Sabrine Dhaliwal offers her take on the easy-drinking Mexican classic.
• 2 oz Volcan de mi Tierra Blanco
• 1.5 oz grapefruit juice
• 0.75 oz lime juice
• 0.75 oz agave nectar
• Soda water
• Garnish: salted rim, grapefruit half-moon.
Paloma
Fever-Tree Paloma
Mexico’s favourite cocktail, the refreshing Paloma, is also the easiest to make.
• ¼ tequila (we suggest a 100% agave, like Patrón)
• ¾ Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit
• Garnish: grapefruit wedge
• Optional: salt rim
La Joya
Matthew Benevoli’s La Joya uses his homemade ginger bug.
• 1.25 oz blanco tequila
• 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur
• 0.75 oz ginger bug
• 1 oz orange juice (preferably fresh-pressed)
• 0.25 oz lemon juice
• Garnish: lemon twist, orange slice or vibrant flower
In the mix
When it’s hot out, nothing tastes better than a bright, citrusy Margarita. But who has the energy to squeeze all those limes? Luckily for the lazy among us, Volcán De Mi Tierra Tequila has come to the rescue with a new made-in-Canada Margarita pre-mix designed to perfectly complement the tequila’s citrus, cherry and white pepper flavours.
Stray Bullets
Available at Brass Fish and The Three Brits. This one quickly became a staple at Brass Fish when we opened in February 2020. It found its way onto a few other menus and holds its own in the overall sales of cocktails in the pubs.
• 2 oz silver tequila (preferably Olmeca Altos 100% Agave)
• 0.5 oz simple syrup (1:1)
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz passionfruit purée
• Soda
Margarita Popsicles
Note that you will need popsicle moulds and, if you don’t have plastic holders, wooden popsicle sticks for this recipe.
0.5 cup sugar
1 cup water
0.75 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 juicy limes)
0.25 cup silver tequila
0.25 cup orange liqueur
Garnish: flaky sea salt (optional)
Return of the Sumac
Recipe by Chickadee Room bar manager Sabrine Dhaliwal. This new addition to the menu is a rich and savoury cocktail flavoured with sumac, a tangy, citrusy spice popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.
1.5 oz Sumac-infused blanco tequila (see note)
0.75 oz amontillado sherry
0.5 oz Cynar
2 dashes Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech bitters
Garnish: lemon peel
Live @ 5
Recipe by Pourhouse Bar Manager Adam Domet. A re-interpretation of that summer classic, the Margarita, with the licorice-y hint of absinthe.
• 2 oz Altos Blanco Tequila
• 0.5 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
• 1 tsp St. George absinthe
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 0.5 oz Five Alive Cordial (see below)
Patrón, perfected
Competition is a celebration of tequila
Cocktail competitions are not just about the winning drinks. They are about community, creativity and exploration, discovering new flavours and learning new techniques. Only a handful worldwide truly raise the bar for the industry. Among those, there is Patrón Perfectionists, the world’s premier tequila competition.
After the challenges of the past year, Patrón felt it was important to make the competition as inclusive as possible. So it has opened the competition to all bartenders across Canada, regardless of where (or if) they are working.
It Takes a Valley
Jared Schmidt’s Patrón Perfectionists competition-winning cocktail is inspired by the Okanagan Valley.
• 1.5 oz Patrón Silver
• 0.5 oz B.C. apple-infused Bénédictine (see note)
• 0.25 oz 1:1 simple syrup
• 1 oz B.C. organic white verjus
• 0.75 oz dry B.C. apple cider
• Garnish: grapefruit peel