el Restaurante magazine, Jul/Aug 2021 issue

elRestaurante JULY/AUG 2021

| YO U R S O U R C E F O R M E X I C A N A N D L AT I N F O O D S E R V I C E T R E N D S | w w w.elrestaurante.com |

Ghost Kitchens Signature Sangrías Last call for Cocktail Contest Recipes

Tortilla TRENDS

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In This Issue 6

HOTLINE

10

FROM THE FIELD — Tito’s Tacos Does Delivery…with Blondie

12

BUSINESS BASICS — Ghost Kitchens

24

16

COVER STORY — Tortilla Trends

(In English and Spanish)

By Kathleen Furore

Cover photo by David Katz on behalf of Masienda

27

30

38

FIRST PERSON — New Home for Chicago’s Tecalitlan FROM MEXICO — Wine Shines in Querétaro (In English and Spanish)

AT THE BAR — Signature Sangrias (In English and Spanish)

50

MARKETPLACE

54

RECIPES

56

MY FAVORITE RECIPE — Rio Grande Mexican Restaurants’ Esquite Lobster Taco

17

27 30

ON THE WEB AT www.elrestaurante.com

Want more great recipes?

Visit elrestaurante.com/recipes to find something for every section of your menu!

editor’s note

elRestaurante | w w w.elrestaurante.com |

It’s summer. And restaurants in Chicago are full, pretty much all of the time.

Normally, only one of those facts would have made me happy: summer, yes; long waits for a table, or having to book reservations weeks in advance, not so much. Funny how a change in perspective Kathleen Furore, editor

changes everything.

At the height of restaurant closures in 2020 and early 2021, I worried that our favorite places might be gone once pandemic restrictions were lifted. Would the restaurant scene in Chicago be forever altered?

Would national chains swoop in to replace some of the independent spots that make this city — in my slightly biased option — the best restaurant city in the world?

While a few places have shuttered, I’m happy to report that in most cases new restaurants are moving in — and most of them appear to be of the independent variety. In one case, a popular Mexican restaurant that had decided to close after almost half a century in one location changed direction and moved to a spot Publisher Ed Avis and I now can walk to. You can read all about Tecalitlan’s transition in the First Person story that starts on page 27.

I know that not every story has such a happy ending. And I realize there are staffing and supply chain and pricing issues that are making for a challenging summer — even if your restaurant is full.

I hope that the information in this issue helps you meet some of those challenges and provides a bit of entertainment in the process.

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el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

Ed Avis PUBLISHER Kathleen Furore EDITOR Ala Ennes ART DIRECTOR Elyse Glickman, Joseph Sorrentino CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MAIN OFFICE phone: 708.267.0023 PRESS RELEASES TO: kfurore@restmex.com MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 13347 Chicago, IL 60613 SHIPPING ADDRESS 1317 W. Belden Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 AD SALES/ENGLISH Ed Avis 708.218.7755 edavis@restmex.com Suzanne Bernhardt 678.880.9282 suzanne@restmex.com AD SALES/ESPAÑOL Alfredo Espinola alfredo@elrestaurante.com Published by Maiden Name Press, LLC Volume 24, Number 3

el Restaurante (formerly el Restaurante Mexicano) (ISSN 1091-5885) is published five times a year by Maiden Name Press, LLC 1317 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 el Restaurante is distributed by subscription at the cost of $40.

All contents copyright© 2021 Maiden Name Press, LLC. Nothing in this issue may be reproduced in any form without publisher’s consent.

©2021 MegaMex Foods, LLC

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Three Chances FOR CASH PRIZES! If you want to win cash prizes for your restaurant, your manager or your mixologist, now’s your chance thanks to three contests sponsored by el Restaurante in partnership with Jarritos. The deadline to enter each contest is August 15 — so enter soon!

DELIVERY SURVEY: Reliability More Important than Cost The timeliness and reliability of thirdparty delivery services is more important to most Mexican restaurant owners than the cost of the service, according to a survey of el Restaurante readers. Nearly two thirds of respondents to the survey said timeliness and reliability were “essential” characteristics.

“We’ve been happy in most cases with

The Independent Mexican/Latin Restaurant of

our service, depending on courtesy and

the Year is a new contest that honors restaurant

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owners who support their employees and their

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community while creating culturally authentic cuisine. The first place winner will receive $5,000, second will receive $2,500, and third will receive $1,000; all winners will also receive

Cost to the restaurant and convenience for entering orders tied for the secondmost important characteristic in the survey. Other highly ranked characteristics were user experience (for the customer),

a Jarritos cooler and a supply of Jarritos. Enter

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and the ability for the app to integrate with the restaurant’s POS system.

The Jarritos/el Restaurante Cocktail Contest is another new contest. This one celebrates cocktails that include Jarritos as an ingredient. The top five finalists will receive $3,000, $2,000, $1,000, $500 and $250 respectively;

The most popular third-party delivery app among Mexican restaurant owners is UberEats, according to the survey.

Forty-three percent of respondents use that app. GrubHub and DoorDash

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tied for second place with 38 percent

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than one app).

Many Mexican restaurants rely heavily

The Manager of the Year Contest, now in its sixth year, is a great way for restaurant owners to recognize their best managers — those who innovatively help

business for about 24 percent of respondents, and 26 percent to 50 percent of their business for about 43 percent.

“We’ve been very content with the

their restaurants succeed while being great partners with the

to the survey wrote. “They helped us a

place winners will receive $500 each. All nominees will receive a framed certificate of recognition. Nominations are accepted at elrestaurante.com/2021-manager-contest.

el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

sents 51 percent to 75 percent of their

delivery apps we use,” one respondent

staff. The first place winner will receive $1,000 and second and third

6

on delivery, the survey showed. It repre-

lot, before and during COVID. We were closed for three months during the pandemic and thanks to these platforms, we survived.”

hotline

New Mexican Concept Debuts in Las Vegas ¡VIVA! — the newest Mexican restaurant concept from acclaimed Chef Ray Garcia, owner of Broken Spanish and B.S. Taqueria — brings a modern approach to familiar dishes that highlight the bright and bold flavors synonymous with Mexican food, especially in the Alta California region. ¡VIVA! — a partnership between Garcia and partner Oliver Wharton and vice president of development Peter Carrillo — is located in the new Resorts World Las Vegas.

“Dining at ¡VIVA! is like going to a friend’s house for a good time — music, great food, and drinks. It’s about having fun,” says Garcia. “The menu reflects that and showcases what Mexican food is and what it can be through ingredients, techniques, and culture. At its core, ¡VIVA! combines my Mexican American heritage, Los Angeles roots, and our incredible Las Vegas.” EatDrinkViva.com

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Heads West Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, the Texas-based Baja-style restaurant, recently announced its expansion into a new market – Wyoming, the 18th state for the brand.

The fast-casual taco brand

has partnered with Casper, Wyoming-based Johnson Restaurant Group to bring Fuzzy’s to the market in mid-summer, with plans to continue expansion

into Montana as part of a five-store agreement.

Famous for its laid-back atmosphere, signature Baja-style tacos, chips and queso and icy-cold beverages, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop was founded in 2003 in Fort Worth, Texas, with the goal of serving quality Baja-style

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el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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The brand now has nearly 150 franchise- and corporate-owned locations in 17 states (18, when Wyoming opens), with additional plans for more locations in Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Colorado.

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from the field

Tito’s Tacos Does Delivery Alone — with Blondie’s Help

| BY ED AVIS | When COVID-19

shut down the world last March, the owners of Tito’s Tacos in Los Angeles did as thousands of restaurateurs did: They greatly expanded their delivery business. But they didn’t go the normal route. Instead of using a delivery app or other typical marketing methods, they innovated.

SKIPPING THE APPS Delivery apps like GrubHub and DoorDash didn’t seem right for Lynne Davidson and Wirt Morton, the husband-wife team that owns Tito’s Tacos. So, they created their own delivery program.

“Cost was one major reason we didn’t go with the other apps. It didn’t seem reasonable for us to lose money for every delivery order. And I think we felt we would have a lot more control,” says Davidson, who notes that Tito’s online orders were minimal, and delivery was non-existent, before COVID hit.

“Pre-pandemic we did have an online ordering program on our site, just for takeout orders over $75,” explains Morton. “When the pandemic hit, we scrambled with our IT people and expanded what we had so it could handle delivery.”

Doing the programming in-house meant Morton and Davidson could get their managers involved in the design process. Because the managers knew Tito’s menu and customers’ habits well, they were able to design a simple, user-friendly platform that lets customers choose the delivery time they prefer and presents the menu precisely as it is in the store (in contrast to the occasionally inaccurate menus established apps present).

10 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

Morton and Davidson tapped Street Smart Messengers, an established Los Angeles delivery company, to handle the delivery.

“When we contacted them, the owner said that delivering food is not typically what they do, but he had five or six drivers without work, so it was a win-win for them, too,” Morton says. The drivers are all hourly Street Smart employees, not freelancers as the drivers for the established apps are. The company earns money from the delivery charge; the drivers keep the tips. Morton and Davidson wanted to ensure that the delivery personnel knew how to handle food, so they required them to earn the California Certified Food Handlers designation.

“It’s mandated by the State of California that restaurant employees be certified, but it’s not mandated for delivery drivers,” Davidson says.

“But we wanted our delivery drivers to be trained. I don’t think any other delivery service does that.”

Tito’s Tacos launched their delivery service in June 2020, and it now makes up about 15 percent of their sales, Morton says. Takeout is the biggest portion of the restaurant’s sales, at 80 percent.

A CARTOON CHARACTER STEPS IN Morton and Davidson are master marketers. For the past three years, they have partnered with Tito’s Handmake Vodka to create the daylong Tito’s Fiesta Mexicana, an entertainment extravaganza that raises funds for charity and generates good press for the restaurant. The next one is scheduled for October 4, 2021.

They also sponsor professional welterweight boxer Angel Ruiz, who sports the Tito’s logo on his trunks.

In April, Ruiz won a fight that was broadcast on NBC SportsChannel, ensuring that potential customers around the world are at least slightly familiar with Tito’s Tacos.

But their latest effort is the most creative: They’ve drafted popular cartoon characters Blondie and Dagwood to help promote Tito’s Tacos delivery and takeout.

“About four or five years ago, someone handed my wife a Blondie cartoon cut out of the LA Times that shows that Dagwood can order food online,” Morton explains.

“In the cartoon, he picks up a pizza and food from a Mexican place called Tito’s.”

That coincidence gave Morton and Davidson an idea. They contacted King Features Syndicate, which distributes the Blondie cartoon, about the concept of using a slightly modified version of the cartoon as a promotion for their restaurant. King Features agreed.

Morton and Davidson asked their graphic designer, Tom Bland, to edit the cartoon to show Dagwood visiting the real LA Tito’s for takeout.

They turned the modified cartoon into posters and hired a firm to plaster them around town. They also have plans to place the poster on the side of their truck and on three delivery trucks used by the company that provides their tortillas.

“The first flight of posters was put up in 30 locations in January,” Morton says. “It’s been a lot of fun.

It’s a nice way of bringing some humor to this time.”

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| el restaurante

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5/18/21 10:32 AM

business basics update

BEYOND BRICKS-AND-MORTAR

Ghost kitchens present opportunity to scare up new business | BY ED AVIS | Like thousands of restaurant owners, Kurt Riske saw business crater during the pandemic. But the situation gave Riske a chance to try something that was already brewing in his mind: He launched a new concept focused on Los Sombreros Mexican Restaurant’s beloved carnitas. And he made it delivery-only.

Carnitas Way, which uses the kitchens at the three Arizona locations of Los Sombreros, is a “ghost restaurant” that launched in July 2020.

“We were just grasping for straws when the pandemic hit, but for me this was a perfect opportunity,” Riske says.

“That’s the magic of a ghost kitchen. You just have to get creative with what you have and put in the time and energy.”

A PANDEMIC-FUELED TREND Ghost restaurants, also known as virtual restaurants, were already growing in popularity before COVID-19. But the pandemic fueled the trend because it allowed restaurants to serve customers without bricks-and-mortar locations.

Carnitas Way is an example of the primary form of a ghost kitchen — one run by an existing restaurant. Riske says PHOTO COURTESY OF CARNITAS WAY

the idea of a restaurant focused on Los Sombreros’ carnitas, which he calls “ridiculously good,” popped into his head shortly after he and a partner bought the restaurant four years ago. The concept remained just an idea until the pandemic. Shortly thereafter, companies that run commercial kitchens specifically for ghost restaurants began contacting him to see if he wanted to launch something.

“I kept getting calls from ghost kitchens asking if we wanted to get into them, but I looked at the idea and said, ‘Why don’t we just use our own kitchens?’”

Riske remembers.

So, he gathered his chefs together and started brainstorming ideas for a menu that would take advantage of the restaurants’ carnitas in a way that stood up well when delivered or taken out. They focused on burritos and bowls and eventually settled on eight items, including two meatless options. Riske and his partners next developed the brand (the concept has a Southern California/Baja beach vibe) and the logo, and connected with DoorDash and GrubHub to handle deliveries.

Since they already had the equipment and staff in the Los Somberos kitchens, launching Carnitas Way simply required redeploying those assets.

“The bodies were already there for it, and there were no extra products needed.

It’s been a great thing,” Riske says. “It basically created a mini brand without the upfront cost of restaurant space.”

Does Carnitas Way compete with

GrubHub recently introduced Branded Virtual Restaurants — turn-key restaurant concepts that can be launched with existing kitchen and staff.

Los Sombreros? Riske does not think so. The menu for Los Sombreros is more chef-driven and complex — the menu includes Puerco en Chipotle and Camarones con Espinicas, for example — while Carnitas Way’s specialties are designed to be quickly made and consumed. So even though Los Sombreros does offer delivery and takeout, it’s not likely Carnitas Way is cannibalizing the parent company’s customers.

Because both concepts use the same kitchens, there are times the limited grill space gets crowded, but that has not been a serious problem — at least not yet, Riske says. He reports that Carnitas Way is already profitable.

“We already had the products in house, so it’s really just extra cash flow coming in,” he says. “I’m excited for the future of it.”

NON-MEXICAN, COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, OR BRANDED MODELS A ghost kitchen can be a way for a Mexican restaurant to grow its business, but it also can be a way for a nonMexican restaurant to tap into the taco, burrito, and enchilada market. Several restaurants that do not normally serve Mexican food recently started ghost kitchens serving Mexican cuisine.

For example, Veggie Grill, a national chain that features vegetable-forward cuisine, launched Más Veggies Taqueria in January. The new concept uses existing Veggie Grill locations to create plant-

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business basics

based Mexican dishes such as Shredded Jackfruit Chipotle Carnitas, Cauliflower Asada, Savory Tex-Mex Taco Meat and Crispy Baja Fish in the form of tacos, burritos, nachos, and bowls. The dishes are available only for delivery; the company partners with PostMates, DoorDash, GrubHub and UberEats.

“As restaurants nationwide remain[ed] closed or [were] operating with drastically reduced seating capacity for safety reasons, Veggie Grill seized the opportunity to explore alternative ways to reach conscious foodies,” said T.K. Pillan, Veggie Grill’s co-founder, in a press release. “The virtual Más Veggies Taqueria helps accelerate the plant-based movement while leveraging existing Veggie Grill kitchens nationwide.”

Another way some companies are launching virtual restaurants is by using commercial kitchens instead of regular restaurant kitchens.

Doing this allows them to expand the idea well beyond the footprint of their own restaurant.

Trejo’s Tacos, owned by actor Tony Trejo, launched in 2016 and has seven bricks-andmortar locations in California. The company has added three ghost kitchens to its portfolio — one in Miami, one in Pasadena and one in Chicago — that have let it grow without the usual investment in real estate or equipment. For example, the restaurant’s location in Chicago is in Kitchen United, a ghost kitchen that also houses a dozen other virtual restaurants, including one called Bad Ass Burritos.

An advantage of using a multiple-restaurant commercial virtual kitchen is that the thirdparty delivery services can pick up orders from several restaurants — even within one order — without making extra stops.

Finally, partnering with an existing virtual brand is a third approach to riding the virtual kitchen wave. In this case, the brand owner handles the marketing and menu creation, while the restaurant fulfills the orders.

Mario’s Tortas Lopez, which is part of GrubHub’s “Branded Virtual Restaurants” portfolio and has locations across the coun-

try, is one example of this model.

MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES Unless a restaurant partners with an existing virtual brand, marketing a ghost restaurant is a significant challenge.

After all, there is no bricks-and-mortar location to attract attention.

“I would say putting in the time and energy on the upfront marketing is one of the biggest takeaways from my experience,” Riske says.

Managing the relationship with the third-party delivery companies is another essential task, because ultimately they provide a large number of customers and handle the face-to-face interaction with customers.

“Staying on top of the relationships with the third parties is almost a full-

time job if you want it to be,” Riske says. “There are always different incentives to keep track of, and ways to get on the front of the order pages. That helps drive the business. If you have someone dedicated to that, you’ll have more success.”

Incidentally, success in the virtual restaurant world might create a “real” restaurant opportunity for Riske: He hopes to open a bricks-and-mortar location of Carnitas Way by 2023.

“We feel good about how good the burritos are and the beach theme vibe of the brand,” he says. “A bricks-andmortar space for Carnitas Way will be a place people can relax in a feel-good ambience and dig into the best burritos they’ve ever had.”

Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

| el restaurante

15

tortilla trend s CHEFS TAKE A MEXICAN STAPLE TO CREATIVE NEW HEIGHTS

PHOTO BY DAVID KATZ ON BEHALF OF MASIENDA

| COVER STORY |

| BY KATHLEEN FURORE | “The basis of everything we do at Suerte can be found in our heirloom corn tortillas with mouth-watering masa appeal.”

With that proclamation, Suerte restaurant in Austin, Texas, sums up the status of the one ingredient found in virtually every Mexican restaurant kitchen.

Today, Suerte Executive Chef Fermín Núñez and myriad chefs from coast to coast are making masa and pressing tortillas in ways that take this staple of Hispanic cuisine beyond basic flour and corn to colorful and flavorful new heights — often using techniques that can be traced back centuries.

LET’S TALK TRENDS Making tortillas in-house, often starting from scratch by making masa, is topping the list of trends equipment and ingredient manufacturers, as well as chefs, are seeing.

“The most significant, enduring change I have seen is an increased interest in producing masa in-house,” says Jorge Gaviria, CEO and founder of Masienda, a company that partners with hundreds of traditional farmers in Mexico to grow, source and offer the highest quality single-origin ingredients, including heirloom corn.

The availability of equipment and ingredients needed to make quality masa “has enabled restaurants to launch their own nixtamal programs with confidence, often at a fraction of the cost [it was] before,” Gaviria says. “It used to be crazy to have pasta, baking, butchering or coffee programs in restaurants until it became the norm. The same thing is happening with masa today around the world — making masa from scratch is the new norm. The conversation is only growing.

Today, it’s a full-fledged movement.”

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman (aka Chef AQ), the award-winning executive chef at Guadalajara-inspired José in Dallas, echoes Gaviria.

“More people are gravitating towards

Chef AQ’s squid ink tortillas with octopus carnitas, pickled radish, jicama, salsa verde and verdolagas

“MORE PEOPLE ARE GRAVITATING TOWARDS MAKING THEIR OWN MASA AS OPPOSED TO [USING] STOREBOUGHT TORTILLAS.” – EXECUTIVE CHEF ANASTACIA QUINONES-PITTMAN (Chef AQ), José, Dallas

Chef AQ’s Taco de Tacha — seared pork belly, chicharrón, gremolata, queso fresco, aged mole and serrano on an almond tortilla

making their own masa as opposed to [using] store-bought tortillas,” says Chef AQ, who makes the masa she uses to craft the creative corn tortillas that grace the plates at José.

She is so well-known for her masas that she was asked to serve her special Masa Madness menu at the renowned James Beard House in New York in March 2020.

Today’s trending tortillas start with a homemade masa base, then move on (continued on page 18) from there.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

| el restaurante

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| COVER STORY |

Tortillas Ceremoniales Tortillas made with heirloom corn and those infused with flavor are becoming more and more common at Mexican restaurants nationwide.

Now, another centuries-old tortilla tradition is making its way into restaurant kitchens: “painting” tortillas with colorful designs to create tortillas ceremoniales.

These celebratory tortillas trace their origins to Evil Cook’s logo tortilla with Guanajuato and Querétaro, nopalitos, housemade queso according to Alex Garcia, fresco, frijoles de la olla and chilito de milcajete owner with Elvia Huerta of Los Angeles-based Evil Cooks, a food company known for its creative pop-up events throughout southern California and beyond. The tradition, Garcia notes, is part of the Otomí culture in his homeland.

The Otomí people carve intricate designs into mesquite wood stamps or discs called sellos; ink the design using natural pigments made from honeysuckle or cochineal; press partially cooked, hand-made tortillas against the surface to pick up the inked design; then cook them for a bit longer to fix the image, a story in Design Observer explains.

“They are mostly used in quinceañeras, bodas (weddings) and bautismos (baptisms), and we make them in celebration of our culture,” says Garcia, who adapted the process to create tortillas ceremoniales featuring the Evil Cooks logo.

“Our first stamp was custom made for us by a carpenter in Mexico,” Garcia says. “I want to say that they don’t sell them — I never saw them at any mercado during my travels through Mexico. Most likely they are passed by family members to keep their personal sello in the family.”

At first, Garcia used charcoal to “paint” the Evil Cooks logo on the tortillas. “But it got expensive, so we had to get creative and we ended up using the ashes from the chiles from our recado negro,” he explains.

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman (aka Chef AQ), executive chef at José in Dallas, also has made tortillas ceremoniales — one version made with a custom-made stamp of her skull tatoo. But it it isn’t something she does often.

“They’re a lot of work and usually only make for special occasions,” she says.

18 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

“We have noticed that consumers have become more health-conscious and fresh focused. This shift is causing the creative landscape of tortillas to expand from the traditional options of flour or corn,” reports Seth Huerta, marketing manager at tortilla equipment company BE&SCO Manufacturing. “Imaginative recipes are now beginning to flood the market, from blue corn/flour hybrids and white corn tortillas, all the way to beet root and sweet potato tortillas.”

Hybrid tortillas, in fact, are one tool in the tortilla arsenal for Alex Garcia and Elvia Huerta, owners of Evil Cooks, a Los Angeles-based food company known for its pop-up events featuring gourmet street tacos throughout southern California and beyond.

“We do hybrid tortillas for our dessert tacos — taco de flan, churro cheesecake taco and more,” says Garcia. “Our hybrid tortilla is a mixture of 50/50 corn and flour that gives us the texture of a flour tortilla with hints of corn.”

When it comes to tortillas infused with color and flavor, Chef AQ is leading the way. Many of her signature dishes feature flavored masas she originally created for Tacos de Tacha, a series of taco pop-ups she Suerte’s heirloom corn tortilla topped with confit brisket tossed with black magic oil, guacamole, cilantro and onion

launched in 2018 — think masa infused with habaneros, almonds, coconut ash, squid ink, black beans and other very creative ingredients.

How does she decide which ingredients to use?

“I usually start with a protein and work my way down,” Chef AQ explains.

“So, I know cherries, oranges, fennel, beets, cabbage, and more work well with duck. If I can puree one of those ingredients, then I can incorporate that into a masa and use the other components or pair sub-components — more subtle items that work well with primary components — to build a taco.”

How much flavor do the ingredients typically add to the tortilla? Do they also change the texture?

“It depends on what we’re using,” she says. “Some are subtle like black beans, and others are more intense like squid ink.”

ENTER HEIRLOOM CORN When it comes to the basic ingredient used to make masa, heirloom corn is starting to take the industry by storm.

Heirloom corn PHOTO COURTESY OF MASIENDA

More and more restaurant chefs are turning to the ancient, pre-Columbian nixtamal process, which involves cooking native Mexican heirloom corn in slaked lime, or cal. Suerte even calls the masa made fresh daily from heirloom corn “el corazón de Suerte.”

Just what is heirloom corn? As Gaviria notes, the

word “heirloom” refers to something of value that has been passed down through multiple generations. And that is exactly what heirloom corn is.

“Heirloom corn comes from farmer-preserved seeds that have been hand selected for the best flavor and maintained for hundreds (even thousands) of years. Each

generation does its own part to further perfect the corn’s flavor and quality before it’s passed on to the next generation…think of it as expressly culinary, not commodity,” information from Masienda explains.

Examples from Masienda include the top-selling Heirloom White Olotillo Corn from Oaxaca, Heirloom Blue Cónico Corn from Tlaxcala, and Heirloom Yellow Tuxpeño Corn from Chiapas.

Suerte’s corn comes from Barton Springs Mill in the Texas Hill Country, which sources the corn from organic crops using the same strains

of seeds planted in Texas in the early 1900s.

ADVICE FROM THE PROS House-made tortillas clearly offer the freshest quality product for Mexican restaurant menus.

As Gaviria says, “There is no substitute for a freshly prepared tortilla — it’s as good as it gets!”

But is it always worth the time and labor involved?

That will depend, of course, on your operation.

If you don’t want to go through the process of making your own masa, Chef AQ (continued on page 21)

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| COVER STORY |

THE PANDEMIC’S IMPACT To find out how the challenges of 2020 have impacted the tortilla market, el Restaurante asked professionals who provide tortilla making equipment to restaurants for input.

Here’s what they told us: Seth Huerta, marketing manager, BE&SCO Manufacturing: “The secondary impact we are currently seeing is a rebound, where tortilla demand is up, and supply is still low.

The labor shortage compounds this issue, making it difficult to keep up with demand.”

Tony Marino, national sales manager, Dutchess Bakers Machinery Company: “After an initial slow down, machine sales of all types have been picking up. Many of the restaurant owners are making the decision to automate their process due to a lack of labor and higher wages. This trend will ultimately lead to the need for fewer employees in the future for some areas of the restaurant industry.”

Javier Alatorre, co-owner with wife Leticia, Tortilla Masters: “The pandemic has impacted both res-

taurants that are making fresh tortillas and restaurants that purchase tortillas. At restaurants that are making fresh tortillas, restaurant owners are showing interest in having a tortilla machine due to the difficulty to hire more employees. And some restaurants have seen a big sales increase and now they need help to make more fresh tortillas. At restaurants that purchase tortillas, restaurant owners are trying to improve their menu to bring new customers. Making fresh tortillas is now a trend and they feel they cannot stay behind.”

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recommends searching for a local molino, or masa vendor. “I started making infused tortillas because I wanted to get creative with masa since I couldn’t source a molino,” she says. “I was doing high volume and wasn’t finding masa that worked for my restaurant.”

Using masa harina is another option.

And how can you decide if making any tortillas in-house is the right move for your operation?

“I would say that [operators] should take a look at their volume first,” Chef AQ says. “It can be space-and time-consuming.”

As she notes, even if you opt to make some tortillas in-house, they don’t all have to be made the same way.

“For me, it was something I had to slowly reintroduce to my guests,” Chef AQ concludes. “We have high volume and it’s not sustainable to do all heirloom corn tortillas for every entrée.”

See recipe for Masienda’s hybrid corn/wheat tortillas on page 54.

Kathleen Furore is the editor of el Restaurante.

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TORTILLA RESOURCE GUIDE BE&SCO Manufacturing. A variety of manual and automatic tortilla presses and press & oven combos to fit any size or style of restaurant.

Minom Premium Flour Base for making flour, corn hybrid and whole wheat tortillas also available. 210-734-5124; bescomfg.com Dutchess Bakers Machinery Co. A variety of manual tortilla presses and dough dividers/ rounders to meet any restaurant’s tortilla-making needs. 800-777-4498 or 715-394-2422; dutchessbakers.com Tortilla Masters. The Ventura Flex Tabletop corn tortilla machine can make up to 840 4-inch to 6 ½-inch tortillas per hour. 281-994-7010; tortillamachine.com Rovey Seed Co. White, yellow, blue and red corn grown especially for tortillas. 217-227-4541; roveyseed.com Masienda. All you’ll need for a kernel-to-masa program including heirloom corn, chef-grade cal, and the Molinito to grind nixtamalized corn.

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TENDENCIAS DE

la tortilla

FOTO DE DAIVD KATZ PARA MASIENDA

22

el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

CHEFS LLEVAN UN ALIMENTO TÍPICO MEXICANO A NUEVAS ALTURAS CREATIVAS

| COVER STORY |

| POR KATHLEEN FURORE | “La esencia de

todo lo que hacemos en Suerte se encuentra en nuestras tradicionales tortillas de maíz hechas con una deliciosa masa”.

Con esta frase, el restaurante Suerte de Austin, Texas, describe la importancia de un ingrediente que se encuentra en prácticamente todas las cocinas de los restaurantes mexicanos.

Hoy en día, el chef ejecutivo de Suerte, Fermín Núñez, y una gran cantidad de chefs de costa a costa preparan la masa y prensan las tortillas de una manera que transforma este alimento básico de la cocina hispana en algo más que harina y maíz, y lo lleva a un nuevo nivel de colorido y sabor, con frecuencia mediante técnicas que se remontan a varios siglos.

HABLEMOS DE LAS TENDENCIAS La elaboración propia de tortillas, a menudo partiendo de cero con la preparación de la masa, encabeza la lista de tendencias que perciben los productores de maquinaria e ingredientes, así como los chefs.

“El cambio más significativo y duradero que he observado es un mayor interés por producir la masa de forma interna”, afirma Jorge Gaviria, director general y fundador de Masienda, una empresa que se colabora con cientos de agricultores tradicionales de México para cultivar, obtener y ofrecer ingredientes de un solo origen y de la más alta calidad, incluyendo el maíz criollo.

La disponibilidad de los equipos e ingredientes necesarios para elaborar una masa de calidad “ha permitido a los restaurantes emprender sus propios programas de nixtamal con confianza, muchas veces a una fracción del costo [que tenía] antes”, explica Gaviria. “Antes era una locura contar con programas de pasta, panadería, carnicería o café en los restaurantes, hasta que se convirtió en la norma. Actualmente ocurre lo mismo con la masa en todo el mundo: hacerla desde cero es el nuevo estándar. La situación va

Tortillas de tinta de calamar de la Chef AQ

CADA VEZ MÁS GENTE PREFIERE HACER SU PROPIA MASA EN LUGAR DE COMPRAR LAS TORTILLAS.

Tortillas de almendras de la Chef AC

– ANASTACIA QUINONES-PITTMAN (Chef AQ), José, Dallas

en aumento. Hoy ya es un movimiento consolidado”.

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman (también conocida como la chef AQ), la distinguida chef ejecutiva del restaurante José de Dallas, inspirado en Guadalajara, está de acuerdo con Gaviria.

“Cada vez más gente prefiere hacer su propia masa en lugar de comprar las tortillas”, afirma la chef AQ, quien hace la masa JULY/AUGUST 2021

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| COVER STORY |

Tortilla estampada con el logo de Evil Cook

Tortillas Ceremoniales Las tortillas elaboradas con maíz criollo y las saborizadas son cada vez más comunes en los restaurantes mexicanos de todo el país. Ahora, otra tradición milenaria de las tortillas se abre paso en las cocinas de los restaurantes: “pintar” las tortillas con diseños coloridos para elaborar tortillas ceremoniales.

Estas tortillas festivas tienen su origen en Guanajuato y Querétaro, de acuerdo con Alex García, propietario, junto con Elvia Huerta, de Evil Cooks, con sede en Los Ángeles,

que utiliza para preparar las creativas tortillas de maíz que se sirven en José. Es tan conocida por sus masas que le pidieron que sirviera su menú especial Masa Madness en la famosa James Beard House de Nueva York en marzo del 2020.

Las tortillas de moda parten de una base de masa casera y luego se prosigue

con ella.

“Nos hemos dado cuenta de que los consumidores se han vuelto más conscientes de la salud y les importa más la frescura. Este cambio está provocando que el panorama creativo de las tortillas se expanda desde las opciones tradicionales de harina o maíz”, señala Seth Huerta, director de marketing de la

24 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

una empresa gastronómica conocida por sus creativos eventos ambulantes en el sur de California y en otros lugares. Según García, esta tradición forma parte de la cultura otomí en su tierra natal.

Los otomíes tallan complejos diseños en sellos o discos de madera de mezquite, entintan el diseño con pigmentos naturales de madreselva o cochinilla, presionan tortillas hechas a mano y parcialmente cocidas contra la superficie para que absorban el diseño entintado, y luego las cocinan un poco más para fijar la imagen, según explica un artículo de Design Observer .

“Se usan sobre todo en las fiestas de quince años, bodas y bautizos, y las hacemos para celebrar nuestra cultura”, asegura García, quien adaptó el proceso para elaborar tortillas ceremoniales con el logo de Evil Cooks.

“Un carpintero de México nos hizo nuestro primer sello bajo pedido”, cuenta García. “No los venden, nunca los vi en ningún mercado durante mis viajes por México. Lo más probable es que los hereden los familiares para conservar su sello personal en la familia”.

Al principio, García usaba carbón para “pintar” el logotipo de Evil Cooks en las tortillas. “Pero se encareció, así que tuvimos que ser creativos y terminamos usando las cenizas de los chiles de nuestro recado negro”, explica.

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman (también conocida como la chef AQ), chef ejecutiva de José en Dallas, también ha preparado tortillas ceremoniales, pero no es algo que haga con frecuencia.

“Requieren mucho trabajo y normalmente solo se preparan para ocasiones especiales”, dice.

empresa de maquinaria para tortillas BE&SCO Manufacturing. “Las recetas creativas empiezan a abundar en el mercado, desde los híbridos de harina/maíz azul y las tortillas de maíz blanco, hasta las tortillas de betabel y camote”.

De hecho, las tortillas híbridas son una de las recetas de Alex García y

Elvia Huerta, propietarios de Evil Cooks, una empresa de alimentos con sede en Los Ángeles conocida por sus eventos ambulantes con tacos callejeros gourmet en todo el sur de California y en otros lugares.

“Hacemos tortillas híbridas para nuestros tacos de postre: taco de flan, taco de pay de queso con churros

y más”, comenta García.

“Nuestra tortilla híbrida es una mezcla de maíz y harina al 50 % que nos da la textura de una tortilla de harina con un toque de maíz”.

En cuanto a las tortillas de colores y sabores, la chef AQ lleva la delantera.

Muchos de sus platillos característicos llevan masas saborizadas que inicialmente creó para Tacos de Tacha, una serie de puestos de tacos que puso en marcha en 2018; se trata de masa que lleva habaneros, almendras, ceniza de coco, tinta de calamar, frijoles negros y otros ingredientes muy creativos. ¿Cómo elige qué ingredientes usar?

“Suelo empezar con una proteína y partir de allí”, explica la chef AQ. “Sé que las cerezas, las naranjas, el hinojo, el betabel y la col, entre otros, van bien con el pato. Si puedo machacar uno de esos ingredientes, entonces puedo incorporarlo Tortilla de maíz heirloom de Suerte

a una masa y utilizar los otros elementos o combinar otros secundarios, ingredientes más sutiles que acompañan bien a los ingredientes principales, para preparar un taco”. ¿Cuánto sabor suelen aportar los ingredientes a la tortilla? ¿También le cambian la textura?

“Depende de lo que usemos”, afirma. “Algunos son sutiles, como los frijoles negros, y otros son más intensos, como la tinta de calamar”.

ES EL TURNO DEL MAÍZ CRIOLLO Si hablamos del ingrediente básico que se utiliza para hacer la masa, el maíz criollo está empezando a arrasar la industria.

Cada vez más chefs de restaurantes recurren al antiguo proceso precolombino del nixtamal, que consiste en cocer el maíz criollo mexicano en una solución

Maíz heirloom FOTO CORTESÍA DE MASIENDA

de cal. Suerte incluso dice que la masa elaborada diariamente con maíz criollo es “el corazón de Suerte”. ¿Qué es el maíz criollo?

Gaviria señala que la palabra “criollo” hace referencia a algo de valor que se ha transmitido a través de varias generaciones. Y eso es justamente lo que es el maíz criollo.

“El maíz criollo procede de semillas conservadas por los agricultores que han sido seleccionadas a mano para que tengan el mejor sabor y que se han preservado durante cientos (incluso miles) de años. Cada generación pone de su parte para perfeccionar aún más el sabor y la calidad del maíz antes de pasarlo a la siguiente generación…Se trata de algo con un carácter culinario, no mercantil”, según la información de Masienda.

Los mejores ejemplos de Masienda son el maíz blanco

olotillo de Oaxaca, el maíz azul cónico de Tlaxcala y el maíz amarillo tuxpeño de Chiapas.

El maíz de Suerte procede de Barton Springs Mill, en la región montañosa de Texas, que obtiene el maíz de cultivos orgánicos que utilizan las mismas variedades de semillas plantadas en Texas a principios del siglo XX.

CONSEJOS DE LOS PROFESIONALES Sin lugar a dudas, las tortillas hechas en casa ofrecen el producto más fresco y de mayor calidad para los menús de los restaurantes mexicanos.

Como dice Gaviria: “No hay nada que sustituya a una tortilla recién hecha, ¡no hay nada mejor que eso!”.

Pero, ¿vale siempre la pena el tiempo y el trabajo que implica? Es claro que eso dependerá de su negocio.

Si no quiere realizar el

JULY/AUGUST 2021

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| COVER STORY |

EL IMPACTO DE LA PANDEMIA Para saber qué impacto han tenido los retos del 2020 en el mercado de la tortilla, el Restaurante pidió la opinión de los profesionales que proveen maquinaria para hacer tortillas a los restaurantes. Esto fue lo que nos dijeron: Seth Huerta, director de marketing de BE&SCO Manufacturing: “El efecto secundario que observamos actualmente es un repunte, en el que la demanda de tortillas aumenta y la oferta sigue siendo baja. La escasez de mano de obra agrava este problema, lo que dificulta seguir el ritmo de la demanda”.

Tony Marino, director nacional de ventas de Dutchess Bakers Machinery Company: “Tras una desaceleración inicial, las ventas de máquinas de todo tipo se han recuperado.

Muchos de los restauranteros están tomando la decisión de automatizar sus procesos debido a la falta de mano de obra y al incremento de los salarios. Esta tendencia provocará, en última instancia, una reducción del número de empleados en algunos ámbitos del sector de los restaurantes”.

Javier Alatorre, copropietario de Tortilla Masters junto con su esposa Leticia: “La pandemia ha afectado tanto a los restaurantes que hacen tortillas frescas como a los que las compran. En los restaurantes que elaboran tortillas frescas, los propietarios están mostrando interés en contar con una máquina de tortillas debido a la dificultad de contratar más empleados. Y algunos restaurantes han experimentado un gran aumento en las ventas y ahora necesitan ayuda para hacer más tortillas frescas. En los restaurantes que compran tortillas, los propietarios intentan mejorar su menú para atraer nuevos clientes. Hacer tortillas frescas es ahora una tendencia y consideran que no pueden quedarse atrás”.

26 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

proceso para preparar su propia masa, la chef AQ recomienda buscar un molino local o un proveedor de masa. “Empecé a hacer tortillas saborizadas porque quería ser creativa con la masa, ya que no podía abastecerme de un molino”, asegura. “Estaba preparando grandes cantidades y no encontraba una masa que funcionara para mi restaurante”.

Otra opción es utilizar masa harina. ¿Y cómo puede usted saber si preparar las tortillas en su establecimiento es lo más adecuado para su negocio?

“Yo diría que primero deben

analizar su volumen”, dice la chef AQ. “Puede requerir mucho espacio y tiempo”.

Como señala, aunque decida hacer algunas tortillas por cuenta propia, no todas tienen que estar preparadas de la misma manera.

“En mi caso, fue algo que tuve que reintroducir poco a poco a mis comensales”, explica la chef AQ. “Tenemos una gran demanda y no es sostenible hacer todas las tortillas con maíz criollo para cada comida”.

See recipe for Masienda’s hybrid corn/ wheat tortillas on page 54.

Kathleen Furore is the editor of el Restaurante.

GUÍA DE RECURSOS RELACIONADOS CON LAS TORTILLAS BE&SCO Manufacturing. Una variedad de prensas de tortillas manuales y automáticas, así como combinaciones de prensa y horno, que se adaptan a cualquier tamaño o estilo de restaurante. También se ofrece la base de harina Minom Premium para hacer tortillas de harina, híbridas con maíz e integrales. 210-734-5124; bescomfg.com Dutchess Bakers Machinery Co. Una variedad de prensas manuales para tortillas y divisores/moldeadores de masa para satisfacer las necesidades de elaboración de tortillas de cualquier restaurante. 800-777-4498 or 715-394-2422; dutchessbakers.com Tortilla Masters. La máquina de tortillas de maíz Ventura Flex Tabletop puede hacer hasta 840 tortillas de 4 a 6½ pulgadas por hora. 281-994-7010; tortillamachine.com Rovey Seed Co. Maíz blanco, amarillo, azul y rojo cultivado especialmente para tortillas. 217-227-4541; roveyseed.com Masienda. Todo lo que necesitará para un programa que va desde el grano hasta la masa, incluyendo maíz criollo, cal de grado alimenticio y el molinito para moler el maíz nixtamalizado. También hay masa harina de calidad profesional en las variedades blanca, roja y azul. masienda.com

first person

KARLA GARCIA,

Tecalitlan Restaurant,Chicago EDITOR’S NOTE: Karla Garcia and her brother, Juan Carlos Garcia, recently moved their family’s restaurant, Tecalitlan, from its original location in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood after 48 years to a new location in trendy Lincoln Park. Ed Avis, el Restaurante’s publisher, interviewed Karla about the restaurant and the move. This first-person account is an edited version of that interview.

My dad, Carlos, grew up in a rural town in Mexico named El Josefino. He ran away from that small town twice, at the age of 14, to Mexico City. He wanted to work, and he did odd jobs there and the first time my

grandfather went to bring him back because one of our relatives saw him and they told my grandpa, “We found him, we see where he’s at.” So, my grandpa went to Mexico City and dragged my dad back. A few months

later he ran away again, and his older brother José was in Mexico City so he joined José and they were working at a taco stand. That’s where he learned to make tacos, and that’s where he learned to make salsa, and the odds and ends of street style tacos, I guess you could say.

After that, my dad and José came to the States and started working here in Chicago. My dad’s first job was at a Greek restaurant as a dishwasher at the age of 15. He worked up the ladder, he got up to server. But he wanted more, and he remem-

bered how to make tacos and the sauces and everything they learned in Mexico City.

And his brother and himself decided hey, let’s try to make a restaurant and see if it goes well. That was in 1973 when he was 21. And 48 years later, I think it went pretty well.

There are pictures floating out there of me in a little apron cleaning a table at five or six. On Saturday morning my dad would say, “Okay, I’ll see you guys later,” and I’d be like, “Well, where are you going?” and he’s like, “To the restaurant. I got to go.”

“Well, I want to go” and he’s

JULY/AUGUST 2021

| el restaurante

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first person

Customers say, “When I come in here it’s like home, I feel like I’m in back at my grandma’s house. I feel like it’s comfort food, because I grew up eating this.” To have a business that offers that to people is amazing.

We’re not just offering food, we’re offering food for the soul.

like, “No, you’re going to be bored, you’re not going to know what to do.” And I said, “No, no, no, I want to go.”

So he’d be like, “Alright, well, why don’t you wash some cups? Why don’t you clean some tables?” stuff like that.

Before I knew it, I was hostessing at 12, so I felt special. My brothers, Juan Carlos and Danny, had the same experience. They would get chores in the kitchen, like to take off the stem from the jalapeño peppers and quickly learned the kitchen business My brothers and I started working more in high school until my dad got to the point where he said, “Alright, I’m going to go on vacation with your mom, I’ll be back in a week.” I guess he saw that we were responsible enough and we knew what we were

28 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

doing. And obviously even though we were 16, 17 and 18 years old, my uncles helped, too. My uncle José, though, had gone back to Mexico by that time, so my dad was the owner.

When Juan Carlos finished high school, he went to Kendall College [in Chicago] for culinary school and then he went to Guadalajara to do a year-long internship there.

He learned a lot of old techniques of [making] Mexican food and a lot of new recipes.

He incorporated some of them into our menu.

After a while my dad said, “Okay, guys, I’m done. Are we closing the restaurant or are you guys taking over?” We were like, “No we’re taking over, we’re not closing this.”

That was in 2005. I was just fresh out of Loyola University [in Chicago], where I had studied communications, public relations and advertising.

At first our dad was like, “I will help you, but I will not be there the whole time.” So, it’s like the parents teaching

the kid to ride a bike. He’s running right behind us for a little bit, but before you know it, he was like, “I’m done. You guys figure it out.”

When we first took over, we pretty much kept everything the same, but when my dad left, we decided to add chilaquiles, we decided to add the pulpo la diabla, we decided to add fresh, handmade margaritas. We’re known for margaritas, our burritos, fajitas, mole and our al pastor tacos.

I think people love Tec because of the consistency.

My dad was a stickler for consistency, and he taught us.

When we would come in to work, he would walk in and start tasting stuff, whatever the chef or the cook was making. He would always tell me, “You have to taste everything because everything has to taste the same as it did last week, a year ago, yesterday, an hour ago.”

Customers say, “When I come in here it’s like home, I feel like I’m in back at my grandma’s house. I feel like

it’s comfort food, because I grew up eating this.” To have a business that offers that to people is amazing. We’re not just offering food, we’re offering food for the soul.

People also love us because Tec is still family-owned and run. We’ve had our bartender here for over 20 years, our head cook’s been here over 30 years, our floor manager has been with us for 20 years on and off. So, they’re not just like employees anymore, they’re family.

In early 2020, our landlord told us that he was going to start showing the building because he wanted to sell it and our lease had come up. But he said, “You know what?

Don’t worry, I’m not going to kick you guys out.” Yada, yada, yada. Fast forward to June, and our landlord comes in says he has a contract to sell the building, but in order for the contract to go through the place has to be vacant.

So, we closed up the restaurant August 23rd. Those days leading up were a little tough. I loved hearing stories from people about how they got married there, or they got engaged there, the first meal they had after they had their kid on the way home from the hospital, they had to stop at Tec and get a margarita because now they can drink, you know? So, it was just a ton of emotion and it was great, but that all stayed

there, and I cherish all that.

We started looking at other locations in our neighborhood, but the places we saw either needed to be built out, or the rent was too crazy, or a little bit of both, and so we were like, “You know what? We’re tired, we’re overworked,” so we decided to take a couple months break.

But we got bored and decided to try opening inside a ghost kitchen. That didn’t really work out. We were getting phone calls from customers saying, “Can I come in and sit down?” and we’d say, “No, it’s just literally a commercial kitchen, you can’t sit down anywhere. You have to take it to go.” And they really didn’t understand and they’re like, “We miss you guys.”

We’re like, “We miss you too.”

We couldn’t wait to reopen the restaurant. Finally, our Realtor sent us this location in Lincoln Park, which is a different neighborhood but only about seven minutes from our old location. I feel like it’s more family-oriented over here. I see tons of kids all over the plaza. When Carlos and I walked in we’re like, “Wow, this space is really nice.” And when we left, we both agreed that it kind of felt like home like, okay, we’re here. Yeah, it was weird that we both were like, “Did you feel that?” And I said, “Yeah, I felt it. I feel like we belong here.”

The Optimal Automatics Autodoner is ideal for preparing cones of al pastor and other stacked meats.

Comes in many sizes and models, including natural gas, electric, and LP.

Se habla espanol Se habla espanol 847-439-9110 847-439-9110 www.optimalautomatics.com www.optimalautomatics.com

from Mexico

| BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO, writing from Mexico | When

Wine shines in

Querétaro EDITOR’S NOTE: Querétaro, a state in north central Mexico, is becoming a key stop for culinary travelers thanks to its growing inventory of locally produced wines. Here, el Restaurante contributing writer Joseph Sorrentino shares what he learned as he traveled Querétaro’s Art, Cheese and Wine Route (also known as the Querétaro Wine Region), home not only to myriad wineries, but to artisan cheese factories, too.

30 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

thinking about where the best vintages of wine are produced, Mexico probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind — even though, historically, the country is the oldest wine-making region in the Americas.

Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who overthrew the Aztec empire and won Mexico for the crown of Spain, didn’t like the wine made from indigenous grapes growing in Mexico. To solve that problem, he ordered some Spanish settlers to plant grapevines — a move that ultimately caused such a dramatic decrease in Spanish wine imports that Spain’s King Charles II banned wine making in Mexico, except for sacramental wines. The ban was lifted after the Mexican War of Independence in 1821, but Mexico’s wine industry continued to languish.

Until somewhat recently.

Many wines from Baja, California — the area that produces about 90 percent of the country’s supply — have become well-known, well-respected vintages. And Querétaro, a state in northcentral Mexico where few wineries existed until the 1970s, when Redonda and Freixenet built wineries, has been getting some well-deserved attention for its wines,

too. Now, there are more than 40 wineries in the state, and most are expanding.

CHALLENGE = OPPORTUNITY IN THE VINEYARDS On the surface, Querétaro doesn’t seem like a great location for a vineyard, according to Tom Pence and his wife Tiffany Pence, a wine rep from the U.S. who relocated to Querétaro with Tom three years ago.

Tom has worked in the wine industry since 1988; together the couple have 37 years experience in the industry.

First, there are the harvestseason rains, which cause mildew and decrease the sugar in the grapes, affecting alcohol content and flavor.

“A lot of years, 30 percent of the harvest will be lost to mildew,” says Tom. Second, there are the large, volcanic rocks that make vines struggle to grow, and

result in smaller grapes.

Finally, the region has big temperature swings during the growing season: 80˚F during the day to the low 50˚s at night Those working the vineyards see the challenges as more than hindrances. In fact, Andrea Morena Durán, a manager of Vinaltura winery, where grapevines were first planted in 2014, considers them a benefit.

“White wines and sparkling wines do the best because of the rain and the acidity of the soil,” says Durán. ““We do small fermentations for higher quality.

We have extreme weather and high acidity, and this is what gives Querétaro wines their specialness.”

Vinaltura produces around 40,000 bottles of wine each year, including whites such as sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, and riesling, plus two rosés and six red wines,

which are aged for 12 months in French or American oak barrels and at least six more months in their bottles. Vinaltura has a small restaurant and also offers tours and tastings.

Tom Pence notes the benefits, too. “Smaller grapes have a lower ratio of skin to juice. This will lead to a more intensely flavored wine... wines that are more elegant, have nicer acidity, more classically European in style,” he explains.

And what about the temperature swing?

“This causes the sugar level to go way up during the day while acidity plummets and at nighttime the sugar level goes down and acidity goes back up,” Tom Pence says. “That recovery period produces wines that have more complexity and also greater acidity.”

About an hour east of Vinaltura is the Puerta del Lobo,

A tasting at Puerta del Lobo’s wine bar

a winery that also includes a four-room hotel, plus two restaurants and a wine tasting area located atop a small hill offering a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.

Puerta del Lobo’s first vineyard, which has about three acres, was planted in 2008 and has cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah and tempranillo grapes. A second, larger vinePHOTO BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO

yard — approximately 25 acres — was first planted in 2015 to grow grapes including sauvignon blanc, merlot, malbec and syrah.

“The most interesting wines right now are the whites and rosés,” said Richard Hernández Jiménez, who has been the winery’s sommelier for three years. “We plan on having more reds in

from Mexico

“It is a showroom, but it also recreates the traditions from Europe,” says Yakoe of the cave that’s kept at just under 60°F and 85 percent humidity. “Every day, the cheeses have to be turned upside down to ensure proper aging.”

Aged cheeses, he notes, aren’t something typically found in Mexican homes.

“It is hard in Mexico to sell aged cheeses,” he adA cheese tasting plate at Bocanegro

mits. “We are trying to introduce Mexicans to aged cheeses, [which have] the flavors that Europeans

SAMPLING CHEESE ON THE ART, WINE AND CHEESE ROUTE

really like. I think we are being successful.”

| STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO |

Esteve Denaives has been a goat owner for 15.

Complementing Querétero’s growing wine

“I like goats,” she says when asked why. She had

industry are the small dairies producing

been selling their milk but realized she couldn’t

artisanal cheeses that can be found along

survive just doing that. “It is a little easier to have

Querétaro’s Art, Wine and Cheese Route.

a business that sells cheese,” she says.

While Queso La Biquette has been open only three years, owner and veterinarian Isabel

Cava de Quesos Bocanegro, which opened

Denaives, who is French-Mexican, spent

its doors eight years ago, and the three-year-

a year in France to learn how to make goat

old Queso La Biquette are two of those local

cheese. And, like those who work at the area’s

producers.

wineries, she’s introducing something new to

Iñaki Tablado, who ran a sheep farm and cheese-making business in Spain, came to

the Mexican palate.

“It is not typical in Mexico to have this type of

Mexico planning to retire. Plans changed, and

cheese,” she says. “Cheese made from cows is a

he opened Cava de Quesos Bocanegro, initially

part of Mexican gastronomy — people cook with

offering only fresh cheeses.

those cheeses. This cheese is more for the table.”

“We started with the basic Mexican cheeses —

La Biquette offers tastings featuring six types

quesillo, manchego, queso fresco,” says Yakoe Nicol

of cheese, ranging from the mild queso fresco

Tablado, Iñaki’s son and Bocanegro’s manager.

to aged Tomme, which has a rich, earthy flavor.

In 2015, they built a darkened cava (cave)

Although not certified as organic, Denaives said

below the store and started producing aged

she doesn’t use any antibiotics or preservatives.

cheeses. Today, Bocanegro has 15 to 20 types of

“Our cheeses are artisanal,” she says. “Everything

cheeses and offers tours and cheese tastings.

is made by hand.”

Yakoe Nicol Tablado in the cava

Education also plays a role in her business, just as it does at the wineries.

“We try to educate Mexicans how to eat this cheese and enjoy it. Thirty years ago, no one ate this type of cheese,” Denaives says.

“Now it is more common. People find they like it once they taste it.”

the future. We do not have a lot of cabernet sauvignon because the growing season is so long, and the chance of hail is great. It has a thick skin, so that is good, but it takes too long to grow.”

Still, Puerta del Lobo hopes to have its first 100 percent cabernet this year.

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS The fact that most Mexicans aren’t accustomed to drinking wine is another hurdle to overcome.

“Mexico is a beer and tequila culture,” says Tom Pence.

The wineries recognize this and are doing what they can to change people’s perceptions.

“Part of my challenge is to educate people and to change their ideas about wine,” says Vinaltura’s Durán. “Mexicans say wine is only for people who know wine. But that is not true.

This is why we have Mexican food [at our restaurants] to go along with Mexican wines. I think we are changing the minds of Mexicans.”

Jovana García, Puerta de Lobo’s supervisor of operations, agrees it can be difficult for Mexicans to change their ideas about wine. “Mexicans are very traditional and to open them to new things is difficult,” she says. “We are used to sweets. Dry wine is different. In the Mexican table, the ritual is to have sodas, but we can [learn to]

have a glass of wine.”

At Puerta del Lobo, Jiménez tries to bring people along slowly to get them used to different wines.

“We start with whites, the gentlest ones like sauvignon blanc, which is quite floral,” he says. “Then we will move to rosés made from malbec or syrah.”

Despite the challenges of growing wine grapes in this part of Mexico, new wineries are opening, and established ones are expanding — many times learning as they go.

“Some of the challenges

we face are technical,” says Michelle Aydelotte, the winemaker at Viñedos Dos Buhos, another business along Querétaro’s Art, Cheese and Wine Route. “Being a young industry, without a lot of historical information to reference or role models to question about their previous experience with vineyards in the area, we definitely blazed the trail. What began as a personal quest to grow high altitude grapes in central Mexico has evolved into the desire to share our success story with as many people possible.”

Andrea Morena Durán PHOTO BY JOSEPH SORRENTINO

“WHITE WINES AND SPARKLING WINES DO THE BEST BECAUSE OF THE RAIN AND THE ACIDITY OF THE SOIL. WE HAVE EXTREME WEATHER AND HIGH ACIDITY, AND THIS IS WHAT GIVES QUERÉTARO WINES THEIR SPECIALNESS.” – ANDREA MORENA DURÁN, Vinaltura

JULY/AUGUST 2021

| el restaurante

33

desde Mexico

| POR JOSEPH SORRENTINO quien escribe desde México | Al

El vino se luce en

Querétaro NOTA DEL EDITOR: Querétaro, un estado en la región centro-norte de México, se está convirtiendo en una visita obligada para los viajeros culinarios gracias a su creciente inventario de vinos de producción local. Aquí, Joseph Sorrentino, el escritor colaborador de el Restaurante, comparte lo que aprendió al recorrer la Ruta del Arte, el Queso y el Vino de Querétaro (también conocida como la Región Vinícola de Querétaro), hogar no solo de numerosas bodegas, sino también de queserías artesanales.

34 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

pensar en dónde se producen las mejores cosechas de vino, es probable que México no sea el primer lugar que se le ocurra, aunque, históricamente, el país es la región vitivinícola más antigua de América.

Al conquistador español Hernán Cortés, quien derrocó el imperio azteca y conquistó México para la corona española, no le gustó el vino elaborado con las uvas nativas que crecen en México. Para arreglar ese problema, ordenó a algunos colonos españoles plantar vides, una medida que, en última instancia, ocasionó una disminución tan drástica en las importaciones de vino español que el rey Carlos II de España prohibió la elaboración de vino en México, con excepción de los vinos de consagrar.

La prohibición se retiró después de terminada la Guerra de Independencia de México en 1821, pero la industria del vino en México siguió sufriendo.

Hasta hace relativamente poco. Muchos vinos de Baja California, la zona que produce cerca del 90 por ciento de la oferta del país, se han convertido en cosechas famosas y respetadas. Y Querétaro, un estado en el centro-norte de México donde habían pocas bodegas hasta la década de 1970, cuando Redonda y Freixenet construyeron bodegas, también ha ido recibiendo una merecida atención por sus vinos. Actual-

mente, hay más de 40 bodegas en el estado, y la mayoría se están expandiendo.

RETO = OPORTUNIDAD EN LOS VIÑEDOS A primera vista, Querétaro no parece un buen lugar para un viñedo, de acuerdo con Tom Pence y su esposa Tiffany Pence, una representante de vinos de los EE. UU. que se mudó a Querétaro con Tom hace tres años.Tom ha trabajado en la industria del vino desde 1988.

En primer lugar, tenemos las lluvias en la temporada de cosecha, las cuales causan mildiú y disminuyen el azúcar en las uvas, lo que afecta el contenido de alcohol y el sabor.

“Muchos años, el 30 por ciento de la cosecha se perderá debido al mildiú”, afirma Tom. En segundo lugar, hay grandes rocas volcánicas que hacen que las vides tengan dificultades para crecer, y esto tiene como resultado uvas más pequeñas.

Por último, la región tiene cambios bruscos de temperatura durante la temporada de cultivo: de 80°F durante el día a 50°F por la noche.

Quienes trabajan en los viñedos perciben los retos como

algo más que obstáculos. De hecho, Andrea Morena Durán, gerente de la bodega Vinaltura, donde se plantaron vides por primera vez en 2014, los considera un beneficio.

“Los vinos blancos y los vinos espumosos son los mejores debido a la lluvia y la acidez del suelo”, comenta Durán.

“Hacemos fermentaciones reducidas para lograr una mayor calidad. Tenemos un clima extremo y una alta acidez, y esto es lo que hace especiales a los vinos de Querétaro”.

Vinaltura produce cerca de 40,000 botellas de vino al año, incluyendo vinos blancos como sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc y riesling, además de dos vinos rosados y seis tintos, que se añejan durante doce meses en barricas de roble francés o estadounidense y al menos seis meses más en sus botellas. Vinaltura cuenta con un pequeño restaurante y también ofrece visitas guiadas y degustaciones.

Tom Pence también destaca los beneficios.“Las uvas más pequeñas tienen una menor proporción entre cáscara y jugo. Esto da lugar a un vino con un sabor más intenso... vinos que son más elegantes y

tienen una acidez más agradable, un estilo europeo más clásico”, explica. ¿Y qué hay del cambio de temperatura?

“Esto hace que el nivel de azúcar suba mucho durante el día, mientras que la acidez disminuye y, por la noche, el nivel de azúcar baja y la acidez vuelve a subir”, menciona Tom Pence. “Ese periodo de recuperación produce vinos que tienen más complejidad y también mayor acidez”.

Aproximadamente a una hora al este de Vinaltura se encuentra la Puerta del Lobo, una bodega que también tiene un hotel de cuatro habitaciones, además de dos restaurantes y un área de degustación de vinos ubicada en lo alto de una pequeña colina con una hermosa vista del campo de los alrededores. El primer viñedo de Puerta del Lobo, el cual tiene alrededor de tres acres, fue plantado en 2008 y cuenta con uvas cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah y tempranillo. Un segundo viñedo más grande, de aproximadamente 25 acres, fue plantado en 2015 para cultivar uvas como sauvignon blanc, merlot,

Andrea Morena Durán PHOTO POR JOSEPH SORRENTINO

“LOS VINOS BLANCOS Y LOS VINOS ESPUMOSOS SON LOS MEJORES DEBIDO A LA LLUVIA Y LA ACIDEZ DEL SUELO. TENEMOS UN CLIMA EXTREMO Y UNA ALTA ACIDEZ, Y ESTO ES LO QUE HACE ESPECIALES A LOS VINOS DE QUERÉTARO”.

– ANDREA MORENA DURÁN, Vinaltura

malbec y syrah.

“Los vinos más interesantes del momento son los blancos y rosados”, afirmó Richard Hernández Jiménez, quien ha sido el sommelier de la bodega durante tres años. “Planeamos tener más tintos en el futuro.

No tenemos mucho cabernet sauvignon porque la temporada de cultivo es muy larga y la probabilidad de que caiga granizo es mucha. Tiene una cáscara gruesa, así que está bien, pero tarda mucho en crecer”.

Aún así, Puerta del Lobo espera contar con su primer 100 por ciento cabernet este año.

PERCEPCIONES VARIABLES El hecho de que la mayoría de los mexicanos no estén acostumbrados a tomar vino FOTO POR JOSEPH SORRENTINO

es otro obstáculo a superar.

“México tiene una cultura de cerveza y tequila”, dice Tom Pence.

Las bodegas saben esto y están haciendo lo que pueden para cambiar la percepción de la gente.

“Parte de mi desafío es educar a la gente y cambiar las ideas que tienen sobre el vino”, comenta Durán de Vinaltura. “Los mexicanos dicen que el vino es solo para las personas que saben de vino.

Sin embargo, no es así. Por eso [en nuestros restaurantes] tenemos comida mexicana que se acompaña con vinos mexicanos. Creo que estamos cambiando la mentalidad de los mexicanos”.

Jovana García, supervisora de operaciones de Puerta de Lobo, está de acuerdo en que puede ser complicado que los mexicanos cambien su opinión sobre el vino. “Los mexicanos somos muy tradicionales y hacerlos probar cosas nuevas es difícil”, afirma. “Estamos acostumbrados a los dulces. el restaurante

35

desde Mexico

“Resulta difícil vender quesos añejos en México”, reconoce. “Estamos tratando de que los mexicanos conozcan mejor los quesos añejos, [que tienen] los sabores que realmente les gustan a los europeos. Creo que estamos teniendo éxito”.

Aunque Queso La Biquette lleva operando solo tres años, la dueña y veterinaria Isabel Esteve Denaives tiene cabras desde hace 15. “Me gustan las Una degustación de queso a Bocanegro

DEGUSTACIÓN DE QUESOS EN LA RUTA DEL ARTE, EL VINO Y EL QUESO | ARTÍCULO Y FOTOS POR JOSEPH SORRENTINO |

cabras”, responde cuando le preguntan la razón. Ella vendía leche, pero se dio cuenta de que no podía sobrevivir simplemente con eso. “Es un poco más sencillo tener un negocio que vende queso”, comenta.

Denaives, quien es franco-mexicana, pasó un

Como complemento de la creciente industria

año en Francia para aprender a hacer queso de

vitivinícola de Querétaro, están las pequeñas

cabra. Y, al igual que quienes trabajan en las bode-

queserías que producen quesos artesanales que

gas de la zona, está presentando algo nuevo a los

se encuentran a lo largo de la Ruta del Arte, el Vino

paladares de los mexicanos.

y el Queso de Querétaro.

Cava de Quesos Bocanegro, que abrió hace 8

“Este tipo de queso no es común en México”, señala. “El queso de vaca es parte de la gastronomía

años, y Queso La Biquette, con tres años de anti-

mexicana, la gente cocina con esos quesos. Este

güedad, son dos de esos productores locales.

queso es más para la mesa”.

Iñaki Tablado, que administraba una granja de

La Biquette ofrece degustaciones con seis

ovejas y una quesería en España, llegó a México

tipos de queso, que van desde el queso fresco

con la intención de jubilarse. Sus planes cam-

suave hasta el Tomme añejo, el cual tiene un rico

biaron y abrió Cava de Quesos Bocanegro, la cual

sabor terroso. Aunque no está certificado como

ofrecía únicamente quesos frescos al comienzo.

orgánico, Denaives afirmó que no usa antibióticos

“Empezamos con los quesos mexicanos bási-

ni conservadores. “Nuestros quesos son artesana-

cos: quesillo , manchego y queso fresco”, comenta Yakoe Nicol Tablado, hijo de Iñaki y gerente de Bocanegro.

En 2015, construyeron una cava oscura (cueva)

les”, comenta. “Todo está hecho a mano”.

La educación también tiene una función en su negocio, al igual que en las bodegas.

“Tratamos de educar a los mexicanos sobre

debajo del negocio y empezaron a producir que-

cómo comer y disfrutar este queso. Hace treinta

sos añejos. Actualmente, Bocanegro tiene de 15 a

años, nadie comía este tipo de queso”, menciona

20 tipos de quesos y ofrece recorridos y degusta-

Denaives”. Ahora es más común. A la gente le

ciones de quesos.

gusta una vez que lo prueba”.

“Es una sala de exhibiciones, pero también recrea las tradiciones europeas”, afirma Yakoe sobre la cueva que se mantiene a menos de 60 °F y 85 por ciento de humedad. “Diariamente, hay que voltear los quesos para asegurar que se añejen adecuadamente”.

Comenta que los quesos añejos no suelen encontrarse en los hogares mexicanos.

36 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

Yakoe Nicol Tablado en la cava

El vino seco es diferente. En la mesa de los mexicanos, el ritual consiste en tomar refrescos, pero podemos [aprender a] tomar una copa de vino”.

En Puerta del Lobo, Jiménez intenta acercar a la gente poco a poco para que se acostumbre a vinos diferentes.

“Empezamos con los blancos, los más suaves como el sauvignon blanc, que es muy floral”, menciona. “Luego, pasamos a los rosados elaborados con malbec o syrah”.

A pesar de los retos de cultivar uvas para vino en esta parte de México, nuevas bodegas están abriendo y las ya establecidas se están expandiendo, y muchas veces aprenden sobre la marcha.

“Algunos de los retos que enfrentamos son técnicos”, afirma Michelle Aydelotte, enóloga de Viñedos Dos Búhos, otro negocio en la Ruta del Arte, el Queso y el Vino de Querétaro. “Al ser una industria joven, sin mucha información histórica como referencia o ejemplos a seguir para preguntar sobre su experiencia previa con viñedos en el área, definitivamente somos pioneros. Lo que comenzó como un deseo personal de cultivar uvas a gran altura en el centro de México se ha convertido en el deseo de compartir nuestra historia de éxito con la mayor cantidad de personas posible”.

at the bar

Signature

SANGRIAS

CREATIVE TOUCHES TAKE WINE + FRUIT BEYOND RED AND WHITE | BY ELYSE GLICKMAN | Through the

ages, wine has been paired with various ingredients to appeal to the tastes of the times. That spirit of invention continues today, as new adaptations of sangria — Spain’s versatile wine + fruit libation — emerge on the American bar scene.

While sangria, in some form, has been around for centuries, it didn’t hit the American mainstream until 1964, when it was served in the Spanish Pavilion at the World’s Fair in New York City. Over a half century later, bars and restaurants inspired by Spain, Mexico and Latin America continue to push sangria into the future by tuning into the tastes of

38 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

today’s customers, one satisfying sip at a time.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BASE Wine, of course, is the main ingredient in any sangria. Choosing the right kind of wine to use takes careful thought, according to bar pros.

Chris Zadie, sommelier for 8182 Management Group’s Mas Por Favor in Las Vegas and its soon-to-open La Neta Cocina y Lounge in Downtown Summerlin, Nevada, opts for a California sauvignon blanc for La Neta’s Culo Blanco white sangria. That wine, he explains, is aged in oak barrels and steel tanks, setting it apart from New Zea-

land sauvignon blancs, which are aged primarily in steel — a process that may make the flavor too “bright” and overwhelm the other ingredients in the sangria. The “oak-y” notes in the California wine, he explains, lend themselves better to the white peach and clementine slices and raspberries that will be steeped in the mix. For the red sangria he is planning for fall, Zadie is leaning toward an old vine American Zinfandel, which has more residual sugar and a full-bodied, smoky flavor, like something you’d find in a classic malbec.

Cassandra Pease, beverage director at Hermanito in West Los Angeles, agrees it is important to carefully consider the type of wine that will form the base of any sangria. That decision is often season-based.

“With preparing summer sangrias, you definitely want sweet and fruit-forward reds without a lot of tannins, like a garnacha or tempranillo, and crisp slightly acidic whites, like a pinot grigio or a sauvignon blanc,” says Pease, whose fall plans call for a sangria made with pinot noir.

“During summertime, a white wine sangria plays up bright citrusy flavors, while rosé wine sangria with fresh strawberries and mint is delightful,” says Michael Bowlds, general manager at Santa Barbara, California’s Loquita.

“During the colder winter months, a red wine-based sangria harmonizes with darker flavors like warm baking spices along with spirits and fruits with similar notes.”

Creative mixologists also are adding other liquors and liqueurs to enhance basic sangria recipes.

Zadie’s Culo Blanco, for example, includes a half-ounce of Grand Marnier per cocktail, while tequila and

1½ oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka ½ oz orange liqueur 2 oz lime juice ¼ oz agave

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into a glass with or without fresh ice.

Garnish with a lime slice.

Pro-Tip: If you like it salty, use a glass with a salt rim.

For more cool cocktails, visit titosvodka.com

at the bar

SANGRIA “DON’TS” • Don’t use out-of-season, off-peak fruit.

• Don’t use fruit that will dramatically change sangria’s flavor or texture. Some fruits just don’t mix well with wine. Justin Cantanese, general manager at Borracha Mexican Cantina at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada, warns that fleshy fruit like bananas turn sangria cloudy or give it an unpleasant “smoothie” texture. And Chris Zadie, sommelier for 8182 Management Group’s Mas Por Favor in Las Vegas and La Neta Cocina y Lounge in Downtown Summerlin, Nevada, finds that tart Asian fruits like lychee and dragon fruit may create an overbearing flavor profile when paired with certain white wines.

• Don’t skimp on the wine! Using cheap, lower-quality wine or leftover wine that’s been opened or left in the refrigerator too long is a common mistake mixologists make, according to Cantanese.

• Don’t over-ice. Alexandre Tessier, director of sales and marketing at The W Montreal, says using too much ice can water down important nuances of the ingredients.

• Don’t rely too heavily on fruit juices for flavor. Adding too much fruit juice dilutes flavors of the wine and alcohol and imparts too much sweetness, Tessier says.

40 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

whiskey are the additions of choice at Borracha Mexican Cantina at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada, and Mi Casa Grill Cantina in Las Vegas.

“With sangria, bars and restaurants known for innovation are using tequila as well as whiskey to create a more complex flavor profile,” reports Justin Catanese, general manager at Borracha. “While I have seen variations with vodka or gin as a base, any bartender looking to reel in an aficionado-type of customer is moving towards adventurous recipes with tequila or whiskey.”

According to Gina Garcia, general manager at Mi Casa, the restaurant’s signature Sangarita — a sangria-Margarita hybrid of merlot or cabernet, margarita mix and tequila, blended with ice — has always featured a shot of tequila. But it’s being tweaked to move away from mild silver tequilas and towards tequilas or mezcal with smokier notes, similar to a bourbon.

“For July, we’re going to have a citrus tequila sangria for one of our specials,” Garcia says.

“Accessibility to new products has Borracha Mexican Cantina’s Sangria Roja

W Ibiza White Sangria PHOTO COURTESY OF W MONTREAL

allowed for a lot more creativity,” observes Bowlds, whose sangria recipes incorporate products like allspice liqueur and spiced pear brandy. “Other liqueurs that have become more accessible, such as suze or chartreuse, really allow us to creatively spice up the traditional sangria,” Bowlds says.

“Using other spirits in your sangria introduces an exciting new flavor profile,” says Pease, who chose apricot brandy for the restaurant’s summertime special, Red Apricot Sangria. “Apricots are in season right now, and the flavor profile complements the fruit — Mandarin oranges, peaches, and pineapple — that I chose for this particular recipe.”

Los Angeles’ Salazar differentiates its Sangria Roja with Jardesca Red Aperitiva, an infused low-alcohol aperitif blending ten botanicals, including tangerine, ginger and cardamom. The base is a blend of three artisanal California wines, with zinfadel at its heart.

At W Montreal, the “Remastered Sangrias” menu — developed in collaboration with mixologists from the hotel group’s most popular destinations, including Ibiza — features the W Ibiza White Sangria made with Bacardi Superior, Malibu, Cointreau and pineapple juice, and the W Ibiza Red Sangria, kicked up a notch with Peach Schnapps, St-Germain ginger

at the bar

WHY SANGRIA? According to Gina Garcia, general manager at Mi Casa Grill Cantina in Las Vegas, when a group can’t decide on the kind of wine to order, a red or white sangria can fit the bill.

Justin Catanese, general manager at Borracha Mexican Cantina at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada, observes sangria has a way of bridging two types of customers — those who prefer cocktails and those who exclusively opt for wine — while also being versatile enough to harmonize with a variety of dishes. “This gives sangria a certain staying power,” he says. “It also parallels an evolution in modern mixology, pushing customers to gravitate towards things with fresh ingredients and flavors.”

Chris Zadie, sommelier for 8182 Management Group’s Mas Por Favor in Las Vegas and La Neta Cocina y Lounge in Downtown Summerlin, Nevada, agrees that sangrias can help boost bar sales. “If you’re a wine drinker and you walk into a venue that’s predominantly cocktail-driven, sangria is an easy go-to,” says Zadie. “As traditional versions of sangria are very sweet, it appeals to the average American palate, which leans towards sweeter flavors.”

“Sangria provides a great introduction to wine, particularly for younger consumers,” says Kassandra McPherson of La Diosa Winery in Lubbock, Texas. “The approachability of fruity flavors and lighter body profile has been a wonderful way to provide that stepping-stone to dry red wine for many folks who previously felt they didn’t like red wine or were unsure where to start when it comes to enjoying red wines.”

Mi Casa Grill Cantina’s Sangria Trio PHOTO BY EUGENE DELA CRUZ, ONESEVEN AGENCY

La Neta’s Culo Blanco Sangria

liqueur, prosecco, grapefruit juice and mixed berries.

So, what’s the secret to enhancing a sangria base?

“My best advice is to find a really good base recipe, then slowly tweak it by adding fun ingredients and increasing or decreasing what you put in to produce a really balanced and delicious product,” Bowlds says. “I have seen excellent variations of this using wines fermented from other fruits, such as sake, cherry or plum. That said, the advantage of using grape wines is that they are typically drier and less sweet, which allows one to carefully figure in other liqueurs and juices and then adjust sweetness level with judicious use of simple syrup.”

FINE-TUNING WITH FRUIT Once the base is in place, finding the fruit, herbs and spices that will bring the best out of the wine and spirits is the next step. The one thing the pros agree on is that fruit needs to be fresh and at peak flavor.

“During the summer, we are using stone fruits and taking advantage of their availability,” says Garcia. “In the fall and winter months, we like to use mulling spices, such as cinnamon and cloves, and to use simple syrups with these spices that we make in-house.

42 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

at the bar

Loquita’s Sangria Roja PHOTO BY ROB STARK

44 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

While we look at fruit in terms of what happens to be in season, we are open to bringing in fresh herbs, bitters, and other cocktail ‘condiments’ to develop new flavor profiles. Perhaps we can do a white sangria that has a bit of a mojito influence, and last fall, we played with rosemary, spices and herbs.”

Borracha bartender Hayley Rose Proenza notes that while oranges, lemons and other citrus are available year-round, the team reaches for strawberries and summer fruits when they are at their peak. “Other times of year, we like certain herbs-fruit combinations such as watermelon and basil, or orange and anise that add something to certain wine varietals,” she says.

“Regardless, it is so important to be sure you are changing up different

fruits and herbs as the seasons change, as you will get the most flavor and best balance when they are at the peak of their ripeness.”

The one thing that never changes is that you really can’t go wrong putting your sangria spin on the menu.

“There is really something for everybody,” says Pease, who notes it is “really hard to mess up” a sangria recipe.

“You can make it boozy or light, and use so many different types of wine, spirits, and fruit,” concludes Pease. “There are so many different ways to make it, so many opportunities to be creative.”

Elyse Glickman is the At the Bar columnist for el Restaurante.

See recipes for several sangria recipes on page 54.

en el bar

SANGRIA

LOS DETALLES CREATIVOS LLEVAN AL VINO Y LA FRUTA MÁS ALLÁ DEL BLANCO Y DEL TINTO | POR ELYSE GLICKMAN | A lo largo de

la historia, el vino se ha combinado con diversos elementos para satisfacer los gustos de cada época. Ese mismo espíritu inventivo continúa en la actualidad, cuando surgen nuevas adaptaciones de la sangría (la versátil bebida española de vino y fruta) en los bares de Estados Unidos.

Aunque la sangría, en alguna de sus formas, ha estado presente desde hace siglos, no llegó a Estados Unidos hasta 1964, año en que se sirvió en el

Pabellón Español de la Feria Mundial de Nueva York. Tras más de medio siglo, los bares y restaurantes inspirados en España, México y América Latina siguen llevando la sangría hacia el futuro, ajustándose a los gustos de los clientes de hoy, un sorbo de satisfacción a la vez.

TODO DEPENDE DE LA BASE El vino, naturalmente, es el ingrediente principal de cualquier sangría. Según los profesionales de la hostelería, la elección

del tipo de vino correcto requiere una cuidadosa reflexión.

Chris Zadie, sumiller del restaurante Mas Por Favor de 8182 Management Group en Las Vegas y de La Neta Cocina y Lounge, que pronto abrirá sus puertas en el centro de Summerlin (Nevada), opta por un sauvignon blanc de California para la sangría blanca Culo Blanco de La Neta. Ese vino, explica, se envejece en barricas de roble y tanques de acero, lo que lo distingue de los sauvignon blancs de Nueva Zelanda, que se envejecen principalmente en acero, un proceso que podría hacer que el sabor fuera demasiado “brillante” y abrumara a los demás ingredientes de la sangría. Las notas de “roble” del vino californiano, según explica, se adaptan mejor a las rodajas de melocotón blanco y clementina y a las frambuesas que se incorporarán a la mezcla. En cuanto a la sangría roja que está planeando para el otoño, Zadie se inclina por un zinfandel americano de viñas viejas, con más azúcar residual y un sabor ahumado y con mucho cuerpo, como el de un malbec clásico.

Cassandra Pease, directora de bebidas de Hermanito, en el oeste de Los Ángeles, coincide en que es importante considerar con cuidado el tipo de vino que formará la base de cualquier sangría. Esta decisión suele basarse en la temporada.

“Cuando se preparan sangrías de verano, sin duda se quieren tintos dulces y afrutados sin muchos taninos, como una garnacha o un tempranillo, y blancos crujientes y ligeramente ácidos, como un pinot grigio o un sauvignon blanc”, dice Pease, que en sus planes de otoño prevé una sangría hecha con pinot noir.

“Durante el periodo veraniego, una sangría de vino blanco realza los sabJULY/AUGUST 2021

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en el bar

LO QUE NO SE DEBE HACER CON LA SANGRIA • No use fruta fuera de temporada o temporada baja.

• No utilice fruta que vaya a cambiar drásticamente el sabor o la textura de la sangría. Ciertas frutas no combinan bien con el vino. Justin Cantanese, director general de Borracha Mexican Cantina en Green Valley Ranch, en Henderson, Nevada, señala que las frutas carnosas, tales como las bananas, enturbian la sangría o le dan una desagradable textura de “batido”. Y Chris Zadie, sumiller de Mas Por Favor, de 8182 Management Group, en Las Vegas, y de La Neta Cocina y Lounge, en el centro de Summerlin (Nevada), considera que las frutas asiáticas ácidas, como el lichi y la fruta del dragón, podrían crear un perfil de sabor excesivo cuando se combinan con determinados vinos blancos.

ores cítricos brillantes, mientras que la sangría de vino rosado con fresas frescas y menta es deliciosa”, dice Michael Bowlds, director general de Loquita, en Santa Bárbara (California). “Durante los meses más fríos del invierno, una W Ibiza White Sangria FOTO CORTESÍA DE W MONTREAL

46 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

• No se debe escatimar en el vino. Según Cantanese, utilizar un vino barato y de baja calidad o un vino sobrante que se ha abierto o se dejó en el frigorífico durante demasiado tiempo es un error común que cometen los mixólogos.

• No te pases con el hielo. Alexandre Tessier, director de ventas y marketing de The W Montreal, dice que usar demasiado hielo puede atenuar los matices importantes de los ingredientes.

• No confíes mucho en los zumos de fruta para potenciar el sabor. Añadir demasiados zumos de fruta diluye los sabores del vino y el alcohol y aporta demasiado dulzor, dice Tessier.

sangría a base de vino tinto armoniza con sabores más oscuros, como las cálidas especias para hornear, junto con licores y frutas de notas similares”.

Los mixólogos más creativos añaden también otros licores para perfeccionar las recetas básicas de sangría.

El Culo Blanco de Zadie, por ejemplo, incorpora media onza de Grand Marnier por cóctel, mientras que el tequila y el whisky son las combinaciones preferidas en la cantina mexicana Borracha de Green Valley Ranch, en Henderson (Nevada), y en la cantina Mi Casa Grill de Las Vegas.

“Con la sangría, los bares y restaurantes reconocidos por su innovación utilizan tanto el tequila como el

whisky para crear un perfil de sabor más complejo”, informa Justin Catanese, director general de Borracha. “Si bien he visto variaciones con vodka o ginebra como base, cualquier barman que busque captar un cliente de tipo aficionado se inclina por recetas aventuradas con tequila o whisky”.

Gina García, directora general de Mi Casa, afirma que la Sangarita del restaurante (“Sangría-Margarita”, un híbrido de Merlot o Cabernet, mezcla de margarita y tequila, mezclado con hielo) siempre ha incluido un chupito de tequila. Pero se está modificando para dejar atrás los tequilas plateados suaves y acercarse a tequilas o mezcales más ahumados, parecidos al bourbon. “En julio, una de nuestras especialidades será una sangría de tequila con cítricos”, dice García.

“La posibilidad de acceder a nuevos productos permite mucha más flexibilidad”, observa Bowlds, en cuyas recetas de sangría se incorporan productos como el licor de pimienta de Jamaica

en el bar

y el brandy de pera con especias. “Otros licores que se han vuelto más accesibles, como el suze o el chartreuse, nos dan la posibilidad de condimentar de forma creativa la sangría tradicional”, dice Bowlds. “Utilizar otros licores en la sangría aporta un nuevo y excitante perfil de sabor”, dice Pease, quien eligió el brandy de albaricoque para la sangría de verano del restaurante, Red Apricot Sangria. “ Los albaricoques están en temporada en este momento, y

el perfil de sabor complementa la fruta, naranjas mandarinas, melocotones y piña, que escogí para esta receta en particular”.

Salazar, de Los Ángeles, diferencia su Sangría Roja con Jardesca Red Aperitiva, un licor de aperitivo de baja gradación alcohólica que mezcla diez ingredientes naturales, como la mandarina, el jengibre y el cardamomo.

La base consiste en una mezcla de tres vinos artesanales californianos, con el

¿POR QUÉ LA SANGRÍA? Según Gina García, directora general de Mi Casa Grill Cantina, en Las Vegas, cuando un grupo no puede decidirse por el tipo de vino que va a pedir, lo mejor es una sangría roja o blanca.

Justin Catanese, director general de Borracha Mexican Cantina at Green Valley Ranch, en Henderson (Nevada), afirma que la sangría tiene la virtud de unir dos tipos de clientes, “los que prefieren los cócteles” y “los que optan Tres Sangrias de Mi Casa Grill Cantina FOTO POR EUGENE DELA CRUZ, ONESEVEN AGENCY

zinfadel en el centro. En el W Montreal, la carta de “Sangrías Remasterizadas”, desarrollada en colaboración con los mixólogos de los principales destinos del grupo hotelero, entre ellos Ibiza, incluye la Sangría Blanca W Ibiza, preparada con Bacardi Superior, Malibú, Cointreau y zumo de piña, y la Sangría Roja W Ibiza, que se ha mejorado con aguardiente de melocotón, licor de jengibre St-Germain, prosecco, zumo de pomelo y mezcla de bayas.

exclusivamente por el vino”, y, al mismo tiempo, es lo suficientemente versátil como para combinar con una gran variedad de platos. “Esto hace que la sangría tenga un cierto poder de permanencia”, afirma. “También es paralela a una evolución en la mixología moderna, que impulsa a los clientes a gravitar hacia productos que contienen ingredientes y sabores frescos”.

“Si usted es un bebedor de vino y entra en un lugar donde predominan los cócteles, la sangría es una opción fácil”, dice Chris Zadie, sumiller del Mas Por Favor de 8182 Management Group en Las Vegas y de La Neta Cocina y Lounge en el centro de Summerlin, Nevada. “Como las versiones tradicionales de la sangría son muy dulces, atrae al público americano promedio, que se inclina por los sabores más dulces”.

“La sangría es una excelente introducción al vino, sobre todo para los consumidores más jóvenes”, afirma Kassandra McPherson, de la bodega La Diosa de Lubbock (Texas). “La accesibilidad de los sabores afrutados y el cuerpo más ligero ha sido una forma maravillosa de ofrecer ese trampolín hacia el vino tinto seco a muchas personas que antes sentían que no les gustaba el vino tinto o no estaban seguras de por dónde empezar a la hora de disfrutar de los vinos tintos”.

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¿CUÁL ES EL SECRETO PARA MEJORAR LA BASE DE LA SANGRÍA? “El mejor consejo que puedo dar es encontrar una receta base realmente buena y, a partir de ahí, retocarla poco a poco agregando ingredientes divertidos y aumentando o disminuyendo lo que se pone para obtener un producto realmente equilibrado y delicioso”, dice Bowlds. “He visto excelentes variaciones de este tipo utilizando vinos fermentados a partir de otras frutas, como sake, cereza o ciruela. La ventaja de utilizar vinos de uva es que suelen ser más secos y menos dulces, lo que permite introducir cuidadosamente otros licores y zumos y ajustar el nivel de dulzor con un uso juicioso del sirope simple”.

AFINAR CON LA FRUTA Una vez establecida la base, el paso Sangria Roja de Borracha Mexican Cantina

siguiente es encontrar la fruta, las hierbas y especias que sacarán lo mejor del vino y los licores. En lo que coinciden todos los profesionales es en que la fruta debe ser fresca y estar en su punto óptimo de sabor.

“Durante los meses de verano, utilizamos frutas de hueso y nos aprovechamos de su disponibilidad”, dice García. “En los meses de otoño e invierno, preferimos utilizar especias para calentar, como canela y clavos, y con estas especias, utilizar jarabes sencillos que elaboramos nosotros mismos.

Aunque consideramos la fruta en función de la temporada, estamos abiertos a traer hierbas frescas, amargos y otros ‘condimentos’ de cóctel para desarrollar nuevos perfiles de sabor. Quizás podemos hacer una sangría blanca que tenga un poco de influencia del mojito, e incluso el otoño pasado jugamos con romero, especias y hierbas”.

La barman de Borracha, Hayley Rose Proenza, observa que, aunque las naranjas, los limones y otros cítricos están disponibles todo el año, el personal opta por las fresas y las frutas de verano cuando están en su mejor momento. “En otras épocas del año, preferimos ciertas combinaciones de hierbas y frutas, como sandía y albahaca, o naranja y anís, que aportan algo

Sangria Roja de Loquita FOTO POR ROB STARK

a ciertas variedades de vino”, dice.

“En cualquier caso, es importante asegurarse de que se cambian las frutas y las hierbas a medida que las estaciones cambian, ya que se obtiene el máximo sabor y el mejor equilibrio cuando están en el punto óptimo de maduración”.

Lo único que nunca varía es que no te puedes equivocar al darle un giro a la sangría en el menú.

“Ciertamente hay algo para todo el mundo”, dice Pease, que señala que es “muy difícil estropear” una receta de sangría.

“Se puede hacer con mucho alcohol o con poco, y utilizar diferentes tipos de vino, licores y frutas”, concluye Pease. “Hay tantas formas diferentes de hacerla y muchas oportunidades de ser creativo”.

Vea las recetas de varias sangrías en la página 54.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

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marketplace/el mercado

Tapatío Hot Sauce. To commemorate a halfcentury milestone, Tapatío has produced an exclusive 50th Anniversary memorabilia collection and all-new commemorative merchandise line. As part of the anniversary celebrations, the company has partnered with comedian and actor Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias to create a limited-edition bottle, which features “Fluffy” and his beloved pet chihuahuas. 323-587-8933; tapatiohotsauce.com

Salsa Picante Tapatío. Para conmemorar un logro de medio siglo, Tapatío ha hecho una colección exclusiva para recordar el 50 aniversario y una línea de mercancía conmemorativa completamente nueva. Como parte de las celebraciones del aniversario, la compañía hizo colaboración con el comediante y actor Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias para crear una botella de edición limitada, que tiene a “Fluffy” y su querida mascota chihuahua. 323-587-8933; tapatiohotsauce.com Calivirgin-Coldani Family Ranch Jalapeño Garlic Olive Oil. Made with fresh jalapeños and garlic cloves crushed with olives, this oil was a winning entry in the Oils Category of the 2021 Good Food Awards sponsored by The Good Food Foundation. Winners, who are chosen on product quality and on the companies’ commitment to environmental stewardship, are outstanding crafters that represent the nation’s best in delicious, sustainable fare. Calivirgin-Coldani Family Ranch’s Serrano Pepper Olive Oil made with crushed organic serrano peppers and olives also was a finalist in the category.

209-210-3162; calivirgin.com

Calivirgin-Coldani Family Ranch Aceite de Oliva con Ajo y Jalapeño.

Elaborado con jalapeños frescos y dientes de ajo machacados con aceitunas, este aceite fue una entrada ganadora en la categoría Aceites de los Premios Good Food 2021 patrocinado por The Good Food Foundation. Los ganadores, elegidos por la calidad del producto y el compromiso de las empresas con el cuidado del medio ambiente, son artesanos excepcionales que representan lo mejor del país en comida deliciosa y sustentable. El aceite de oliva con chile serrano de Calivirgin-Coldani Family Ranch elaborado con chiles serranos y aceitunas orgánicas machacadas también fue finalista en la categoría. 209-210-3162; calivirgin.com

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Ardent Mills Foodservice Line. The company has expanded its foodservice offerings to include a wide selection of products to meet the growing demand for gluten-free, plant-based and specialty ingredients. Gluten-free flour blends, a variety of South American and North American quinoa, chickpea flour, organic spelt flour and berries are now available in new resealable packaging and bag sizes designed specifically to help reduce food waste, provide a longer shelf-life, and protect against the elements and cross contamination.

Cuatro Cosechas tortilla and cake flours also available. 800-851-9618; ardentmills.com Línea de Servicio de Alimentos Ardent Mills. La empresa ha ampliado sus servicios de alimentos para incluir una amplia selección de productos para satisfacer la demanda de ingredientes sin gluten o de origen vegetal. Las mezclas de harina sin gluten, una variedad de quinua sudamericana y norteamericana, harina de garbanzo, harina y frutos de espelta orgánica ahora están disponibles en nuevos empaques resellables y tamaños de bolsas diseñados específicamente para ayudar a reducir el desperdicio de alimentos, aumenta la vida útil y los protege contra los elementos y la contaminación cruzada.

También hay disponibles harinas para tortillas y pasteles de Cuatro Cosechas. 800-851-9618; www.ardentmills.com

Breeze QR Code Menu Platform. Tackle staffing problems with this new QR code menu platform that lets servers spend less time printing receipts and swiping cards and more time on service. Once customers are seated, they scan a QR code that’s on the table and submit orders directly to your POS. Orders and payments go straight to your POS. Designed to allow each server to handle 40 percent more tables at a time without reducing attentiveness to guests. Check averages are up 15 to 20 percent for Breeze’s current users, including Margaritas, a popular chain of New Jersey Mexican restaurants. breezetab.com

Plataforma de Menú con Código QR de Breeze.

Soluciona los problemas de personal con esta nueva plataforma de menú de códigos QR con el que los meseros pasan menos tiempo en imprimir recibos y pasar tarjetas y más tiempo en dar servicio. Una vez que los clientes se sienten, escaneanun código QR que está en la mesa y envían los pedidos directamente a su punto de venta. Los pedidos y pagos van directamente a su punto de venta. Diseñado para que cada mesero pueda manejar un 40 por ciento más de mesas al mismo tiempo sin reducir la atención a los invitados. Las cuentas en promedio aumentan entre un 15 y un 20 por ciento para los usuarios actuales de Breeze, incluyendo Margaritas, una popular cadena de restaurantes mexicanos de Nueva Jersey. breezetab.com

Del Maguey Vida de Muertos Mezcal. This new, artisanal, twice distilled Single Village Mezcal with an ABV of 45% has an aromatic nose of tropical fruit, with hints of spice, floral notes, green herbs and poblano peppers. Made by the Cruz Nolasco Family out of the village of San Luis del Rio in Oaxaca, Mexico using artisanal methods passed down by generations, Vida de Muertos uses a special limited center cut of the distillate typically reserved just for the autumnal holiday, creating an ultra-balanced mezcal with a long, minerally finish. Creamy texture and complex finish make it perfect to serve neat or in cocktails. 917-605-0313; ciarra.lee@ pernod-ricard.com; delmaguey.com Mezcal Vida de Muertos Del Maguey. Este nuevo Mezcal Single Village artesanal, dos veces destilado con un grado de alcohol del 45 % tiene un aroma de frutas tropicales, con toques de especias, notas florales, hierbas verdes y chiles poblanos. Hecho por la familia Cruz Nolasco en el pueblo de San Luis del Río en Oaxaca, México, utilizando métodos artesanales transmitidos de generación en generación, Vida de Muertos utiliza un corte central limitado especial del destilado típicamente reservado solo para la época de otoño, creando un Mezcal ultraequilibrado con un final largo y mineral. La textura cremosa y el final complejo lo hacen perfecto para servir solo o en cocteles. 917-605-0313; ciarra.lee@ pernod-ricard.com; delmaguey.com

Tajín Hot Sauces. Two new hot sauces have joined the Tajín portfolio of products: Tajín Mild Hot made with a blend of 100% natural chiles, lime juice and sea salt, presented in a sauce product format; and Tajín Fruity Chamoy Hot Sauce made with the same natural ingredients but with a fruity and tangy flavor that comes from apricots. And like parent parent brand Tajín Clásico Seasoning, the new sauces have no added sugar or coloring. tajin.com/us Salsas Picantes Tajín. Dos nuevas salsas picantes se han incorporado a la familia de productos deTajín: Tajín Mild Hot elaborado con una mezcla de chiles 100% naturales, jugo de limón y sal de mar, presentado en forma de salsa; y la Salsa Picante Tajín Fruity Chamoy elaborada con los mismos ingredientes naturales, pero con un sabor a fruta y picante que viene de los albaricoques. Y al igual que el condimento Tajín Clásico de la marca principal, las nuevas salsas no tienen azúcar ni colorantes añadidos. tajin.com/us JULY/AUGUST 2021

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resource guide

52 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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recipes

50/50 Corn and Wheat Tortilla Recipe courtesy of Masienda Makes 8 large or 16 small tortillas 1 c. Masienda Chef-Grade Masa Harina

1 c. all-purpose flour ⅓ c. coconut oil 1 t. salt 1 t. baking powder 1 c. warm water Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and add (solid, not tempered) coconut oil. Mix dry ingredients with oil until wellcombined and pea-sized crumbles begin to form. Add warm water and mix well. The dough should be oily and not stick to your hands. Knead for 2 to 4 minutes. Shape the dough into 8 (large) or 16 (small) balls, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat a comal on medium-high heat. Press dough ball using a tortilla press.

Reduce heat to medium and lay tortilla down. Let cook approximately 20 to 25 seconds until brown and releasing from the comal. Flip and cook other the side for about 20 seconds. Flip again, and there should be some puff.

Note: We love pairing the finished tortilla with shredded cheese, eggs and ‘nduja sausage for a fun, nostalgic spin on the breakfast taco.

Mi Casa White Sangria Recipe courtesy of Mi Casa Grill Cantina at Silverton Casino Hotel, Las Vegas, NV Makes 1 serving

8 oz. chardonnay 1 oz. simple syrup 1 oz. peach schnapps 1 oz. orange juice Seltzer (enough to top off ) Seasonal fruits for garnish: apple, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries In a large glass or shaker, mix together chardonnay, simple syrup, orange juice and schnapps. Stir in seasonal fruit. Top off with seltzer before serving.

Mi Casa Red Sangria Recipe courtesy of Mi Casa Grill Cantina at Silverton Casino Hotel, Las Vegas, NV Makes 1 serving 8 oz. merlot or cabernet 1 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. Christian Brothers Brandy

1 oz. orange juice Seltzer (enough to top off ) Seasonal fruits for garnish: apple, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries In a large glass or shaker, mix together Chardonnay, merlot, simple syrup, orange juice and brandy. Stir in seasonal fruit.

Top off with seltzer before serving.

Mi Casa Sangarita Recipe courtesy of Mi Casa Grill Cantina at Silverton Casino Hotel, Las Vegas, NV Makes 1 serving 6 oz. merlot or cabernet Margarita mix

1½ oz. tequila blanco Seasonal fruits for garnish: apple, strawberries, black berries, blue berries, raspberries Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with ice, and blend. Pour into margarita glass. Garnish with fresh seasonal fruits.

Red Apricot Sangria Recipe courtesy of Hermanito, Los Angeles Makes 2 – 4 servings 750 ml garnacha red wine, (similar to a syrah, red fruit flavors with a subtle spice note)

¼ oz. house made raspberry syrup ¼ oz. triple sec ½ oz. Aperol ¼ oz. fresh agave ½ oz. Grand Marnier 3½ oz. American sauvignon blanc White peach slices, clementine slices, raspberries

Garnish with rosemary sprig and dried pineapple.

Combine all of the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass or shaker. In a snifter glass, add fresh fruit and ice, and stir in the sangria mix.

Serve with some remaining slices as garnishes.

¼ oz. peach schnapps ¼ oz. St-Germain ginger liqueur 2 oz. Martini Prosecco 2 oz. Volparo* ¼ oz. lime juice 1 oz. grapefruit juice 7 Up (enough to top off ) Mixed berries for garnish

Union House Sangria Recipe courtesy of Union, Tucson, Arizona Makes approximately 20 servings 12 bottles of Spanish garnacha red 375 ml. Stirrings Pomegranate Liqueur

2 ½ lbs. frozen peaches 1 pint muddled blueberries 1 pint cut strawberries 1 pint blackberries 5 sliced lemons 5 sliced oranges 16 oz. Presidente brandy Jarritos Grapefruit Soda Lemons and limes for Garnish

½ cup apricot brandy ¾ cup pineapple juice 2 - 3 T. brown sugar ½ med. apple (skin on, chopped into small pieces) 1 c. mandarin oranges 1 c. diced strawberries 1 c. pineapple 1 c. peaches ½ c. blueberries Sparkling water (enough to top off; optional)

Combine all ingredients except grapefruit soda. Put in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Strain fruit. Divide into 16 oz glasses over ice. Top with 3 oz. Jarritos Grapefruit Soda. Add lemon and lime slices for garnish.

Combine the wine, brandy, brown sugar and chopped fruit. For best results, refrigerate overnight to allow the fruit, spirits and other elements meld together. The longer it sits, the better. When ordered, pour into a tall glass or red wine glass.

Garnish with fruit and serve.

½ oz. Bacardi Superior ½ oz. Malibu Liqueur ½ oz. Cointreau 1 oz. pineapple juice 1 oz. lemon Juice ¾ c. simple syrup 7 Up (enough to top off ) Rosemary sprig + dried pineapple (1 ea. per drink, for garnish)

Culo Blanco Recipe courtesy of Mas Por Favor/La Neta, Las Vegas Makes 1 Drink

1 oz. white peach puree

54 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

W Ibiza White Sangria Recipe courtesy of The Terrace at the W Montreal Makes 1 drink 3 oz. white wine

Assemble all the ingredients in a wine glass. Add ice. Top with the soda and give it a gentle stir to mix it all together.

W Ibiza Red Sangria Recipe courtesy of The Terrace at the W Montreal Makes 1 drink ¼ oz. Soho

Assemble all the ingredients into a wine glass. Add ice, and then top with soda. Give it a gentle stir to mix it all together. Garnish with mixed berries. *Management recommends red wine from Terre di Chieti, Italy

Loquita’s Sangria Roja Recipe courtesy of Loquita, Santa Barbara, California Makes 12 5-oz. servings 1 bottle tempranillo red wine

1⅓ c. fresh squeezed orange juice ¾ c. fresh squeezed lemon juice ¾ c. Spanish brandy ¾ c. simple syrup (3 oz of granulated sugar dissolved into 3 oz boiling water) 2 T. allspice liqueur Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Pour over a glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with an orange slice and diced green apple.

Loquita’s Sangria Rosada Recipe courtesy of Loquita, Santa Barbara, California Makes 12 5-oz. servings 1 bottle Spanish rosé

1 c. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice ¾ c. fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 c. simple syrup (½ cup granulated sugar dissolved into ½ cup boiling water) ¾ c. vodka ¾ c. pomegranate juice ¼ c. spiced pear brandy Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Pour over a glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with strawberry wheel and mint top.

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my favorite recipe

ERICH WHISENHUNT

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurants WHEN PAT MCGAUGHRAN OPENED THE FIRST RIO GRANDE MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, in 1986, he described it as “a joint for friends, family and our community to gather and celebrate life together.”

The goal — to “provide sanctuary from the problems of the world while serving the best DANG margaritas and Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande” — was achieved, as the restaurant expanded into Denver, Boulder, Greeley, Lone Tree and Fort Collins (where the business is still headquartered).

And it is one that was even more pronounced in 2020 once the pandemic arrived.

“I am so humbled and in awe of our brave teams and amazing community for the support we have received for Rio and our crew,” McGaughan expressed in a note to the Rio Grande community. “‘We provide sanctuary’ has never been so poignant as now. Funny thing is, our communities have turned about and provided sanctuary for us as well!”

Now, as the restaurants open to full capacity for a more normal summer dining season, Rio Grande customers will find a chef and customer favorite on the menu at each location: the Esquite Lobster Taco, a seasonal offering crafted with a corn tortilla, lime compound butter, fresh grilled sweet corn, mayonnaise, pickled onions, cotija and cilantro. Available this year in the short window from July 20 through August 29, the taco pairs well with Rio Grande’s Watermelon Margarita, also available for that limited time.

“We constructed this taco to be a play on traditional elote (corn on the cob) or esquite (corn off the cob served in a bowl or dish) in a taco form, with the added element of sweet, tender, flash-fried lobster,” says Erich Whisenhunt, director of food and beverage at Rio Grande. “Traditional elements of this Mexican street food are grilled, fresh sweet corn, fat (butter or mayonnaise), chile (chile piquin), cheese (cotija or queso fresco), and lime.”

56 el restaurante | JULY/AUGUST 2021

Esquite Lobster Taco Makes 14 tacos 14 corn tortillas 21 oz. thawed Langostino 4 oz. compound butter 14 oz. creamy esquite mix 1.5 oz./60 slices pickled onions Cotija and cilantro, for garnish The Compound Butter:

5 T. agave nectar 2 fl. oz. orange juice 1.5 fl. oz lime juice 1 c. of water Mix one half of the water (warm) with the salt and agave nectar and stir to dissolve. Add the rest of the water (cold), vinegar, orange and lime juice and stir to mix.

¼ lb. butter, softened Zest from ¼ lime 0.1 wt. oz. cilantro (½ T. loose pack rough chop) ½ t. salt 1/4 t. white pepper ½ T. garlic .25 fl. oz. orange juice (⅛ medium orange), strained .35 fl. oz. lemon juice (¼ lemon), strained .35 fl. oz. lime juice (½ lime)

The Pickled Onions:

Mix all ingredients together.

The Langostino: Toss Langostino with corn starch. Fry at 375°F for 30 seconds until crisp. Melt compound butter in a hot saute pan over medium heat (being careful not to burn/overcook).

Remove from heat. Toss fried langostino with the butter.

The Creamy Esquite Mix: 9 wt. oz. prepped grilled corn, cut off cob (about 2 large ears)

⅔ c. mayo 0.4 fl. oz. lime juice (½ lime) Zest from ½ lime 1 t. chile piquin powder, fine (ground in house) Mix all ingredients together.

The Pickling Marinade: ¼ cup white vinegar 2 T. kosher salt

1 lb. red onions, peeled and sliced thin 2 c. pickling marinade Peel and rinse onions under water.

Using the mandolin thin slice and add onions to pickling solution and refrigerate. Pickle minimum 6 hours and up to 24 hours.

Remove from pickling solution and rinse under cold water.

To build each taco: Warm the corn tortilla. Place langostino on the tortilla. Place the creamy esquite mix over the langostino (do not fully cover it up). Top with pickled onions and cotija and a pinch of fresh cilantro.

R J H X ) njfco.com (800) 291-3862

Now Serve Delicious Authentic Tacos EVERY DAY!

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