Wednesday, May 9, 2012

guelaguetza

1 3/4 oz Del Maguey Crema Mezcal (*)
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (white)
1/4 oz S. Maria al Monte Amaro
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass.
(*) substitute 90% mezcal (here Del Maguey San Luis del Rio Single Village Mezcal) and 10% agave nectar. This would be approximately 1 tsp agave nectar to 1 1/2 oz mezcal.

Two Sundays ago, we decided to visit a few bars in Central Square. We started at Brick and Mortar, and the Guelaguetza on the menu caught my eye. After bartender Kenny Belanger had made me one, I spoke with bar manager Misty Kalkofen about the cocktail's history. Misty had created the drink for a class she did at Barbara Lynch's Stir, and she named it after the Mexican tradition of reciprocity of gifts and services which was important in keeping tight-knit communities. Moreover, the Guelaguetza is an annual festival in and around Oaxaca that involves costumes, parades, and food to honor the survival of this community custom.
The Guelaguetza greeted the nose with a smoky mezcal aroma that was complemented by light chocolate notes. The lemon sip was followed by a smooth mezcal and cacao swallow that contained hints of herbalness. Indeed, I was impressed at how the sweetness from the crema mezcal and the liqueurs rather mellowed out the drink.

2 comments:

Paul said...

Dear Frederic,
I have opted to buy a rather expensive bottle of Crema de Mezcal ( Maguay ), but wonder if mixing some aloe vera syrup with mezcal ( Maguay Vida ) gives a similar outcome? It sounds like a very simple substitute, but then again when you are only a home bartender it can make a lot of difference for your economy.

Thanks !Paul

frederic said...

The exact mix that I was told was that the Crema was 90% mezcal and 10% agave nectar. I have no experience with aloe vera syrup, but I do know that agave nectar is rather inexpensive. I believe that I provided the 9:1 ratio in my book text as a quick sub.