Trim the Rim

Agaveria in Littleton, Colorado, for example, lets customers choose the rim they prefer when ordering a Chelada. Options include basic salt, Tajin, and sal de gusano — which all can be requested to grace half or all of the rim — as well as half salt-half Tajin, or nothing at all.

BY KATHLEEN FURORE ➤What’s inside the

glass is what customers are craving when it comes to the cocktails they order. But it’s what’s on the outside that can transform those cocktails from drinks into Instagrammable experiences and enhance the flavor of what’s inside in the process.

From basic white bar salt to edgier products like chipotle salt, chamoy, Tajin, black lava salt, sal de gusano, hibiscus sugar and more, rimmers have earned a starring role around the rim and down the sides of cocktail glasses at Mexican restaurants from coast to coast.

And customers are responding — some even specifying their rim of choice.

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Customer choice also is front and center at Polo’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant in Ada, Oklahoma. “Our option of rimmers is based on the requests of our customers,” owner Yolande Vazquez reports. “Tajin has become a more popular request lately. We use salt as a default unless we are directed to use a different option.”

At Taquizo in Chicago’s burgeoning Wicker Park neighborhood, the Margaritas and other cocktails feature a variety of rimmers.

There’s the salt made daily in-house with four ingredients — “Tajin, sea salt, and two other secret ingredients,” Taquizo’s manager Sosa (who goes by one name) says.

That salt trims all of the restaurant’s classic Margaritas. And like the other rimmers — including the black lava salt that graces Taquizo’s special Flor En Fuego, a colorful hibiscus cocktail made with tequila and mezcal — it shines down one side of each glass, not around the rimmers. Adding rimmers on the side enhances both the flavor and the look of the cocktails.

“Customers want a little taste [of the salt], but don’t want to be licking the whole rim,” Sosa explains. “And it plays on the aesthetic of the cocktail — you can see the pattern of the ingredients we use. It makes it more artistic.”

Another rimming “trick” Taquizo mixologists employ: using orange instead of lime or lemon to attach the salt to the glass. “Orange lends a sweetness,” says Sosa, who notes that lime and lemon have more of a “pucker” effect when paired with salt, which brings the salt to the forefront of the palette. “Orange is more welcoming. It creates a more balanced drink and you really taste the flavor of the cocktail.”

It’s not only about salt…as these two creative cocktails featuring sweet options show.

The Tun Tun Cocktail at Grand Velas Riviera Maya is rimmed with cookie crumbs (see recipe on page 15)

The Coconut Margarita from Burrata and Bubbles is rimmed with toasted coconut that can be attached to the glass with honey or agave nectar.

Salt: Kosher salt, sea salt, or black lava sea salt

Sugar: Granulated white sugar, cane sugar, brown turbinado sugar, and sugars mixed with fruit, herbs or spices

Fruit: Ground, freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, mango, peaches, pineapple, shredded toasted coconut

Fruit Peels: Ground, dried lime, orange or grapefruit peels

Herbs & Spices: Basil, cilantro, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme

Chile powder: Use sparingly and/or mix with other ingredients to cut the heat. Cookies & crackers: Graham crackers, Mexican galletas, vanilla wafers, biscotti Chocolate: Shaved Mexican chocolate such as Abuelita, cocoa powder, or crushed M&Ms

Other: Any dry edible item—dried edible flowers such as hibiscus, avocado leaves, crumbled bacon, crushed hard candy, instant coffee crystals, tea leaves

Mayson’s Strawberry Puree. Made with real fruit and natural flavors, this puree is delicious mixed into Margaritas, daiquiris, smoothies, and aguas frescas. It can also be combined with Mayson’s Fruit Flavors such as guava or peach for an interesting, unique beverage offering. Visit maysons. com for more information about Mayson’s Finest Margarita & Daiquiri Mixes. Want to try our mixes? Request a sample at maysons.com/samples.

Aztecas Design. Beautiful glassware in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors is handblown by skilled craftsmen at Azteca’s factory in Guadalajara, then imported into the company’s distribution center in San Diego, California. Enhance your cocktail program with unique Margarita glasses, wine glasses, tropical drink glasses, tequila glasses, beer glasses and more! 877-729-8322; 619-442-5530; aztecasdesign.com

Pure Pour. This pour spout fits snugly into the neck of most standard-sized bottles, creating a tight seal that prevents leakage or drips. This makes it easier than ever to measure the exact amount of liquor needed for each drink, ensuring consistent cocktails. Its unique design has been shown to reduce liquor cost by up to 20% by providing an accurate pour every time. 561-212-6260; thepurepour.com

21 Missions Agave. When you want to create a great cocktail, 21 Missions Agave Azul Nectar is a good place to start. It’s the perfect ingredient for making The Ultimate “Cadillac” Margarita and other drinks on your bar menu. We’re specialists in Single Source Bulk Organic Premium Blue Agave Nectars that deliver a taste that guests will love. Your clients will thank you! 866-504-0555; 21missionsagave.com

Mario Chelada Rim Dip. These flavorful mixes are a blend of tangy, juicy, and sweet and make the perfect rimmers for Micheladas , beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks, too. They’re even great for dipping fruit. Available in Mango, Chamoy, and Watermelon. Michelada mix also available. mariochelada.com; sales@mariochelada.com

Recipe courtesy of Mar Del Cabo, Los Cabos, Mexico

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ oz. tequila or mezcal

1 oz. green chartreuse

½ oz. lime juice

1 oz. orange juice

8 basil leaves

½ oz. basil syrup (recipe below)

Poppy seeds

Put the basil leaves, lime juice, and basil syrup in a shaker, and macerate it slightly to extract the essence of the leaves. Add the tequila or mezcal, orange juice, and green chartreuse in the shaker with a little ice.

Cover the shaker and shake the mixture very well for 30 seconds. Frost a glass with poppy seeds. Pour the cocktail through a strainer into the glass and add a little bit more ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon or dehydrated orange.

The Basil Syrup:

1 c. water

1 c. basil leaves

1 c. sugar

Combine ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep for 30 minutes. Drain syrup through a mesh strainer into a sterilized glass jar; discard basil leaves. Let cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Recipe and photo by Chef Enrique Cortes; served at The Thirsty Palms in Palm Springs

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ oz. inaequidens* mezcal (Hacienda Oponguio)

1 oz. coconut rum

½ lime, juiced

1½ oz. coconut cream

Lime wedge, for garnish

Coconut flakes, for garnish

Fill a tall, 12-ounce glass or shaker with ice; add mezcal and rum, lime juice and the coconut cream. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and toasted coconut flakes.

*Inaequidens is the scientific name for an agave that grows mostly in the state of Michoacan, Mexico.

Makes 1 cocktail

Recipe and photo by Chef Enrique Cortes; served at The Thirsty Palms in Palm Springs

3 medium-sized fresh strawberries

1½ oz. mezcal cupreata (Filo de Trinchera)

Splash of simple syrup

6 lime wedges

Muddle fresh limes and strawberries in a 12-ounce glass or shaker. Add mezcal and the simple syrup.

Shake well and serve on the rocks in a large red wine glass. Garnish with a caramelized fresh lime.

**Agave cupreata is found in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Guerrero at elevations of 1,200-1,800 meters.

Silver Coin Margarita

Recipe and photo from Fonda San Miguel: Forty Years of Food & Art

Makes 1 cocktail

The Cocktail:

1½ oz. watermelon-infused tequila (recipe below)

¾ oz. Cointreau

⅓ oz. fresh lime juice

Crushed ice

Wedge of watermelon (with rind), for garnish

The Watermelon-infused Tequila: ½ of a 12-lb. watermelon, cut into chunks (about 8 c.)

1 one-liter bottle Herradura Silver Tequila

Combine watermelon chucks and tequila in a 1½- to 2-gallon nonreactive container and use a whisk or potato masher to break up the fruit.

Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours. Push the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing on the watermelon to extract all the juice. Dispose of the pulp and seeds.

To make the Margarita: Combine watermelon-infused tequila, Cointreau and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with a handful of crushed ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Serve straight up, garnished with a wedge of watermelon.

Recipe and photo from Fonda San Miguel: Forty Years of Food & Art

Makes 1 pitcher/6 to 7 quarts

½ of 12- to 16-lb. watermelon, cut into bite-size chunks or triangles (about 8 c.)

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-size chunks

1 one-liter bottle of silver tequila

2 c. gold tequila

4 oranges, cut into wedges

2 lemons, sliced

3 starfruit, cut into star-shaped slices

½ c. lime juice

4 c. orange juice

1 46-oz. can unsweetened pineapple juice

6 limes, quartered

3 small ruby grapefruit, cut into wedges

Cracked ice

3 12-oz. cans Squirt or other citrus-flavored soda

Combine watermelon and pineapple chunks in a 2-gallon, wide-mouth glass jar. Add the tequilas, oranges, lemons, star fruit, and juices. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, stiffing occasionally. A few hours before serving, add limes and grapefruit. Serve in wide-mouth glasses or bowls filled with cracked ice, a generous splash of Squire, and a straw.

Note: The flavor of this punch improves with age. It will keep several days in the refrigerator, although the watermelon will lose its texture. Add more fruit, if desired.

Find more great cocktail recipes at elrestaurante.com/recipes/cocktails