TALK DRINKS

Top Five Things You Should Know about Tequila for Cinco de Mayo

We are one day away from one of our very favorite holidays. 'Tis truly the season to be jolly, and ready to eat great food and sip delicious drinks!

From sombreros to Mezcal and everything in between, the fifth of May is a day when Americans like to explore cuisine and culture from our neighbor to the South. But many are unaware of the true beauty and authenticity behind Tequila, the most recognized spirit of Mexico. With history dating the spirit back to the days of the Aztecs (when Tequila was called “pulque”), Tequila has a celebrated background that goes back as long as Mexico itself.

To help give you a taste of authentic Tequila, we have listed five of the major points everyone should know about Tequila, courtesy of Tequila Partida, the world's top-rated Tequila (www.tequilapartida.com).

* What exactly is Tequila?

The word “Tequila” has a number of meanings. It is the name of a town in the state of Jalisco in central Mexico. Tequila is also the name of the region where the spirit is made. And of course, Tequila is an alcoholic beverage made from the blue agave plant, and is also considered the “national drink of Mexico.”

* What is Tequila made from?

Tequila is made from the agave plant. Agave is part of the lily family, and can grow up to 15 feet tall. Because of its prickly texture, many people assume that an agave plant is a cactus, but that's not the case. And most importantly, the blue agave plant is the source of premium Tequila.

* What is the difference between Tequila and Mezcal?

Tequila is a type of Mezcal made in the Tequila region of Mexico with strict production designations specific to the region.

* What's the story with the worm?

Some Tequila and Mezcal producers began inserting a worm into the bottle as a marketing gimmick. However, quality Tequilas have always been worm-free!

* What are the different types of Tequila?

There are multiple types of Tequila with different aging. These are typically referred to as “marques.” Different brands usually have a Blanco (sometimes called Plata or Silver) which means unaged, Reposado which is aged between 2 and 11 months, and Añejo, which is aged for at least one year. Some brands also have an Extra Añejo Tequila, which is aged at least three years. Aging generally takes place in wood barrels.

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Blind Man’s Bluff

Here at TalkDrinks we adore all spirits, but have a special place in our hearts for that lovely juice of the agave - Tequila. We read all we can and familiarize ourselves with the history, methods, care and love that goes into the Tequila bottle, and especially enjoyed this article on ShakeStir.com by the Bon Vivants who detail a blind tasting of dozens of Tequilas. Read on to see how the San Francisco team determines what makes a great well Tequila for a new bar in California.

The other night, a thirty+ Tequila blind margarita tasting was hosted.  The other night we got good and borracho.  The contest took place in order to determine which Tequila was would win the highly coveted well spot at a new Mexican restaurant across the bridge in Berkeley called Comal, at which we are consulting on the bar program.  The distributors were told to keep bottle cost under fifteen dollars.  We added in eight ringers - things like Ocho, El Tesoro, and Partida.  The ringers were products that would never be in this well based on price, but that we knew to be great products.  There was a panel of 8 people tasting.  Our panel was a mix of professional agave lovers, i.e. us, and another bartender friend,  Comal’s owner, GM, and the GM’s wife, a woodworker buddy who is an amateur agave lover, your average customer, a friend, and a wingnut, baddass subversive sculptor from Maine named John Bisbee, who hadn’t had Tequila since he was 14 - he’s 44 now. The last time he had drunk the “devil cactus whisky,” he and his buddies broke into their neighbor’s house, stole the guns, and then passed out in sleeping bags, where three of the four puked in the bags all over themselves.  Hahahaha.   Our panel was strong....

Read more at ShakeStir.com

Revelers Go Bati for the Kati Roll after Hard Days Night of Partying

We have all been there. After too many cocktails, you need to chow down stat. The Kati Roll Company, one of NYC’s popular fast food eateries has come to the rescue with its newest location in midtown east to add the existing fleet in Greenwich Village and Midtown West.

Answering the call for a late night nosh nirvana, the authentic Indian street food has the highest quality of lamb, beef, chicken, seafood, paneer, egg and grilled vegetables all wrapped up in house made genuine paratha or roti. The blend of Indian herbs and spice marinade might even just kick that second or third wind into effect.

Open late to accommodate hungry night owls, think of this as a public service announcement – Do the Kati and stay safe away from late night stove operation.

St. Patricks Day with a twist

Tomorrow, bars will be bustling with patrons donning green and downing beers while the streets will transform into stages for floats and bagpipes. But what's a spirits lover to drink for St. Patricks Day? How about a Black Opal- Guinness plus Tequila for celebrating this Irish holiday with a sophisticated twist. *Gasp* Beer and Tequila? Yes! Check out the easy-to-make celebration appropriate recipe below. From the Talk Drinks team, we hope you have a great St. Patricks Day!

BLACK OPAL

1 1/2 oz Partida Reposado

1 1/2 oz Guinness Draft

1/2 oz Tawny Port

1/4 oz Agave Nectar (Cut with water. So the Agave Nectar is cut with equal parts water as we do with the Marg)

Dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled wine glass or small pint glass without ice. Garnish with some grated or ground cinnamon powder.

Guinness Note: Take a pint of Guinness before hand and use a bar spoon to stir it up for about 30 secs. This removes some of the Co2.

Recipe by Jacques Bezuidenhout

Tequila Partida Launches The 2nd Annual Spirit Bird Challenge!

For the 2nd year in a row, Tequila Partida is looking for the great cocktail recipes in the South. Open to all bartenders, entrants submit their recipes for the best cocktails "representing the spirit of Key West and exemplifying the true spirit of Tequila." To follow news and updates on the challenge check out the Facebook group.

Submissions can be sent to recipe@spiritbirdchallenge.com with more information on the website. Top entrants move on to compete in person in Key West with winners winning a variety of prizes and features on the Tequila Partida website. The bartender behind the first place cocktail also receives $500!

Excited to see which phenomenal cocktails will come out of this years challenge!

A New Season of Italian Wine Tasting

  

Vinitaly in the World Tour recently debuted the spring US Tour Dates for 2012. The highly anticipated tour will stop in Chicago at the River East Arts Center on April 30th and in New York at Three Sixty° (Tribeca Rooftop) on May 2nd for trade tastings. A consumer event will take place in New York at 82 Mercer in partnership with the American Cancer Society’s annual Taste of Hope Fundraiser. Get ready to swirl and sip your favorite Italian wines!

 For the first time ever, Vinitaly will hold its US Tour events in the Spring in order to better serve the American wine trade. For the third year in a row, Vinitaly will partner with the American Cancer Society to help raise money to fight cancer.

Vinitaly in the World is dedicated to opening up the exciting world of Italian wine to US wine press and trade, including importers, distributors, retailers, restaurateurs and sommeliers, and to educating Italian wine producers about the US market.

For more information, contact Dana Polonsky at dpolonsky@colangelopr.com or 646.624.2885 ext. 106, or email info@vinitalytour.com

Happy National Margarita Day!

For those of you who do not know, today is a big holiday for us here at TalkDrinks, it's National Margarita Day! Today we celebrate this classic tequila cocktail by drinking Partida Margaritas (recipe below). As we sip on a celebratory drink tonight, we thank Don Carlos Orozco. Although some may debate, Don is credited most widely for the invention of the Margarita as a way to impress the daughter of a German Ambassador in a bar in Ensenada, Mexico. Margarita Henkel, the daughter, is who the cocktail we adore so is allegedly named after. Tonight, we toast to Don, Margarita and the bartenders across the US who make us smile each time the beautifully salt rimmed glass appears in front of us. We hope you enjoy a Margarita today and if you are looking for a National Margarita Day party near you check out: http://nationalmargaritaday.com/find-a-party/.

PARTIDA MARGARITA
with 100% Organic Agave Nectar
1 1/2 oz Partida Blanco Tequila*
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz Partida Agave Nectar
3/4 oz Water
Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or over
fresh ice into an old-fashioned glass.
Taste for balance.

Experiencing Shochu

On February 13^th, JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and JSS (Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association) came together with 16 leading Shochu producers for an event entitled “Experience Shochu, the National Spirit of Japan.” The purpose of the event was to introduce Shochu (a Japanese spirit, similar to vodka or whiskey) to American consumers on a large scale, and introduced it was! The event drew a large crowd of individuals sampling 44 different varieties of the spirit neat or on the rocks as well as 3 cocktails created by the Liquid Chef himself, Junior Merino (which were absolutely delicious!)

You are probably asking yourself the number one question of the night: What is Shochu? (Number two being: where can I buy it?). Shochu is a Japanese spirit dating back to the 16^th century.  Unlike Sake, which is a brewed rice wine, Shochu is distilled. It comes in many varieties (providing a great range of tastes at the event) because it is commonly distilled from various forms (sweet potato, rice and barley to name a few).  With the surging popularity of Japanese food and Sake in America, we foresee a large growth of popularity for this spirit in the future and are glad we were able to sample it firsthand.

Next time you are in an authentic Japanese restaurant or Izakaya skip your usual and order a drink with Shochu, you won’t regret it!

 

Jalisco Daisy

Looking for a winter-time twist on your favorite margarita? Try the Jalisco Daisy by Mike Ryan of Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago! This delicious treat features Partida Blanco and Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar – the rest is all fresh produce from your local market.

Jalisco Daisy, by Mike Ryan, Sable Kitchen & Bar

2 oz Partida Blanco
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar (cut with 1/4 oz water)
2 Sage leaves

Shake all ingredients. Fine strain. Serve up.

Sip SLOWly

It's time for a taste, for a sip, if you will, of wine classified as "Slow." This idea may be a foreign one for most (ironically, the concept was founded in Italy), but stick with us here! Let's start with Slow Food, and then we'll "pour some wine."

Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization with supporters in 150 countries around the world. They've joined in committing to link the pleasure of good food to community and environment. Slow Food was founded in 1989 to counter the rise of fast food and fast life. This organization seeks to replant the idea and interest of food back into society. By increasing awareness of where food comes from, how it tastes, and how our food choices affect the rest of the world, the importance of the aforementioned factors will spread... slowly, but surely!

Slow Wine is based upon and related to the same core ideals as Slow Food. On January 30 and February 2, Slow Food will launch its first ever wine guide in English, Slow Wine, which adopts an innovative
approach to wine criticism and looks at a variety of factors to evaluate wineries in their entirety. In New York and  Chicago, trade, press, and consumers alike will be able to taste wines from all over Italy. It is the hope that those who taste will have a new appreciation for the "slow" ideal. This ideal takes into consideration the wine's quality, adherence to terroir, value for money, environmental sensitivity, and ecologically sustainable viticultural practices. "Wine" not take a break from spirits to sip on Italian reds, whites, and bubbly for an evening?

To purchase tickets for the NYC tasting on January 30, click here: http://slowwineguidenyc.eventbrite.com/

To purchase tickets for the Chicago tasting on February 2, click here: http://slowwineguidechicago-eorg.eventbrite.com/

 

New Year, New Drink, New Start

We're back to the very beginning of another year... what a very good place to start! By now, you've surely wiped your hands clean of last years failures, promised yourself to abstain from being the glutton that you've been in years past, and you've turned over that heavy stone of calorie-counting in 2012... (at least for a few months)! Presuming the aforementioned assumptions are correct, it's imperative that you don't go waltzing into 2012 calorie-counting and such without a good cocktail to keep you in order. Yes, that's right. Cocktail. What? You didn't know that calorie-counting and cocktails go hand-in-hand? Well, newsflash! They do. It's the allowing yourself slightly to indulge that keeps resolutions going strong. The important thing is to not be such a stranger to the salubrious drinks in life; it's time to make friends with natural ingredients such as citrus peels, vanilla pods, basil, mint, rosemary, and ginger. It's time to make agave syrup a substitute for the sugary messes that oftentimes get dumped into your cocktail. Did you know that agave has a low glycemic index compared to granulated sugars? And because it's about one and a half times sweeter than processed sugars, you don't need as much for drink mixing! 2012 is the year to be creative in a whole new way. This year is the time to put the headaches behind you and to find clarity in the natural drinks. And so, to begin your new venture, start your year off with quite the dandy cocktail, the Grapefruit Daisy.

 

THE GRAPEFRUIT DAISY

2 ounces Reposado Tequila Partida

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

1/2 ounce  Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar (cut with 1/4 water)

Splash club soda

Fresh basil (optional garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake. Strain into an oversized highball. Fill with crushed ice. Add soda, and garnish with fresh basil.

 

The Season For Sparklers

Are you beaming yet? The holidays are here! And coming up is the New Year! There's a lightness in the air... and hope. And doesn't everything have the most brilliant sparkle? Whether you believe "seeing is believing" or like Fred Gailey in Miracle on 34th Street, you believe that, "faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to," it's a sure thing that you've survived 2011. Cheers to that, my friends! Perhaps it's the "spirits" that have pulled you through all the long days, and if that's the case, then cheers to them, too! On this occasion, something sparkly is in order. Now you're probably thinking, "sparklers are for July 4th," but that is just not the case. For this holiday season, there's nothing like the Ginger Sparkler to make you twinkle more brightly than the lights on the trees. So pull out that bottle of champagne that you've been itching to open, don't put up the sugar you were just using to make hot cocoa for the kids, and get some ginger! Prepare to toast the holiday season with an unforgettable spirit!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry sparkling wine, such as Cava, Prosecco, or Champagne

Directions

1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, boil ginger, sugar, and 1/4 cup water until syrupy, about 2 minutes. Pour through sieve into bowl, discarding solids. (To store syrup, refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 week.)

2. Pour 1 tablespoon syrup into each of 8 tall glasses. Top with sparkling wine, and gently stir.

Glass Half Full

For many reasons the holiday season evokes a sense of nostalgia for all the comforts of home. Childhood memories of Christmas, snowfalls, nights sitting fireside with family and friends, hot cocoa, and the glorious glass of eggnog make spirits warmer and bright. The traditions that we hold close are the ones that make the holiday season. It's not the barbie doll nor the easy bake oven nor the hot wheels set that we remember every season. It's the traditional family meal, the annual trip "to grandmother's house we go," and it's the glass of something wonderful that we pour year after year that makes the season full of good cheer. In a world where everything is constantly upgrading, changing, morphing into something completely new, we have a need for something that remains the same, so don't forget to stick to tradition this holiday season. Make sure your glass is half full with the traditional drink of the holiday season: eggnog!

Egg Nog Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 egg whites*

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

Cook's Note: For cooked eggnog, follow procedure below.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the bourbon, pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

 

* Raw Eggs

*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Holiday Spirits are Bright

As December days fly off the calendar, we soon find ourselves with just a few days left until the holidays officially commence. Strings of lights seem to multiply, Santa Clauses pop around every corner, and the need of a good cup 'o cheer increases with every day's passing. The more cheerful the ingredients, the merrier, so when you go to mix up your special drink spirits this season, stop by the tree first, or wherever your nearest candy cane is. Pluck off the striped treat. Then head to the liquor cabinet. Dust off your peppermint schnapps, unscrew your Partida Blanco Tequila (if you haven't heard, Tequila Partida is the Tequila for the holiday season... for all seasons, for that matter!), pour a chocolate liqueur, and finish off with a touch of cream. Don't forget to stir up with the candy cane. Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie

 

3/4 oz.Partida Blanco Tequila  
1 oz.Peppermint Schnapps
3/4 oz.Godiva® Liqueur
1-1/2 oz.Cream

Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.

That's the Spirit!

Can you feel it? The lull before the storm? It's here. It's brief. Enjoy it while it lasts. Thanksgiving is over (deep-breath-after so-much-food-and-so-much-cleaning-up!), and holiday celebrations are just around the corner. Everyone is making lists and checking them twice. Gifts. Invites. RSVPs. Flights. Travel arrangements. Food. Play dates. School functions. Christmas with one side of the family. Hanukkah with the other. Trim the tree! Deck the hall! Light the menorah. And the advent candle. Oh, and breathe. And drink (in the holiday spirit, that is)! As Jack Frost greets you, it's better to warm up with one spirit to keep the other spirits up! In this case, a hot toddy comes to mind...So drink up and enjoy the last moments of peace and quiet. That's the spirit!

• 1/2 tsp. honey 
or to taste
• 1 1/2 oz. gold rum 
• 1 cup hot tea 
• Candied ginger 
• Lemon slice 
or orange slice
• Pinch powdered cinnamon 

Mixing instructions:

Heat all ingredients, except ginger, in a saucepan until steaming hot and pour into a warmed cup or mug. Garnish with a large piece of candied ginger.