I’m not ashamed to say that I have a hard time finding balance and consistency with citrus drinks. I’m attributing this to the variable, which is the citrus itself. Not all limes are created equal… some are more tart than others, and depending how old they are, how large they are, etc., the amount of juice from a lime (or any piece of citrus) can vary drastically. So screw that “juice of half a lime” crap… measure the juice, figure out your happy recipe, and adjust accordingly. Here’s my basis for a few of the classics…
Margarita
1.5 oz. 1o0% Agave Tequila Blanco (Campo Azul or El Jimador)
.75 oz. Curacao (I like Cointreau)
.5 oz. Lime Juice
1 tsp. Pure Cane Syrup (2:1 by weight mixture)
.25 tsp. Ground Sea Salt
Shake / Strain / Up or down
This is the perfect margarita for me, if the lime juice is on point. If the lime is a little old, it seems to loose it’s tartness, so I’ll use a bit more. However, I really don’t like overly citrusy drinks. Also, the sugar and salt are essential… I made this drink 2:1:1 (without either) for a long time, but I’ve got to say it’s a much richer, complex cocktail with them included.
Sidecar
1.5 oz. Cognac
.75 oz. Cointreau
.75 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 tsp. Pure Cane Syrup (2:1 by weight mixture)
Shake / Strain / Up or down
There is something tragic about a Sidecar that’s too sweet, or too citrusy. It’s just a damned shame… but made correctly, where the ingredients complement each other… man, that shits just wizardry. Wizardry.
Aviation (Proper)
1.5 oz. Gin (Beefeater or Tanqueray)
.5 oz. Maraschino
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Creme de Violette
Shake / Strain / Up or down
Balls yes. The balance on this one is important. Too much of any of the back three can make this bastard straight up gross, but balanced, it’s a taste sensaysh.
The Pegu Club is also a hard one, but I don’t have any Orgeat syrup… I’ll get back to you on that. Any particular ones you find difficult??
Salt. It’s so hot right now. Salt. It’s basically the new black. Everybody who’s anybody has been mixing with it… remember the Juliet & Romeo at TVH, well that has it, and so does the G.O.A.D.H.I.A.H.N.A.I.
And there’s plenty more where that came from. Take this saucy little number for example…
A La Paloma
2 0z. Tequila
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
Pinch Salt
Grapefruit Soda
Tequila, lime and salt in the bottom of a glass, add ice, followed by soda.
This right here, it’s a natural born ruler. It’s got a bit of sweet, a bit of sour, a bit of salt, and a bit of bitter. I’ve heard it’s a “wicked pissa” hangover cure, but it’s not Wednesday, so I can’t talk about that. I used El Jimador, which is a 100% agave resposado, and is effing kick ass. Major times. And the grapefruit soda has to be Jarrito’s Toronja. Mainly because I don’t know any other grapefruit sodas. But man alive, and hear me out on this one, don’t skimp on the salt. Just throw that shit right in there, and prepare to have your mouth blown open with refreshment and flavor.
I’ve been wanting to make this one for a while, but never really had an excuse. However, it’s keeping with my tequila without lime theme, so I thought I’d give it a run…
Rosita Cocktail
1.5 oz. Tequila Blanco
.5 oz. Campari
.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth
.5 oz. Dry Vermouth
Dash Ango
Dash Ango Orange
Stir, serve up or down, squeeze a grapefruit peel over top, then rub it on the rim of the glass.
I’ve come across a few variations of this drink on the interweb, and I’ve mixed up more than a few. The recipe I’ve posted is the one the one I find most balanced. Some call for quite a bit more Campari – and while I fucking love on some Campari – it totally overpowers and disguises the tequila. Which sorta misses the point. Same goes for the vermouth – if you’re using CA or Punt E Mes, don’t get too heavy handed with that shit, or it’s all you’ll taste. Some people say this should be served on the rocks, but I don’t think it’s got enough liquor to warrant that. I’ve also added some orange bitters to my version, which I generally like with my Campari. And that grapefruit thing at the end there? That’s just fucking classy. Deal with it.
Since it’s my 100th post (for those of you who aren’t counting) I grabbed a bottle of El Jimador Blanco which is, for the money, prolly the damned finest tequila blanco on the market (Campo Azul may take issue with that statement, and be justified in doing so). But I didn’t want to just make up margaritas, because that’s so fucking easy. Margaritas are excellent. A classic. But sweet jebus, there are other tequila cocktails out there! And not all of them have lime! And I’ll be damned if I wont drink ‘em.
I don't ever want to dance again... guilty feet have got no rhythm.
Tequila Old Fash
2 oz. Tequila Blanca
1/2 tsp. Agave Syrup
Dash Ango Orange
Dash Lemon Grass Bitts
Stir, serve down.
The thing to emphasize in this drink is the natural herbaceousness of the tequila. I tried this first with Ango, but it didn’t really make sense. The Ango Orange / Lemon Grass combo is much better. I think lemon or orange bitters is the way to go on this drink, but anything you’ve got along those lines – maybe even Peychaud’s (?) – would be good.
Since we’re working with tequila and grenadine already, I figgered I’d throw out one of the old standbys… The Tequila Sunrise. You may have a preconceived notion of the TS. It’s the type of drink that makes it onto the cocktail menu at a restaurant six blocks away from the beach. You know, not a restaurant on the beach… they’ll have your blended nasty crap, like Pina Coladas and frozen Margaritas. And buckets of Corona. After all, they’re on the beach! They can serve crap and get away with it. But the place say, a half a mile away, that wants to be sorta tropical, but needs to serve something a little classier… they’re gonna turn to the Tequila Sunrise. But really, it’s not that good. And the people who work there know it. And they’re sad about it, but not really sad. Because they don’t really care about you. You’re just a tourist. And they’re gonna use some crappy mix, and some shitty tequila, and they’re gonna smile and serve it to you… but you know they’re dead inside. And so do they.
Tequila Sunrise
4 oz. Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Grenadine
Add a few large ice cubes to a high ball glass. Pour over the orange juice and tequila. Pour in the grenadine down the side of the glass, so it rests on the bottom of the glass. Give it a bit of a stir, and the grenadine will mix with the juice, creating a bit of a “sunrise” effect. I guess.
I was going to call this post “Pink Taco” because the drink is pink, and the tequila, like tacos, is from Mexico. But I felt that would be a little too on the nose. And also, I like to maintain a certain level of class ’round these parts. A very, very low level of class. So I opted for The H is O. If you don’t know what that means, you had better ask someone, as the rappists say.
Tequila Cocktail
2 oz. Blanco Tequila
1/2 Juice of Lime
1 tbsp. Grenadine
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with some large cubes of ice. Shake the brojangles out of it, and double strain it into a coupe or rocks glass, or whateves.
This is an old school recipe from the Savoy. It’s not far off from a Margarita, but it’s a bit more exotic and well, prettier. Oh, fuck you.
This is a recipe for an infused tequila featured in the Joy of Mixology, a great book by Gary Regan. It’s from the Lark Creek Inn located in Larkspur CA. It’s easy to make, and tastes fantastic.
Lark Creek Tequila
750 ml Tequila
1 Pineapple
2 sprigs Taragon
2 Serrano Peppers
Clean and dice pineapple. Remove seeds and veins from peppers. Combine all ingridients in a large jar, and allow mixture to infuse for two days, shaking a few times a day. Serve four ounces in an old fashioned glass with a few cubes of ice, a sprig of tarragon and a chunk of pineapple.
I used Don Julio Blanco, but I think any decent quality blanco or resposado would be fine. The pineapple really mellows the flavor of the tequila, and the pepper gives it a bit of bite. It’s reccomended that you taste the infusion frequently after the first day, as the heat from the pepper begins to kick in. If it starts to overwhelm the rest of the flavors, go ahead and pull them out. After about two days the alchohol will have absorbed most of the oils from the ingridients, so if you’re looking for more flavor in any direction fresh ingridients should be added.
We’ve already tried out the Sidecar, and it’s predecessor the Brandy Crusta. Next up is it’s cousin from the south, the Margarita. The origin of the Margarita is widely contested, with plenty of mixologists laying claim to the creation of the great drink. Most believe it is a Mexican drink that migrated north. However, I would like to submit the following scenario: Suppose that you were a bartender early in the 20th century (or very late in the 19th century) and you were accustomed to making Brandy Crustas (Brandy, Curacao, and lemon juice) for upscale patrons in a fancy New York hotel. However, due to a sizable gambling debt and an unfortunate penchant for the finer things, you were forced to move very far south, to a town you were unfamiliar with, and more importantly, was unfamiliar with you. And in this small town, you sought work at a hotel bar (being you knew no other trade) where socialites and upper crusters vacationed. Of course, having an American bartender, they insisted on the finest Manhattan styled drinks. The problem of course, was that while Brandy was easily accessible in the posh cities, and even in the mining camps, it hadn’t yet found its way this far south. That being the case, mightn’t you substitute brandy for a liquor the locals called “mescal,” and using limes which were common instead of lemons, might you not try to concoct something with these ingredients? No? Oh, then never mind.
The Margarita
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Curacao
1 oz. Lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with some cracked ice. Shake with ill-advised, almost reckless vigor. Serve in a cocktail glass. Salted rim? I’ll allow it.
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