Having come into adulthood in the 1980s, all I knew of cocktails such as the Daiquiri and the Margarita were that they were slushy chemical confections consumed in unpleasant places. It's difficult to describe my wonder and delight, then, that this was not the state of the world generally. I believe I was reading about Hemingway, which I did obsessively in my twenties (unusual for aspiring writers, I know).
I came across a description, during his Cuba years, of his daiquiri, which reportedly included grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur, the telling of course included a description of a standard daiquiri. Visiting my mom in West Palm Beach, I made a standard daiquiri that evening.
I sipped and experienced a delight that felt absolute: This is not the world you know.
I had stumbled into actual cocktails. (Theretofore I knew only these five: the martini, the gin and tonic, the Manhattan, the bloody Mary, and the mint julep.) Read this excellent article, published just yesterday in Grub Street, by Robert Simonson on my favorite category of cocktail which I had stumbled upon in the 1980s: The Sour. (I recommend having a look at his book 3-Ingredient Cocktails.) Spirit, acid, simple syrup.
No wonder, given my love of the sour, that this is the third Friday Cocktail Hour devoted to a Sour (the first, a Whiskey Sour, my favorite sour, includes an egg white). A Margarita comprises 2 parts tequila, 1 part lime juice, 1 part sweet orange liqueur (many, such as Mr. Simonson suggest less of the latter, ¾ ounce pours of both sweet and sour—but it's up to you!).
On arrival in Oaxaca a couple years ago, my wife, Ann, and I were immediately served a margarita, which at Casa Oaxaca was by default made with mezcal and it was the best we'd had. The smokiness of the agave spirit elevated the cocktail several notches above an ordinary tequila. (Not surprising for someone whose favorite whiskey is the super peaty Laphroiag.)
The entire trip was a tutorial in mezcal, the amazing spirit, made from any number of agave plants.
We took an AMAZING mezcal tour given by Andrea Hagan who created %Mezcouting, a tour service with her Mexican husband. We visited big and small distilleries and learned and tasted and ate. Tequila must be made with the blue agave plant, Andrea, explained, and must have a majority of agave but can include tons of cheap sugar as well (which accounts for all the crappy tequila out there). It was a fabulous tour and, when the world opens up again, I highly recommend her, as well as the elegant Casa Oaxaca. (I've written about my new-found love of food tours generally in this week's NYTimes travel section called "A Food Snob's Food Tour Conversion.")
Does anyone know who invented the frozen margarita? Apparently this guy did, adapting a soft-serve ice cream machine for cocktails. I'm all for a novelty like this, but not at the expense of actual cocktails.
Please note the color of my simple syrup! It's made from brown sugar because our grocery store was clean out of regular sugar (#quarantinecooking). A reminder to improvise--need sweet? make a honey syrup or even in a pinch a corn syrup syrup). But whatever you do, if you have a spirit on hand and remembered to pick up or order in plenty of lemons and limes, you've got a great cocktail ahead of you. (Below are two margarita recipes and a youtube of my making and tasting one.)
Stay isolated but stay connected! Santé!
Mezcal Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces mezcal
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce cointreau
- 1 wedge orange or lime (optional but desirable!)
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the mezcal, lime juice and simple syrup in a glass. Add ice. Garnish with orange or lime and, if you wish, a pinch of salt.
Notes
Classic Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- ¾ ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 1 wedge or disc lime
Instructions
- Combine the liquids in a glass, add ice and the lime. Enjoy! You've made it through another week of caronavirus quarantine.
Loving your Friday Cocktail Hour posts. I was planning on beergaritas to go with tonight's nachos, so the margarita recipes are perfect timing.
Thank you.
thanks for checking in!
Just discovered your podcast and making my way through series 1.. inspired by the citrus episode and tried the Michelle Bernstein mojo de ajo dressing on grilled monkfish today.. episode links don’t work so had to listen to podcast and try to jot down recipe.. think I got it right but either way it tasted fab... can you email actual recipe do that I get it really right? Many thanks Aidan
I can only have this on cinco de Mayo, in a small clay cup that came with my Del Maguey mezcal. It’s dangerously good so i limit my intake. Straight, sip like a good scotch. They make a delicious agave mezcal nectar that you could add to your margarita to make it Smokey. Just float a little on top.
https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/mezcal/del-maguey-mezcal-crema/p/101139750
Cats are the best quarantine companions. My ole cat is loving this stay at home stuff.
Videos & printable recipes, you’ve upped the game on this blog... except for the commingling with ice and fancy stemware.
Cinci de Mayo is getting close.
Cheers
we got some of those clay cups for sipping. youre second to mention del maguey.
I need to do a post on it.
You need to start with good ingredients.
When Casamigos sold out in 2013 or so, they changed the recipe. It is now artificially manipulated to have a much sweeter flavor profile than it did pre acquisition. Pre-acquisition, it was a passable contract distillate.
As well, the Casamigos mezcal isn't really that great of an example of a mezcal. It is just OK.
For the tequila margarita, I'd suggest agave nectar instead of simple syrup. Brown sugar is going to overwhelm the flavors of the tequila (which is OK with Casamigos, because it doesn't have much of a flavor profile to start with). Of course, that lands you at making a legendary Tommy's margarita, but nothing wrong with that!
I'd suggest using Fortaleza, Tapatio, G4, Siete Leguas, El Tesoro, Ocho, Pasote, or similar for the tequila.
Del Maguey makes a solid, widely available, mezcal. Wahaka mezcal is pretty amazing, if you desire to get away from the signature smokiness of typical mezcals.
Totally agree. I live in a low-income area of providence and like to support the liquor store across the street--twas all they had. The mezcal we had in oaxaca was outstanding. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I'll ask the owners to get in the Del Maguey.
They make a large variety of different flavors. We like the same Smokey scotch, so I recommend you try the Del Maguey Chichicapa flavor. They are all great and it’s nice to compare.
Thought I'd check in here for your thoughts on the current situation, especially concerning small chef-driven restaurants Disappointed to see a real lack of substance, given the disproportionate support of big-business vs. who i thought you championed.
Andrew, thanks for checking in. For more substantial coverage of effects on chefs please listen to my podcast called From Scratch. Tomorrow we're putting one up featuring and Angie Mar from her Beatrice Inn in NYC and looking at the insurance issue.
Also, remember that some people simply want comfort and distraction from the horrible moment we live in. Hope you'll keep checking in.
You have no idea how much I look forward to Fridays now. This blur of meaningless days has been trying to say the least, now I have a reason to track the days knowing there’s a good cocktail at the end of the week and a like-minded community to share them with. Thanks for making a difference M.R.!
thanks! never thought it might help the blurring of time, which is definitely happening.