CHEF JUAN CARLOS ESCALANTE’S DRINKS
JUAN CARLOS’S MARGARITA ON THE ROCKS
Lick the back of the hand between finger and thumb and add a sprinkle of salt. Without pause, lick the salt, sip the tequila, and finish by biting into a lime slice. With no hesitation—repeat. That is a typical introduction to tequila, gringo style, in Cabo San Lucas. Not much else remembered.
Tequila is Mexico’s national drink. It is distilled from blue agave plants that grow around the city of Tequila and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco. More than 300 million blue agave are harvested each year to satisfy the national thirst for tequila’s sophisticated flavor. Tequila was first produced in the fifteenth century near the city of Tequila. When the conquistadors ran out of their own brandy, they began to distill agave. Most tequila brands today are owned by large multinational corporations. However, there are more than 100 distilleries making 900 marketed brands.
There are four primary categories of tequila.
BLANCO (“ WHITE ”) OR PLATA (“ SILVER ”) is aged less than 2 months in stainless-steel tanks or neutral oak barrels. This is the type typically used for mixed drinks such as margaritas.
REPOSADO (“ RESTED ”) is aged for a minimum of 2 months but less than 1 year in oak barrels of any size. The bottle should always say “100% Agave Reposado.”
AÑEJO (“AGED ”) OR (“ VINTAGE ”) is aged for a minimum of 1 year but less than 3 years in small oak barrels. Many of the barrels are from whiskey distilleries in the United States or Canada. Jack Daniel’s barrels are a favored type.
EXTRA AÑEJO (“ EXTRA AGED ”) OR (“ ULTRA AGED ”) is aged for a minimum of 3 years in oak barrels.
Always store reposado and añejo in the freezer. This is true for mezcal, too. Serve reposado and añejo, chilled, at the end of dinner parties in tequila glasses or sake cups. Enjoy the many levels of flavor of reposado and añejo sipped neat. Or, alternate with sips of Sangrita. Good tequila is never served on the rocks.
When cooking, we’ve used silver tequila to cure salmon, such as in the Gravlax Infused with Chiles, Cilantro, and Tequila. But tequila is an excellent addition in any cold dish, such as a jigger added to salsa, or to Serrano Gazpacho, or to Chilled Avocado Soup.
Mezcal
Mezcal is distilled from the maguey plant, a form of agave. Maguey, of which there are more than 120 subspecies, grows in many parts of Mexico, but most mezcal is made in the state of Oaxaca. There are about 330,000 hectares cultivated for maguey, owned by 9,000 producers. Over 6 million liters of mezcal are produced in Mexico annually, with more than 150 brand names. Mezcal is consumed straight and never as part of a cocktail mix. It has a strong smoky flavor, which is one of the reasons it has not become as popular as tequila. Mezcal is exported, but mostly to the United States and Japan.
To make mezcal, the heart of the agave is smoked in earthen mounds over pits of hot rocks. Mezcal is highly varied because of the range of fruits and herbs added during fermentation. Most mezcal falls into the same categories as tequila: blanco, reposado, and añejo. The stories about the best bottles of mezcal always containing a worm are unfounded. If present, this is the larva of a moth that infests maguey plants. It’s added during bottling as a marketing tool. The worm is no indication of the quality of the mezcal. Experiment and serve both a tequila and a mezcal, icy cold, at the end of a dinner. Taste, compare, and discuss. Use this as impetus to plan the group’s next Mexican-inspired dinner.
Chef Juan Carlos Escalante’s Drinks
In San Miguel, the value of a property is measured by its view of a great sunset.
Beer
Beer is the ideal drink for the whole range of Mexican food, from taco stands to refined Mexico City restaurants. It’s a low-alcohol drink with a refreshing hops flavor that balances the complex range of flavors of chiles, cilantro, lime, and sweetness. It’s the perfect flavor complement to the rich mole sauces on, BBQ Sea, Bass Tacos, and Chiles Rellenos. Take a sip of Serrano Gazpacho, or bite into BBQ Shrimp Packed with Serrano-Herb Butter, then take a sip of beer, and the palate is immediately refreshed and ready for the next bite. Even if you are serving wine, experiment with Mexican beer, too. Offer a choice of dark and light Mexican beers, and be sure to serve them icy cold. And, if you wish, accompany the beer with slices or wedges of lime, a custom not common in Mexico.
Wine
Down a dusty road we ventured in August 2006, driving the length of Guadalupe Valley, the premier wine-making region of Mexico, located in Baja California. There were no road signs, and an occasional winery appeared in the distance. There were no crowds, but it was a charming little vacation to put to rest grandiose descriptions of “the next Napa Valley.” The arrival sequence was enchanting. Adobe Guadalupe was a lovely winery with an attached deluxe inn, complete with a Swiss chef and great food. We were graciously welcomed by owner Don Miller, and before long we gathered in the tasting room, hearing Don’s story (impassioned, charismatic, insightful, funny) about his move from Orange County and the development of the winery. First we tasted Uriel, a rosé of Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Grenache, Chenin Blanc, Muscatel, Viognier, and Syrah—low in alcohol, bone dry, highly acidic, extremely refreshing, and as good as any Napa Valley rosé. Next was Gabriel 2003, a red wine blend of 70 percent Merlot, 23 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7 percent Malbec. Hugh’s tasting notes read, “high acid, nice fruit, balanced, long finish, 13.9%, wonderful.”
Thus began a reckoning with prejudice. Up and down the valley we traveled with Don Miller, in and out of wineries large and small. Everywhere there were owners to meet, wines to taste, and plans for return visits.
In Guadalupe Valley, fifty wineries produce 90 percent of Mexico’s wine. Baja’s humid winters, dry warm summer days, and cool evening sea breezes that flow up the valley as it gains elevation all provide a good growing environment. The reason we’re unfamiliar with Mexican wines is because the Mexican government imposes a 40 percent tax on wine in order to protect their beer and tequila industries. This tax makes Mexican wines too expensive for the export market. But we do our own personal importing. We never return from San Miguel without an extra suitcase filled with bottles of Mexican wine.
Most Mexican wines are sold in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puebla, and in the tourist areas such as Cancun and Cabo San Lucas. La Laguna, the oldest wine-making region in Mexico, straddles the state of Coahuila and Durango. The Parras Valley rises to 1,500 meters and has a perfect mix of warm days, cool nights, and low humidity. The most important winery is Casa Madero, which also happens to be the oldest winery in the New World. It is famous for its outstanding Chardonnay and Syrah. A newly sprouted wine region is in central Mexico around the cities of Zacatecas and Queretaro, where wine-making is still in its infancy.
The development of great wines from Mexico is the result of the brilliant vision and boundless energy of one man, Hugo D’Acosta. He is the George Washington of Baja wines. Not only is he the consulting winemaker for many of the key Baja wineries, but he also runs a school of enology that attracts students from throughout Mexico. In addition, he and his wife, Gloria, started their own winery in 1997, Casa de Piedra. They produce a white called Piedra del Sol, an unoaked Chardonnay, and a red Vino de Piedra, which is 50 percent Cabernet and 50 percent Tempranillo. No drive is too long to taste these great wines!
WINES TO SERVE WITH THESE RECIPES
Matching the proper wine with food accents the special flavors of both and brings to the foreground understated, alluring flavors. Many of this book’s assertive flavors will overwhelm the subtlety of a fine white or red wine. For example, a dish such as Roast Rack of Lamb with Coffee, Chiles, and Chocolate, with its generous use of chile, will exaggerate the tannins in red wine and ruin the wine. For the appetizers, salads, soups, and seafood main courses, serve Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, dry Riesling, dry Gewürztraminer, and French Chenin Blanc. For the meat main dishes, good choices are Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. Taste, discuss, compare, and then begin planning a wine-buying trip to Baja’s Guadalupe Valley.
MAKES 8 CUPS
Hibiscus water has a floral, tropical, tart flavor with a striking red intensity. We first tasted this at Rancho de la Capilla, located just outside of San Miguel. This refreshing chilled drink is great enjoyed on its own or to accompany any of the recipes in this book.
8 cups water
½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
¾ cup sugar
Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, and stir in the hibiscus. Let soak for 30 minutes. Pour through a mesh sieve to remove the flowers. Stir in the sugar. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Chill before serving. This will keep, refrigerated, for 1 week.
MAKES 5 CUPS
This is a rice drink common throughout Mexico. But horchata is rarely served north of the border except at Mexican restaurants located in Mexican communities. Steve Zazula and Kathy Lichter, owners of Rancho de la Capilla near San Miguel de Allende, have made this many times for our groups. Any of the following types of white rice are equally good: California or Texas long-grain, basmati, or Thai jasmine. Adding 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or “fortifying” the horchata with a little chilled tequila, is a nice variation. Serve this as a refreshing drink on its own or with any of the appetizers in this book.
1½ cups long-grain white rice
6 cups cold water
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
4 to 6 fresh strawberries, sliced
Mint sprigs, for garnish
In a large bowl, soak the rice in the cold water for 2 hours.
Combine both milks and the cinnamon with the rice and water mixture. Process in batches in a blender for 2 minutes on the highest speed. Taste, and if you prefer the drink sweeter, add more condensed milk and blend again. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve, and discard the solids. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. You will notice that the chalky solids settle to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid into another container, stopping when you reach the solids. This will keep, refrigerated, for 5 days.
When ready to serve, transfer to a pitcher and add the strawberries. Pour into glasses filled with ice cubes and garnish each glass with a mint sprig.
MAKES 8 CUPS
This is a wonderfully refreshing tea provided you make it at least a day in advance of serving. The taste on the first day is forgettable, so be patient! And don’t be tempted to add any sugar. The drink acquires a beautiful natural sweetness from the cucumber on the second day.
1 hothouse cucumber, or 3 Japanese or Middle Eastern cucumbers
4 mint sprigs, plus more for garnish
1 or more whole small dried chiles, not seeded (optional)
8 cups cold water
Cut enough of the cucumber into approximately ½ by ½-inch cubes to fill 2 cups (or thinly slice the cucumber). The cucumber does not have to be peeled or seeded. Combine the cucumber, mint, dried chile, if using, and water in a large container. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. This will keep, refrigerated, for 3 days.
Serve this with the cucumber and a mint sprig in each glass.
MAKES 5 CUPS
This brilliantly colored drink requires perfectly ripe strawberries that are a deep red right to the center. We often serve this to welcome guests to a dinner party, presenting it in martini glasses or shot glasses. Substitute other fruits for the berries, individually or in combination, such as mango, papaya, peaches, or nectarines. Apple juice, tonic water, or sparkling wine can be substituted for the orange juice. Add tequila to taste!
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup ice cubes
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup or more tequila (optional)
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Combine the berries, orange juice, ice cubes, lime juice, and tequila, if using, in a blender. Blend until smooth. If the puree is too thick, add more orange juice. Pour into 6 martini, highball, or wine glasses. This can be made 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Stir before serving. Garnish with mint sprigs.
MAKES 8 CUPS
Olla is the Mexican clay cooking pot used for making stews, mole, rice dishes, and this unique coffee. The coffee is made in a way similar to American boiled camp-style coffee, but with additional flavorings of piloncillo (Mexican sugar), orange slices, and cinnamon sticks.
1 cup freshly ground coffee beans
2 (4-ounce) piloncillo cones or 1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
½ orange, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 sticks cinnamon, preferably Mexican
8 cups water
In a large stainless-steel saucepan or a Mexican clay pot (olla), combine the ground coffee, sugar, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the orange slices and discard. Let cool slightly, and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the solids. Serve chilled over ice cubes, or hot as a breakfast or after-dinner drink.
Variation
Chop 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate into little pieces, and stir them into the simmering coffee just before serving the coffee hot.
In the early years of our school, we used to crowd into the tiny kitchen of Juan Carlos Escalante’s wonderful Nirvana Restaurant for Monday morning classes. Young, handsome, and talented, he introduced us to many great dishes, including shrimp glazed with hibiscus sauce, pork with achiote, and stuffed chicken with squash blossoms. Then while the restaurant staff set the long dining table, we crowded around Juan Carlos at the bar for these drinks. Another fantastic morning.
SERVES 1
This is the classic Mexican way to taste a good-quality tequila. The three colors represent the colors of the Mexican flag (la bandera): green, white, and red. Good tequila should be served cold from the freezer.
2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
2 ounces tequila (use 100% agave gold or añejo quality)
2 ounces Sangrita (recipe follows)
Place the lime juice, tequila, and sangrita into 3 separate glasses. Sip in the order listed; repeat.
MAKES 2 CUPS
Sangrita or “little blood” is the foundation for many Mexican drinks, including Bloody Marys. You can substitute a spicy tomato juice or a Bloody Mary mix for the tomato juice.
4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
8 ounces tomato juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce such as Cholula Brand
1 teaspoon salt
In a small pitcher, combine the juices, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and salt, and stir well. This can be made 3 days in advance of serving. Sip it after each sip of tequila, or serve it by itself, on the rocks.
SERVES 4
For many visitors, this is the wake-up drink for another exciting day in Mexico. But it is also a great welcoming drink for lunch and dinner gatherings.
2 cups Sangrita
6 ounces silver tequila
1 stick celery or jicama, cut into 4 long thin pieces
Place the sangrita and tequila in a large cocktail shaker. Add several ice cubes and shake vigorously. Pour into 4 highball glasses filled with ice cubes. Garnish each with a stick of celery.
SERVES 2
If you want a lower-alcohol margarita, add a simple syrup (equal amounts of sugar and water that is brought to a boil, then chilled). Or add 2 ounces of cold water. The margaritas will still be excellent. Jiggers can vary in size, but we use a 2-ounce (¼ cup) amount. Cointreau can be substituted for the triple sec, but remember, Cointreau has a higher alcohol level.
¼ cup kosher salt
1½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for rimming the glass
2 ounces ice-cold silver tequila
2 ounces triple sec
1½ ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
2 slices lime
Scatter the salt evenly across a dessert plate. Run a cut lime around the edge of two glasses. Then dip the edge of the glass into the salt. Fill the margarita glasses with ice cubes. Pour the tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain equally into both glasses. Alternatively, combine all of the ingredients in a small pitcher, stir well, and then pour into the chilled ice-filled margarita glasses. Place a slice of lime on each rim for garnish.
SERVES 4
Blended Margaritas most commonly are margaritas and ice mixed into a smooth consistency in an electric blender. Our favorite blended margaritas add fruit such as mango, strawberries, or raspberries. The taste and the color are fantastic.
2 cups (16 ounces) Fruit Smoothies
2 ounces silver tequila
2 ounces triple sec
Place the ingredients for the fruit smoothies in an electric blender. Add the tequila and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Pour into martini, highball, or wine glasses. Alternatively, serve the blended mixture on the rocks.
Cool and shady patios invite the guest to enter a home.
