Cinco de Mayo. Even if you never studied Spanish, you know this means that day in May when we eat Mexican food and drink Margaritas. What you may not know is why. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. You see, the year before this victory, Mexico was in financial ruin and needed to default on some loans from Europe. Britain and Spain were able to negotiate with Mexico, but those pesky French saw this as the perfect opportunity to finally grab a chunk of land on the other side of the Atlantic. Late in 1861 a large French fleet arrived and stormed the Mexican shores at Veracruz, forcing President Juarez to retreat. But in a great David and Goliath turn of events, Juarez put together a rag tag army of 2000 who, on May 5, 1862, fought a French army three times its size and won. Although the war went on for six more years before Napoleon III gave up and returned home to his cafes and croissants, this impressive battle lives on -- at least in the United States. Ironically, Cinco de Mayo is just another day in Mexico unless you're in the state of Pueblo where the famed battle occurred. There you might see a parade, but that's about it. In the United States, on the other hand, the day is seen as a celebration of all things Mexican. Those of us who are a bit more cynical see it as an opportunity for Party City and Hallmark to fill the gap between Easter and graduations. Nevertheless, even the cynic enjoys an opportunity to toast President Juarez with a tasty Margarita.
Tequila, I have learned, is as tricky as rum in that it comes in several different varieties, When you look at most recipes for Margaritas, they do not specify which type to use. Not wanting to lead you astray, I did some research. Tequila was first produced in the 15th century near the town of Tequila, and even today only "real" tequila comes from fermented agave that is grown in the state of Jalisco. There are two basic categories of tequila: mixtos and 100% agave. Mixtos use no less than 51% agave, with other sugars making up the remainder. Most recipes that I came across suggested using 100% agave.
What's interesting about the agave plant is the growing and harvesting technique. To be successful requires the help of jimadores, men who have intimate knowledge of how the plants should be cultivated, and the process today remains a very manual one. Unlike most modern farming, the knowledge it takes to harvest agave has been passed down from generation to generation. Having learned this, I thought that choosing the perfect tequila for Margaritas would be easy. Given the antiquated technique for making it, I figured there couldn't be that many different types. Wishful thinking on my part. There are websites out there devoted solely to reviewing different types of tequila -- lots and lots of them. In the end I went with a reposado. Did I choose the best? I may never know, but the end result was very tasty.
Margaritas come in many forms, but my preference is to serve them on the rocks. You can also strain the ice when you serve the drink. Some recipes do not add a form of sugar, but I found this to be a little too strong, so I added some agave syrup. Surprisingly, the agave syrup was noticeably more subtle than simple syrup. Now you cannot mention a Margarita without talking about salt. Some like this addition, some don't. I used some Himalayan pink salt flakes and learned that the proper technique is to rub the outside rim of the glass with a lime wedge. The salt then sits on this outer edge so as not to overpower each sip. I dipped the outside edge of just three-quarters of the rim, giving the drinker a chance to decide whether to add a bit of salt to each sip.
Margarita
1 1/2 ounce tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce agave syrup
Lime slice for garnish
Add ingredients to shaker along with 5-6 ice cubes. Shake vigorously, pour into a chilled glass that has been rimmed with salt (optional), and add a lime wedge. Don your sombrero so you're ready for your post-happy hour siesta! Salud.
Tequila, I have learned, is as tricky as rum in that it comes in several different varieties, When you look at most recipes for Margaritas, they do not specify which type to use. Not wanting to lead you astray, I did some research. Tequila was first produced in the 15th century near the town of Tequila, and even today only "real" tequila comes from fermented agave that is grown in the state of Jalisco. There are two basic categories of tequila: mixtos and 100% agave. Mixtos use no less than 51% agave, with other sugars making up the remainder. Most recipes that I came across suggested using 100% agave.
Blanco or Silver: this type is aged less than two months. It is best used for fruity drinks.
Golden or Joven: just like blanco but has caramel added. This type is a "mixtos".
Reposado: aged a minimum of two months but no more than a year in oak barrels. This is smoother than blanco and a good choice for Margaritas.
Reposado: aged a minimum of two months but no more than a year in oak barrels. This is smoother than blanco and a good choice for Margaritas.
Anejo: aged at least one year in small oak barrels. Anejo tequila is best enjoyed on its own.
Extra anejo: aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels (this type has only been around since 2006). This is the smoothest of them all, or so I'm told.
Mezcal, made from a variety of agave plants (not just the blue variety that tequila comes from). This is the one with the worm folklore. Worms were placed in the bottle to prove that the alcohol content was high enough to preserve them. Top-quality mezcal does not have worms, just so you know.
Mezcal, made from a variety of agave plants (not just the blue variety that tequila comes from). This is the one with the worm folklore. Worms were placed in the bottle to prove that the alcohol content was high enough to preserve them. Top-quality mezcal does not have worms, just so you know.
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| Agave pinas |
What's interesting about the agave plant is the growing and harvesting technique. To be successful requires the help of jimadores, men who have intimate knowledge of how the plants should be cultivated, and the process today remains a very manual one. Unlike most modern farming, the knowledge it takes to harvest agave has been passed down from generation to generation. Having learned this, I thought that choosing the perfect tequila for Margaritas would be easy. Given the antiquated technique for making it, I figured there couldn't be that many different types. Wishful thinking on my part. There are websites out there devoted solely to reviewing different types of tequila -- lots and lots of them. In the end I went with a reposado. Did I choose the best? I may never know, but the end result was very tasty.
Margaritas come in many forms, but my preference is to serve them on the rocks. You can also strain the ice when you serve the drink. Some recipes do not add a form of sugar, but I found this to be a little too strong, so I added some agave syrup. Surprisingly, the agave syrup was noticeably more subtle than simple syrup. Now you cannot mention a Margarita without talking about salt. Some like this addition, some don't. I used some Himalayan pink salt flakes and learned that the proper technique is to rub the outside rim of the glass with a lime wedge. The salt then sits on this outer edge so as not to overpower each sip. I dipped the outside edge of just three-quarters of the rim, giving the drinker a chance to decide whether to add a bit of salt to each sip.
Margarita
1 1/2 ounce tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 ounce agave syrup
Lime slice for garnish
Add ingredients to shaker along with 5-6 ice cubes. Shake vigorously, pour into a chilled glass that has been rimmed with salt (optional), and add a lime wedge. Don your sombrero so you're ready for your post-happy hour siesta! Salud.
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