We don’t need World Tequila Day to know that the world can’t get enough of tequila cocktails. But if you are after something that goes beyond the typical Margarita and Paloma, then check out these 4 drinks created by some of NYC’s best bars – Mace, JIMMY, The Loyal and Etérea.
Fig Leaf
“The idea behind it was to create something with tomato and fig leaf because it was a flavour I had on an ice cream at Noma in Copenhagen, I believe. I already had golden beet and fig leaf and that was very nice together so I wanted to do a clarified cordial with golden beet and tomato, adding a little bit of miso to give those umami flavours. And from that, it’s just tequila and mezcal to give a bit of smokiness to it with fig leaves.” Nico de Soto- Bar Owner, Mace, New York
Ingredients
- 1 oz Fig Leaf Infused Mezcal
- 1 oz Tequila
- 1 oz Golden Beet & Tomato Cordial
Instructions
Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and stir for about 30 seconds. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass and garnish with a golden beet slice.
El Camino
“A quenching spicy Margarita with habanero-infused Tanteo Tequila, lime juice and agave syrup.” Johnny Swet- Beverage Director, Jimmy, New York
Ingredients
- 1 oz Milagro Tequila
- 1.5 oz Tanteo Habanero Tequila
- 0.75 oz Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Agave
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for 10 seconds. Strain into old fashioned glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lime wheel and Tajín salt rim and charred habanero.
Puffy Paloma
“At Etérea, I use a Breville centrifugal juicer to extract the juice from grapefruit. First I peel the fruit leaving most of the pith intact. This, in combination with the high speed of the machine, results in a slightly bitter and highly aerated juice with a texture similar to shaken egg white. Pouring the seltzer down the stem of a spiral bar-spoon maintains the integrity of the carbonation and the result is a light fluffy drink. Black lava salt is a sharp visual contrast and provides a bit of savoriness.” Sother Teague- Beverage Director, Etérea, New York
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Blanco Tequila
- 3 oz Ultra-whipped Grapefruit Juice
- 2 dash Grapefruit Bitters
- Topo Chico Seltzer
- Black Lava Salt
Instructions
Add the Breville grapefruit juice, bitters, and tequila to a Collins glass and fill with ice. Add seltzer by pouring down the spiral of a bar-spoon. Garnish with a pinch of black salt on top.
Los Tontos
“Los Tontos actually started with the idea for the garnish. The colourful pepper ribbons decorating the cocktail from the inside have a carnivalesque appearance–like they were shot from a confetti cannon or exploded from a piñata. The spirit of ‘Carnival’ in some traditions is expressed as The Feast of Fools. Since this is a tequila drink the Spanish name Los Tontos– ‘The Fools’ –seemed an appropriate title.
Blanco Tequila is the spirit base, but the cocktail gets a floral and herbal boost from Rapa Giovanni Certosa, an 80 proof Piedmontese liqueur similar to Yellow Chartreuse and Galliano. The sweet chillies shaken in the drink add vegetal character, and Hellfire Shrub gives the heat. Rather than a plain salt rim, we’ve added some smoke and savoury character with this seasoned salt.” Rob Krueger – Master Mixologist, The Loyal, New York
Instructions
1 oz Blanco Tequila
1 oz Rapa Giovanni Certosa
0.25 oz Agave Nectar
0.75 oz Lime Juice
Dashes of Bitterman’s Habanero Shrub
3 thin slices each of sweet yellow, orange, and red pepper
Instructions
Rim half of an old fashioned glass with seasoned salt. Combine all ingredients and chilli slices with ice and shake. “Dirty” dump all into an old fashioned glass.
