The Bluebonnet Margarita

Driving back home from Dallas last week, I noticed a peppering of wildflowers along parts of the highway, and each little patch managed to lighten my mood just a little bit more. 

Each time I saw Bluebonnets, though, I was elated. I've loved Bluebonnets since I was a kid--they always seemed so special to me--and if you were lucky enough to have them growing in your yard? Oh, I'm still jealous of those neighbors. (In fact, we just planted some seeds outside our house, so I can enjoy them from our porch, and perhaps lighten some other person's day.)

In honor of Spring and my favorite flower, I decided to make up a drink yesterday at work--with a bit of cheek mind you.

Trying to be funny, I mixed Blueberries with Scotch Bonnet peppers (get it?) in a margarita. If you've ever bitten into a Habanero pepper (a Scotch Bonnet) or rubbed your eyes after cutting one, you understand my concerns for this drink; but my fear of destroying everyone's palates subsided with my first taste (and the second... and third).

What a surprise! It was delightfully sweet upon first sip, with a light punch of spice at the end that didn't linger at all. The blueberries came through subtly, but not overwhelmingly, and I could taste every ingredient equally.

Here's what I did: 

I muddled about 10 blueberries (depending on their size) and a sliver of Habanero (Scotch Bonnet) pepper without seeds with Gran Centenario's Rosangel Hibiscus Tequila and Cointreau. 

I made this drink a couple of times with different liquors--also Dripping Springs Vodka, Herradura Silver Tequila, and Cazadores Reposado Tequila. I decided on the Rosangel, because of it's complexity and sweetness, which I think responded really well to the blueberries and held up strongly to the Habaneros. I like the taste of the liquor to balance with the ingredients in my drinks, not be covered up by them.

After muddling, I added ice and about an ounce each of fresh squeezed lime and simple syrup, and then I shook the crap out of it and strained it into a chilled martini glass rimmed with Hawaiian Black Sea Salt.

The resulting drink is a deep purple fiesta in your mouth. Enjoy.

A NOTE for anyone who has never worked with Habeneros before:

Hold the pepper with a bevnap, or wear a glove when cutting. The pepper's oils can burn sensitive skin, but for most people it will just end up in your eyes or rubbed on your face--and it HURTS!!!

The Bluebonnet:

1.25 oz Gran Centenario Rosangel

.5 oz Cointreau

~10 small Blueberries (adjust for size)

1 tiny sliver of Habanero pepper, seeds removed

- I would say 1"-1.5" long, about a 1/8" thick (but you don't need to be exact)

(muddle above ingredients)

1 oz fresh squeezed lime

1 oz simple syrup

Shake over ice, strain and serve in a martini glass rimmed with Black Hawaiian Sea Salt

Garnish with a lime stabbed with a skewer of blueberries

Salud.

Again, apologies for the photograph--I'm buying another digital camera this weekend!

 

Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt

I am totally in love.

When it's cold outside, my friend Amaryllis often sits by the fire on the patio at Moonshine Bar and Grill when she's finished with work. Later, when she comes to my restaurant to pick up her boyfriend, I give her a big hug and refuse to let go because--as I tell her every time--"You smell like camping!"

Like the smoke is blowing in your face, the only sound the cracking of embers and the spewing forth of sparks, your marshmallow on an unwrapped metal hanger bubbling and browning. 

I am enamored with that smell and the nostalgia that comes along with it. 

And that is what this Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt smells like. Just having it in the restaurant made the room smell like campfire. 

We made several cocktails last night using this salt on the rim--and oh--my--God. It's an overwhelming taste, smell, experience, whatever you want to call it. We're still tweaking recipes, but here is one that seemed to be a crowd pleaser: (You might go light on the sweet stuff and then adjust to your taste.)

La Fogata:

1 oz Del Maguey Single Village mezcal

1 oz Rosangel Tequila (or regular Centenario reposado--but I like it with the Rosangel)

.25 oz (or less) liquor 43

dash orange bitters

lime juice and simple syrup

*the tiniest--and I mean tiny!--splash of pineapple juice

Shake very well, serve on ice with smoked salt rim

Works best in a glass you can get your nose inside

This drink went perfectly with the dismal weather we've been having the past few days.

¡Salud!

ps: Apologies for the low-quality photograph--my digital camera is M.I.A. I'll update it later.

The World's First Hibiscus-Infused Tequila

I had a chance to taste Gran Centenario's Rosangel Tequila--the world's only hibiscus-infused tequila--last night at Vivo. 

And I have to admit--I liked it. 

I'm surprised that the world has waited so long to use hibiscus in a tequila, because its been in margaritas for a while (normally by way of the dried flowers, or jamaica); however, I'm glad it was Gran Centenario. Their tequila is complex enough to hold up to the sweetness.

To make Rosangel, Gran Centenario lets their reposado tequila rest for an extra two months in barrels used for port. They then infuse the resulting sweet mellow tequila with what they call "hand-picked" hibiscus flowers--which gives the tequila its pink tint.

For anyone who has tried Gran Centenario before, you'll be happy to note that Rosangel retains Centenario's signature I-just-bit-into-an-old-boot-strap notes of oak and char, while intermingling with them a sweetness and hint of bitter reminiscent of a nice glass of port.

Honestly, I tasted the port before the hibiscus, but the flavor is there. I can definitely see a bright future for this spirit, and I'm delighted to see what kinds of recipes emerge--and I know they will soon.

For now, Vivo Cocina Texicana--at 2015 Manor Rd.--is the only restaurant that carries Rosangel in Austin, and the bartenders are pumping out ideas for original drink recipes that reflect the tone and style of the joint--so you know they'll be sexy.

Take a trip to Vivo's bar and ask your bartendress for a taste--I'm sure she'll oblige.

Cheers.

La Condesa Pt. 1 - The Restaurant Bar

I was apprehensive.

Perhaps I wanted La Condesa to be bad. I wanted the drinks to be boring or made with half-assed ingredients. I wanted to food to be uninspired, the chips and salsa bland. Why? I don't know--jealousy? 

For me, surprisingly, they actually got most things--almost everything--right.

I am not a food critic, nor do I pretend to be a connoisseur of anything, but I do know drinks, and I do know salsa. So I feel I have a few thoughts on this new modern restaurant that some of you might want to read.

Don't be completely stunned by the poppy turquoise decor, the funky lighting, or the dusty xeriscaping outside; make your way quickly to...

THE BAR

There are two bars at La Condesa, a restaurant bar and then the upstairs bar called "Malverde"--named for the Mexican patron saint of drug dealers (!). Upstairs wasn't open yet when we went, but the downstairs bar and its lighthearted bartenders left me completely content.

Some interesting tidbits (good or bad, it's up to you):

- For shots of mezcal, the bar blends mezcal worms with salt to put around the rim. Too weird for you? Shame on you. Give it a try.

- They use pasteurized egg whites in their drinks. By the time I realized this, the bar looked a little busy for me to bug them about it; I want to know why. Perhaps when they get busier and the fear of waste dissolves they will moved to regular ol' egg whites? I hope so, because my Pisco Sour was, well... without.

- Their house margarita is made with a liquor made from Damiana--a plant used as a female aphrodisiac in Mexico, Central and South America. Of course Lance ordered one for me. I still liked my El Cubico better (see below).

Our bartender was really exited to be there and equally so that we were there, too. He was completely willing to answer any of our questions about the restaurant as well as questions about the drinks and the food. I didn't have the time--or the tolerance?--to try every single drink, but here are the ones I did taste. 

The Alma Blanca--Had muddled corn, habeñero infused Chinaco blanco tequila, ginger, aloe vera, lemongrass, pineapple, and a hibiscus infused salt rim. Overwhelmed yet? Don't worry, the taste is simple yet complex. The drink is sweet and smooth. While not my favorite drink of the night, it was definitely at the top. 

El Cubico--Tobacco infused Hornitos, Navan, lemon, grilled pineapple juice, volcanic-saffron-infused salt, and a light mist of mezcal on top--served in  a snifter. This drink was phenomenal. Put your nose down in the snifter and you'll feel like you're smoking a cigar. But the flavor was otherworldly. Sweet, yet sharp--just wonderful. We had the bartender make it with mezcal instead of the tobacco infused tequila just to see the difference; what resulted was a much better drink by our standards; however, if mezcal isn't your bag, go for the original. I have no complaints.

The Passion Fruit & Spiced Mango Margarita--Tres Generaciones Reposado, ginger, passion fruit, spiced mango, lemon, and pasilla-pepper-spiced salt rim. Very tart, tasty, but just not that interesting. Perhaps this was one of their ways of catering to a more fearful diner--one who shies away from worms and tobacco in their drinks?

El Guillermo--fig infused Jim Beam Black, Navan, orange bitters, grilled grapefruit juice. This was really, really nice. I wasn't sure about the grapefruit, but the grilling really tamed it nicely.

Watermelon-Elderflower Martini--Tito's, St. Germain, aloe vera, lemongrass, citrus & watermelon juice. What a disappointment! I don't know if they forgot my St. Germain, but I couldn't taste it at all. I suppose I shouldn't be drinking watermelon in February, anyway, but still. I was so looking forward to this drink, and it fell very short. Hopefully they'll use St. Germain in another recipe later. I'll most definitely try it again when watermelon is in season.

Kiwi-Thyme Caipirinha--Thyme infused Leblon, kiwi, lime, sugar cane syrup, and soda. The thyme was lovely--there was an whole new level to the drink--and the presentation was beautiful. And I've been wanting a delicious kiwi drink lately. If you like Caipirinhas, I think you'll like this one. 

At this point we paid our extremely expensive bar tab (although expected and well worth it) and made our way to the table--but that is for another blog. 

More to come later.

Adios.