We hosted a Monday Masterclass in Mezcal with the NY adventure club. The two-hour class covered the spirits history, its origin and culture and uses of this artisanal drink. We served up two of our favorite libations ‘Up in Smoke’ and in the ‘Pom of Your hands’ made from the Tres Papalote Brand together with bites of home crafted made Mexican spiced popcorn and Salsa Picante & Tortilla chips.
Below are the recipes and 7 things you may not know about this smoky Spirit.
Mezcal is known for its mystifying qualities and connection to Mexican ritual and mythology. The heritage of Mezcal goes back almost 500 years and is embedded in Mexican tradition.
Mezcal is the oldest spirit in the Americas, although regulated in 1994, it only got its official certification in 2005.
Technically Tequila is Mezcal as its distilled made from the agave plant
Tequila might be Mexico’s most we’ll know spirit but Mezcal came first! The indigenous people drank pulque a fermented beverage -sap of agave plant which was Mezcal
Mezcal is not made through an industrialized process far from it! Instead, it’s made on Palenque – a small distillery similar to a farm – minus pigs, cows, etc
Mezcal is made from agave plants grown wild high atop the mountainside in Guerrero, Mexico and can only be reached by donkeys or by foot.
The agave plants must reach a specific maturity before they can be cut. It can take a minimum of seven to thirty years to fully mature.
According to Aztec Mythology, Mayahuel the goddess the agave plant and fertility got drunk and hooked up with Pacatal another agave god. Mayahuel produced 400 rabbits as their offspring, who were fed pulque from her breast. As the story goes, those rabbits were intoxicated and drunk in love from that Pulque. So its said that when you drink Mezcal and that agave spirit inhabits you, you too will be you drunk in love. For more reading, I recommend Holy Smoke its Mezcal by John McEvoy.
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Recipes
Up in Smoke
June Conservatory Event where we served Up in Smoke
2 oz. Tres Papalote Mezcal
1 oz. Fresh cucumber juice
3/4 oz. Fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. demerara syrup
1 sprig of cilantro
1 grilled slice of jalapeno as a garnish
Juicing
Peel half of the cucumber leaving skins on. Juice and strain.
Syrup
Equal amounts of sugar to water. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Let cool. Good for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Process
Take a mixing tin, add the cilantro, lightly bruise w a muddler, add ice and remaining ingredients. Shake like hell and double strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Top w the grilled jalapeno.
Double strain
You have the strainer for your mixing tins and then the double strain is through a small strainer.
In the Pom of your Hands served at the Mezcal Event
2 oz. Tres Papalote Mezcal
1 oz. Pomegranate juice
3/4 oz. Fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. Hibiscus syrup
Top w soda water
Dehydrated lemon wheel and fresh pom seeds floating on top
Syrup
Take 1/2 of a cup of dried hibiscus flowers and add them to 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Turn of heat. Let cool. Strain. Good for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Process
Taking a mixing tin, add all ingredients except soda water, add ice, shake like hell, strain over fresh ice in a highball glass/colins, top off w soda water. Mix well. Garnish w dehydrated lemon wheel and pom seeds.