 oz. Salt Rimmed Build in a 16 oz. mixer glass filled to the top with ice and secure a Boston Shaker Tin to the top of the glass. Shake the contents vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour the contents into a 14 oz. salt rimmed glass and garnish with a fresh wedge of lime.
PALOMA (By Chandra Lucariello, mixologist, Southern Wine & Spirits)
1.5 oz. Don Julio Blanco 0.5 oz. fresh lime juice Pinch of sea salt Jarritos Toronja (Grapefruit) Soda Add lime, salt and tequila to glass. Fill with ice and top with soda. Stir to blend.
MAN IN THE DESERT (by Tim Rita, Bartender at Aulani, A Disney Resort)
1 oz. Mezcal 1 oz. Campari 1 oz. Carpano Antica 2 dashes of bitter truth xocatl chocolate bitters Stir and strain over ice. Garnish: Flamed orange peel
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7/5/12 11:40 AM