296012 Thu Feb 05 12:55:05 -0800 2004 32 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1629051 A thread on the Manhattan board, looking for good margaritas, got me thinking. I was in Chicago last week, and had a fantastic margarita and Chilpancingo. It was so good that I had a discussion with a staff person about it, and he talked about the fresh lemon/lime-ade that they used, and tequila, which he described as pure blue agave tequila. Well, I nothing from nothing about tequila, but it seems that every time I drink a good example of one, it pleases me greatly. I'd like to know more. So please educate me, tequila experts that are out there. I'd like to know the different kinds, their origins, their characteristics, and some brand recommendations that I'm likely to be able to find in NYC, etc. Thank you! Oh, and I'd like to know some stuff about a classic margarita - what are the traditional proportions? Salt or no salt? I'm not interested in newfangled flavored margaritas - I'm purist (for example, I think a martini is gin and vermouth with olives - anything else might be a nice cocktail, but it's not a martini). Thu Feb 05 12:55:05 -0800 2004 0 Nina W. 1 1629057 Except vodka, which gets better the more it is filtered, great spirits take a long time to make because they are aged. Before what we'll describe as the incident, I loved all tequila cheap or expensive. Several years after the incident I could make tequila shrimp without gagging. For the past four or five years I can drink and enjoy very good tequila. Basically, it needs to come from the blue agave plant and be carefully aged. Patron is a brand that seems readily available and is definitely smooth. But others here have probably made a more in depth discovery. I have a nice bottle at home but can't remember its name or origin. As for a margarita, it should be good tequila, some fresh lime and Cointreau (sp?) served on the rocks. Thu Feb 05 13:12:21 -0800 2004 1629051 0 muD 1 1629069 I highly recommend the guided Tequila tasting at the lobby bar at the Cancun Ritz Carlton to learn everything about the different ages (silver, reposado, and anejo), some additional related liquors, and proper serving and tasting techniques. Thank you. Thu Feb 05 13:56:07 -0800 2004 1629051 0 Bride of the Juggler 2 1629071 Nice suggestion, but until I get to Cancun, could you maybe help with some useful information? Perhaps something of what you learned at the tasting you mentioned? Thu Feb 05 14:01:07 -0800 2004 1629069 0 Nina W. 3 1629077 Tequilas that are not 100% agave (the source plant for tequila) are generally cut with grain alcohol, a sure formula for a bad margarita and a bad hangover. At the El Dorado in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, They make what I think is the perfect margarita: Two parts tequila (I prefer Sauza Hornitos, but always use a 100% agave, blanco or reposado tequila as they blend better than wood aged brands) 1 part Controy (Mexican knock off of Cointreau, which will work nicely when you can't find Controy) and one part freshly sqeezed key lime juice, shake and serve in a salted rim glass. It's the real deal. Thu Feb 05 14:11:03 -0800 2004 1629071 0 Greg Spence 3 1629156 speaking of getting to. thee best margs in the usa are made LA POSTA DE MESILLA restaurant in las cruces, nm. best in mexico is the old-school version at the EL KENTUCKY CLUB in juarez. in nyc you better git yourself down to the les to the tequila bar BARRIO CHINO or to AGAVE in the village. Thu Feb 05 22:50:30 -0800 2004 1629071 0 mrnyc 1 1629089 There was a good thread on how to make margaritas last summer. I'm linking the post with the "purist" recipe, which I have made since to great success for several friends who consider themselves margarita-connoisseurs. Note that these are very tasty, but strong! Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/292918#1600624 Thu Feb 05 14:30:57 -0800 2004 1629051 0 DanaB 2 1629449 The 6 : 3 : 2 ratio of tequila : contreau : lime juice is a higher proportion of tequila than most traditional recipes. Personally I use 4 : 3 : 2, which is still very strong. Some recipes call for 2 : 1 : 1, a bit less sweet. Sun Feb 08 15:33:57 -0800 2004 1629089 0 Dylan 1 1629090 I enjoy "Tres Generaciones" from Sauza, 100% agave. There's a few industry/government terms used to describe tequila; 'reposado' means it's been aged in Oak casks up to one year (for at least 2 months by law), and 'anejo' means it's been aged 2-4 years in Oak Casks (at least 1 year by law). The Mexican Government is very serious about tequila standards. "Tres Generaciones" is an anejo tequila, aged 6 years in oak. I drink it neat but it'd be good on the rocks as well, with maybe a lime wedge. As a rule, watch "Once Upon a Time in the West" while you drink it. Remember after your incident when the smell of tequila would send you running? Well, you open a bottle of this, take a whiff, and wait, and wait, and that feeling never comes. Thu Feb 05 14:31:54 -0800 2004 1629051 0 joypirate 1 1629091 Everything you want to know about tequila but couldn't remember to ask. Link: http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/ Thu Feb 05 14:32:36 -0800 2004 1629051 0 bdcbbq 2 1629099 That's a great site! Thanks. And now....any liquor stores in Manhattan that have a particularly good tequila selection, or at least sell something very good? Thu Feb 05 14:58:06 -0800 2004 1629091 0 Nina W. 3 1629115 I second Tequila Patron. It should be available at most decent liquor stores. Thu Feb 05 16:20:06 -0800 2004 1629099 0 Dax 4 1629229 Nina - Patron, Don Julio, Herradura - all available at Astor Wines and Spirits - all versions, silver, anejo, reposado, etc...among others, the ocassional suprema or reserva selects - I remember seeing some mega-priced lux bottles there too - fun to look at, who knows how they are... Around the corner at Warehouse they have a decent, though not comprehensive selection as well...probably a few dollars off the bottle price at Astor, in the $45-$65 range. Sauza makes Hornitos and Conmemorativo, both are inexpensive choices, but certainly a smoother step up from Cuervo Gold and good choices for a top-shelf call at a bar (Dos Cominos has a great tequila selection and by all accounts make good margs). THM Fri Feb 06 12:55:34 -0800 2004 1629115 0 THM 5 1629237 Very helpful - thanks! Fri Feb 06 13:26:53 -0800 2004 1629229 0 Nina W. 1 1629122 My favorite (and easy to remember) Margarita recipe: 3 parts good blanco or reposado tequila (100% agave) 2 parts *fresh squeezed* lime juice 1 part orange liqueur (Grand Marnier OR Cointreau OR triple sec, your choice) Mix and serve in chilled glasses over cracked ice, salt on the rim of the glass is optional. Don't use "Margarita mix" or cheap tequila made from a mix of agave and grain alcohol (thus the 100% agave note). Don't run it through a blender, and don't add sugar. In addition to some of the other brands you may be familiar with, Herradura and El Tesoro de Don Felipe make very good tequila in all the categories. I haven't been there, but I've heard that in New York a good tequila bar is Citrus Bar & Grill. That would give you a chance to try a variety of tastes before you get into buying whole bottles. Thu Feb 05 17:17:58 -0800 2004 1629051 0 Chowvite 2 1629125 Meant to mention a good tequila website: www.tequilaaficionado.com Thu Feb 05 17:25:21 -0800 2004 1629122 0 Chowvite 1 1629124 I was in Tucson last weekend, and ordered a tequila called Paradiso. The bartender told me it was $50 a shot. I passed. I went to a liquor store in Tucson to see about buying a bottle, and they wanted $150 for the bottle, so I passed again. I imagine that would have been a damn good tequila if I had sprung for it. Interestingly, the best liquor store in Tucson (I was told) is the front half of a Chinese restaurant that has a hard-to-obtain liquor license that allows them to sell bottles to go. I tried to price Paradiso at Crossroads, on 14th Street in Manhattan, but they never heard of it and it was not available in their catalog. They did have a lot of different tequilas for sale, however, if you want to browse. Thu Feb 05 17:22:43 -0800 2004 1629051 0 josephsm 2 1629126 I received a bottle of Paradiso as a gift some years ago, and thought "Oh, tequila, that's nice...". At that time I wasn't a tequila fan and associated it with blurry memories from college of margaritas. Didn't realize what I had until I tasted it. WOW! It had the fiery, smoky, floral and herbal taste of tequila, but very smooth and rich - reminded me of good Cognac. A spectacular revelation that completely changed my idea of what tequila could be. What a gift! That said, it is *very* expensive. I usually buy the anejo tequila by the same maker, (El Tesoro de Don Felipe) which is itself an outstanding tequila and available for about $40 a bottle. Thu Feb 05 17:54:43 -0800 2004 1629124 0 Chowvite 3 1629221 Wow, now you're making me regret I didn't splurge on the bottle when I was there. I may have to return to Tucson and get a bottle. A true chowhound would kill two days flying back and forth to buy an expensive bottle of liquor, right? :) Fri Feb 06 12:26:27 -0800 2004 1629126 0 josephsm 2 1629230 I've seen Paradiso at Rockinghorse Cafe and dollars to donuts Dos Cominos has it too... THM Fri Feb 06 12:57:48 -0800 2004 1629124 0 THM 3 1629261 You're right, I called Rocking Horse and they sell Paradiso for $17/shot. I just may have to head there tonight.... Fri Feb 06 14:52:50 -0800 2004 1629230 0 josephsm 1 1629157 For making a margarita Diana Kennedy has a formula that's as easy as 1, 2, 3 to remember and put together: 1 part triple sec 2 parts fresh lime juice 3 parts tequila She suggests that tequila blanca works best for a margarita and I agree with her from what I've tried. I can't afford 100% agave for my margs though. I also usually substitute rose's lime juice for the fresh and it works reasonably well. Could the person who was in tucson e-mail me the name of the bar that had paradiso and the name of the liquor store in the chinese place? My girlfriend is from tucson so we make it back there from time to time. I'd probably say that in my limited experience el charro has the best margaritas I've had. Thanks, -Jesse Thu Feb 05 23:15:57 -0800 2004 1629051 0 Jesse 2 1629342 I was the guy who visited Tucson. The bar/restaurant was El Charro and the liquor store/Chinese restaurant was Lotus Garden, on Speedway. Fri Feb 06 20:35:07 -0800 2004 1629157 0 josephsm 1 1629194 Don't waste a good aged tequila in a mixed drink like a margarita. Drink it straight. Would you make mimosas with a really fine and expensive champagne? Go for something a little under top shelf for your margarita or sunrise. White tequila is best. Classic margarita proportins are equal parts fresh lime juice, triple sec and tequila shaken with ice and strained. Salt is optional. I have fond memories of Herradura. Fri Feb 06 10:16:48 -0800 2004 1629051 0 raj1 2 1629213 I have to disagree with that. The margarita that I had at Chilpancingo in Chicago was so good, that it inspired this thread - and I am convinced that one of the reasons it was so good is precisely because the tequila was of such high quality. Fri Feb 06 11:51:54 -0800 2004 1629194 0 Nina W. 3 1629217 I thought he was making the distinction between "aged 100% agave" and simply "100% agave". Both are of quality, but the aged 100% agave will cost much more, when the less expensive 100% agave blanco will suffice. Fri Feb 06 11:58:31 -0800 2004 1629213 0 joypirate 3 1629263 From your original post you are going to make a cocktail and not a frozen abomination served in a stemmed bathtub. Not that frozen abominations don't have their place, but I don't think that is your intent. Good tequila is not wasted in a good margarita, which is a cocktail served on the rocks. For truly fabulous bottles of liquor, of any type, I wouldn't mix them but Patron or equivalent certainly makes a fine cocktail. Fri Feb 06 14:58:10 -0800 2004 1629213 0 muD 3 1629278 While in Chicago I had excellent food at Chilpancingo, but as per your experience it was the tequila that struck me the most- my first anejo, Don Julio. What the poster above meant jibes with what I've read and been told elsewhere. It's not that you should use cheap tequila in a margarita, just that the anejos aren't best suited to it, in that their particular aromatics, smoothness, and oakiness are just obscured by mixing with the other ingredients. Blanco, and reposado as well, have more of that characteristic tequila herbaciousness which helps them to stand out in a mixed drink. That's not to say that these are of any lesser quality than the anejos, though being aged less they tend to be cheaper. Some connouiseurs even prefer the blanco to the other varieties straight up because of its more unadulterated agave essence. Fri Feb 06 15:57:36 -0800 2004 1629213 0 Spoony Bard 4 1629290 Gotcha. Thanks. Fri Feb 06 16:19:43 -0800 2004 1629278 0 Nina W. 1 1629200 Over the years, I've lost my taste for the anejos and reposados in favor of the blancos. I think this is because whenever I'm in Mexico it seems they always serve the blancos. And when I get back home, I'm ultimately trying to replicate the flavor and experience I had in Mexico. I think the blancos (or silver tequila, as some here call it) seem more pure. The brown tequilas seem to me to be too sweet or too smokey. It's kind of like a dry wine versus a sweet wine for me. With wine, there are times I like a dry wine and times I like a sweet wine. But I find myself favoring a dry wine most of the time. The brands I like most (I buy the blanco of these brands) are Patron, El Tesoro and Nacional. Herradura used to be good, but they've done something to it, and for some reason I don't like it as much anymore. Fri Feb 06 10:35:11 -0800 2004 1629051 0 lil mikey 2 1629238 I too have come to prefer the blancos. One I especially like is Don Julio(100% agave) Fri Feb 06 13:29:28 -0800 2004 1629200 0 JoanB 3 1629316 I heartily second Don Julio, although everyone has their favorite. I, of course, am now ravenously craving a margarita. Fri Feb 06 17:35:38 -0800 2004 1629238 0 M 1 1629372 Chiming in from Jalisco, Mexico...the home of all the real tequila produced on the planet. Just as no Roquefort cheese can truly be called that unless it comes from that part of France, just as no Champagne is truly champagne unless it is grown there, no tequila is legally tequila unless it is made from 100% blue agave cactus, grown and distilled in the state of Jalisco. Tequila production is an art as much as it is a science. The blue agave cactus takes approximately 7-10 years to grow large enough to harvest and process for distilling. In the last few years, there was a plague that destroyed much of the crops and created an agave shortage, raising the price of tequila. Now Jalisco is predicting a new abundance of agave and there are hints that the price of tequila may drop a bit. So, chowhounds: if your tequila (whether blanco, reposado, or añejo) is made of something other than 100% blue agave, it's not tequila. If it's not made in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, it's not tequila. There are lots of imitations out there, but if you want the real deal, read the label on the bottle before you buy. Today I am heading for Jamay, Jalisco, home of Don Julio as well as several other distilleries. Tequila is often sold in Jamay *a granel*; bring your own any-size bottle and get it filled up. It's also sold prepackaged in 1, 2, and 5 liter bottles, as well as in several sizes of larger kegs. A friend asked me to pick up a few bottles of tequila liqueurs for her; in Jamay, I buy them for the equivalent of $1.25USD the liter. I swear, $1.25. She and I are especially fond of the coffee liqueur. If any of you hounds come down this way, let me know and we'll take a trip to Jamay~and to the town of Tequila, where the whole thing started. Sat Feb 07 07:12:48 -0800 2004 1629051 0 Cristina