Tequila Corner
I
’m going to tell you about the evening that changed my life. It was November 12th, when I had the pleasure of attending the tequila tasting dinner at the La Mesa on 156th & Q Street. Herradura tequila was the tequila of the night, and rightly so, as it’s amazing. I sat next to fascinating people and the conversation was great. Director of International Brand Development for Casa Herradura Ruben Aceves was in attendance, and he knows everything there is to know about tequila. It was great to listen to his take on each of the tequilas we sampled. I know a thing or two about tequila, but Ruben knows a thing or a million about tequila. The food was spectacular, but there’s no surprise there since this is La Mesa. Our appetizers were really delicious; in particular, I enjoyed the sopes although the quesadilla and the guacamole were both great too. Coupled with the first margarita of the evening, which was served in a commemorative mug (hand-decorated in Mexico), these appetizers set a celebratory tone for the evening. It sounds great, right? I’m not even to the part yet where I had my life-changing experience. We ate a salad that featured jicama, pineapple, strawberry and apple with a mango vinaigrette dressing. On the menu it was called, “Salada de Frutas,” and the more tequila we drank, the more fun it became to say this. My main entrée was the grilled tilapia with fresh mango salsa. It seems to me that tequila always goes best with fish, but the people at my table who instead ordered the carne asada or the chicken seemed pleased with their selections as well. As for me, I enjoyed the tilapia immensely and sampled another taste of Herradura tequila – this one was from the special barrel commissioned by La Mesa. Scott Voorhees hosted the event as part of the 1110 KFAB Gourmet Club. I’d never met Scott before this evening, but I will say that he’s a lot of fun and knows how to keep a party going. So there I was, minding my business and having a great time, when all of a sudden a margarita was placed before me. While you’re reading this, I want you to envision the beautiful margarita with a spotlight on it and the sound of a choir singing in the background, because this was the very moment where everything changed. I casually picked up the drink and took a sip, not even knowing what the flavor of the margarita was but happy to try it nonetheless. When the vibrant flavors hit my taste buds, I knew that things would never be the same. Yes, ladies and gentleman, I had just taken a sip of the perfect margarita. Don’t let the name of this drink throw
you off, but it’s called a Watermelon Habanero Margarita. I love watermelon, and I don’t mind habanero, but there’s something about mixing the two together that makes for absolute harmony. The sweetness of the watermelon and the kick from the habanero is a marriage made in heaven as far as I’m concerned. I’m not being overly dramatic here. After I had my life-changing sip, I looked up and watched the reactions of my fellow diners. Everyone followed a similar chain of events: take a casual sip, pause, stare at the margarita in disbelief, then take another sip and urgently whisper to the person seated next to them to try this margarita. It was when Ruben Aceves got up and announced that this was the best margarita he had ever had (which was followed by a burst of applause from everyone in attendance) that I knew we’d all just encountered greatness. There were plenty of other great things that happened that night that I could mention, like the chocolate flan dessert that I could have easily eaten three helpings of or the other smooth tequila samples we enjoyed, each with their own distinguishing tastes. But really, it was that Watermelon Habanero margarita that opened my eyes to a whole new margarita taste combination and changed my life forever. The good news is that I’ve been assured that this margarita is joining the new drink menu at La Mesa soon. The even better news is that La Mesa has more tequila tasting dinners scheduled in the future, so you can have the opportunity to enjoy a potentially life-changing moment too. Just be sure to make reservations quickly when the date is first announced, as these events can sell out pretty quickly. The best news? You don’t have to wait for a formal tequila tasting dinner to enjoy what La Mesa has to offer. Head to La Mesa and ask your certified server to teach you a thing or two about tequila, and you won’t be disappointed.
—Tamsen Butler
| THE READER |
NOV. 21 - 27, 2013
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