Dan's Papers - July 27, 2007 - One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor!

Unfortunately, tequila has gained the reputation of being a crazy person's drink. It's not what one orders when going for a quiet drink. In fact, the culture that has grown around tequila over the past two decades leans towards having as short a time as possible with the liquid in front of you. Anything to get rid of the drink you just spent money on as fast as you can, and the classic salt-tequila-lime shot has been perfected around the world. It doesn't help that the few tequila cocktails in popular circulation have intimidating names; raging bull, border crossing and cactus bite don't have the most appealing ring to them. However, tequila, especially the higher quality product, has such a unique taste, that mixed well, can produce delicious new summer sensations.

Tequila is made from the blue agave - a very cactus-like looking plant, despite actually being part of the lily family. In order for the spirit to be called tequila, it must contain at least fifty-one percent fermented juice from the blue agave. Of course, the higher the percentage, the finer quality the tequila. There are four main types of tequila - Blanco; transparent in appearance, it must be bottled immediately after the distillation process. Oro; tequila Blanco mellowed by the infusion of additional colorants, most often caramel. Reposado tequila fetches some of the highest prices, due to its incredibly smooth taste. Aged in caskets called pipones between two months to a year, Reposado tequila keeps the most flavoring of the blue agave. Anejo tequila is amber colored, which, along with the woody flavoring, is gained from the oak casks it rests in.

Having bartended for several years across the pond in England, it's been a funny and interesting experience working behind my first American bar at this season's latest new 'in' bar & restaurant 'le Flirt' in East Hampton. Coming to grips with certain expectations of American clientele has taken a bit of getting used to.

I think the first, and possibly most essential lesson I have learned is the importance of vodka in the discerning American's daily diet. You're not a man if you don't know your vodkas, and it seems bigger is better in terms of bottle size.

Daunted by the array of vodkas, and not being a vodka drinker myself (I happen to find the stuff tastes too much like toilet cleaner for my liking), I was surprised to find a new brand on the market whose fruit fusion vodkas are definitely worth mentioning. Van Gogh vodkas have succeeded where many others have failed - they have created vodkas that actually taste of the flavors they promise - the mango tastes like mango, not mango with a distinct burning sensation attached to it and the espresso vodka is so real, even a whiff seems to give a caffeine rush.

There are so many variations of classic drinks in which tequila can play a part - leave the bottle of citron vodka on the shelf and instead slip a silver tequila into your drink.

Dynamite
1oz silver tequila
1oz gold tequila
1oz tomato juice
1/2 tsp of Tabasco sauce
1/2 lime juice
Shake well over ice
Add salt to taste
Serve in Rocks glass

Miracle Margarita
2oz Silver Tequila
2oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1oz Grand Marnier
Splash of champagne
Lime wedge
Lemon wedge
Orange wheel to garnish
Serve in martini or rocks glass

Tequini
2 oz silver tequila
1 oz dry vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters
Olive or lemon twist for garnish
Serve in chilled martini glass