"Tequila...a true gift of the gods"

Many call it the Devil's liquor, but did you know that this drink is actually a story of drinking one with a true divinity?  As legend tells, Quetzalcoatl and Mayahuel were fleeing tzizitzimime (star demons) and tried to disguise themselves as the branches of a tree.  Mayahuel was recognized and torn into small pieces.  Quetzalcoatl buried the pieces which in turn sprouted into the first maguey plants.

The maguey plant (or Agave) became the reincarnation of the goddess Mayahuel.  The sweet honey-like sap (aguamiel) was her blood.  The secret of fermenting the juice into pulque (a fermented non-distilled drink of the ancients) was given to man by the trickster figure, Tlacuache.

*Casa Orendain's field of Blue Weber Agave

Tequila was not officially produced until the middle 1700's.  The King of Spain granted land to Don Jose Antonio Cuervo to plant crops that could be turned into alcohol.  It was the first time the ancient pulque was distilled and eventually became known as Tequila.

Here is a winter warmer to enjoy with your divine tequila...

Hot Xocolat

1oz Herradura Reposado Tequila 

6 oz Mexican Hot Chocolate

2 oz Whipped Cream dusted with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and cayenne pepper

To make this Mexican Hot Chocolate I used Abuelita Mexican Chocolate (one whole disk crushed) to 2 cups of milk.  I also added 2 oz of Dark Belgium Chocolate and a pinch of cinnamon.  Stir until completely dissolved.

To make dusting use 1 tsp Cinnamon, 1 tsp Nutmeg, 1 tsp Sugar and 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper.  Mix in a separate bowl and distribute by pinching fingers and sprinkling accordingly.

Salud!

"It's a Perry..."

It sparkles...it has a nice astringency...it has a nice residual sweetness (off dry), but don't call this a cider.  Perry has a category all to its own and should not be confused with a Cider (which denotes an appple base).  A Perry is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears.  It has been common for centuries in England, especially Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire as well as parts of South Wales and France, especially Anjou and Normandy.

Traditionally Perry is made in a very similar way that Cider is made; fruit is picked, crushed and pressed.  Wild yeasts found on the fruits skin is used to begin fermentation.  Unlike Ciders, Perrys must be left to sit for a critical period to mature after picking and the pomace must be left to stand after the initial crushing to lose tanins.  After initial fermentation, the Perry undergoes a secondary malolactic fermentation while maturing.

Perrys will often have a higher level of sugar than Ciders, including unfermentable sugars like sorbitol, which can give the finished drink a residual sweetness.  Typically they will also have a higher astringency than their counterparts.

During my last visit to NYC, we had lunch at Roberta's in Brooklyn.  They were offering a Perry by the glass.  That day was quite warm and an off-dry Perry is just what I wanted to cool down with.  This one did not disappoint...it was Poire Authentique by Eric Bordelet.  It had wonderful poached pear aromas, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg and just a kiss of lime on the palate.  The finish was long and astringent and made me pine for more!  Like a cider these are naturally gluten free and very enjoyable as aperitifs and would even do nicely with a poached pear at the end of dinner!

These are not easy to find, but well worth seeking out!

Cheers!

http://www.ericbordelet.com/ 

"It's good Scottish weather...time for a Rob Roy"

The Rob Roy is a classic scotch cocktail and is probably one of the most well known of all classic scotch cocktails.  It was created in 1894 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and is kin to the Manhattan.  The drink was named in honor of the premiere of Rob Roy, an operetta by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B. Smith loosely based upon Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor.

So who is Rob Roy?  Records show Raibeart Ruadh MacGriorgair was baptised March 7, 1671 and died December 28, 1734.  He was a Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century.  Rob was a well known and respected cattleman.  He had borrowed a large sum of money to increase his own cattle herd, but his chief herder disappeared along with the loaned money.  As a consequence, Rob defaulted on the loan and was branded an outlaw, while his lands were seized as forfeiture. A private blood feud was waged against his creditor the Duke of Montrose, for which he was eventually imprisoned and summarily pardoned a few years later.

The Waldorf Astoria bar book lists the ingredients as Orange Bitters, Scotch and Sweet Vermouth.  I have come to love this cocktail, but I believe that scotch is the base of this cocktail just as Rye whiskey is the base of a Manhattan.  Being a Highland folk hero, I tend to lean toward a well made Highland Scotch...

Barragan's Rob Roy

2 oz Glenfiddich 18 Year
1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
garnish with a Luxardo Cherry

"This way for Champagne"

Strange that during these end of year holidays bubbly becomes more prevalent.  New York dedicates a whole week to the stuff.  I drink it as often as possible and almost every good meal begins with at least a glass.  Champagne is known as an aperitif(French) or aperitivo(Italian) which roughly translates "to open" or "opener" and refers to an alcoholic beverage that is meant to be an appetizer and prepare your mouth (cleanse the palate) for the food you are about to eat.

In March of 2010, my family and I set out for Paris, but I wanted them to experience something extra special.  This was the first time my grandmother, Nina, had ever been to Europe and it was a celebration!  All good celebrations need bubbly!  So I set us up for a special tour and tasting of Taittinger.

Taittinger is not an old house with hundreds of years of experience. but rather one mans passion that began shortly after World War I.  Pierre Taittinger was impassioned with the region and set out to make excellent quality sparkling wine.  The seat of Champagne Taittinger sit on the remains of the Saint Nicaise Abbey which dates back to the 13th century.  It is in these hallowed caves that this beautiful sparkling is allowed to age and mellow.

*these are pupitres or "riddling racks" for the Remuage Process

What is Champagne?  Only grapes that are grown in a legally defined area in northern France and processed by the methode champenoise may be called a Champagne.  Only three varietals may go into a Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  Champagne begins as any other wine, but then goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle.  A "liqueur de tirage" is added to a bottle of wine, this is a mixture of sugar and yeasts, and then placed in pupitres or "riddling racks" and undergo remuage.  During this pain-staking process and person will turn the bottle a slight bit and pitch it up a slight bit.  After eight weeks the bottle will have been riddled to the point where it is fully pitched and all the sediment has settled in the neck of the bottle.  A disgorgement of the sediment is done by essentially freezing the neck of the bottle and removing these yeasts and then a dosage is added to fill the bottle to its full capacity and then re-capped.

Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, arguably the best blanc de blanc made.  It is produced only in exceptional vintage years and is intended to be the ultimate expression of the Taittinger style.  This wine is comprised entirely of Chardonnay grapes grown in the top vineyards of the prestigious Cote des Blancs.  Only the first press juice is used and only a small portion of the blend spends three to four months in new oak barrels.  Prior to disgorgement, the Blanc de Blancs is aged for 10 years on the lees.  When it emerges from the bottle it should be powerful, refined and complex with notes of citrus fruits, lime and carmelized grapefruit.  The finish will be long and lush and leave you wanting more!  

Don't wait for special occasions to enjoy the bubbly...life is a special occasion...enjoy it!

Sante!

http://www.taittinger.com/