Our Favorite Margarita

April is almost over and that means Cinco de Mayo is just days away. We know that there are a lot of Margarita recipes out there but we think you should try one that our friend, David Haynes, served us recently. It is also a perfect recipe for a crowd because you can make up large batches in advance and then just have the guests serve themselves by adding the tequila to the shaker to make up their individual drinks.

David Haynes

Osvaldo Vazquez Campa

We caught David sipping his Naranja Margarita at our local Coco stand in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. He was served one of Osvaldo Vazquez Campa's famous Marisco y Coco.  It is a thrilling event to watch Valdo chop the top of the coconut with his huge machete, pour the water into a plastic bag, tie with a rubber band and add a straw to drink it. He then adds your choice of fresh fish to the hollowed out coconut.  We had a shrimp coco made with Clamato juice, shrimp, lime juice, shreds of coconut and what Valdo called black salsa (better known to us as soy sauce!)

If you can't find a coco stand, try David's Naranja Margarita with homemade tortilla chips sprinkled with Sal del Mar and salsa. 

David's Naranja Margarita (recipe for one cocktail)

Sal de Margarita
l lime wedge
1 1/2 oz. of white tequila
1/2  oz. Cointreau
2 oz. fresh orange juice
1 oz. lime juice
Grand Marnier (optional)
6 to 10 ice cubes

Spread Sal de Margarita on a small plate. Moisten half the rim of a martini glass with lime and then dip into the Sal de Margarita to crust just half the rim.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau, orange juice and lime juice. Cover and shake it a lot (tiny ice crystals should appear) until frothy and cold. Strain into the Sal de Margarita-crusted glass. Add a "floater" of Grand Marnier to top and serve.

David's Naranja Margarita (recipe for a pitcher of Margaritas)

2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups white tequila
1/2 cup Cointreau
Grand Marnier (optional)

Use Sal de Margarita to crust the rims of martini glasses. Make the pitcher of the ingredients. When ready to serve stir and add to a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Shake and strain into the Sal de Margarita rimmed glasses.  Add a "floater" of Grand Marnier. Repeat for remaining margaritas.

Sal de Margarita

Even the Irish

We can't resist suggesting a margarita for St. Patrick's day.  And.... after all, there is a bit of green with a lime as a garnish. 

Here is Rick Bayless's (he recommends Sal del Mar!) recipe for his Easy Margarita

You only need four ingredients:
fresh squeezed lime juice
100% silver tequila
Cointreau
and Sal del Mar

Mix equal portions of lime juice, tequila and Cointreau in a pitcher.

Fill a shaker half full of ice cubes.

Add enough margarita mixture for a couple of drinks and shake to chill the mixture and properly dilute it with the melted ice.. about 15 seconds.

Strain into a Sal del Mar rimmed glass.

And enjoy!

Coffee (and salt?)

I love this photograph. My photographer friend, Brad Torum, photographed this setting for me to feature coffee and Sal del Mar. He captured that moment all of us who drink coffee relish... a quiet moment before the day begins with the morning paper, a cup of hot coffee and yes, even a bite or two of a muffin. 

Sal del Mar is part of the setting too because It is considered a "must" by many coffee connoisseurs who know that a pinch of Sal del Mar takes away any bitterness. 

Here is Alton Brown's (of Food Network) recipe for coffee:

24 fluid ounces filtered water

1/2 cup freshly ground coffee

Pinch (Sal del Mar) gourmet sea salt

Directions:

Bring water to a boil in an electric kettle or in the microwave. Meanwhile place the ground coffee and Sal del Mar into a French press carafe. Pour the boiling water over the grounds. Place the plunger in the carafe but do not press down. Brew for 4 minutes, then slowly push the plunger down. Drink immediately or hold in a thermos for up to 3 hours.

A Taste of Love. . .

I have been saving this Rick Bayless recipe for Sal del Mar's Valentine's Day celebration for several months, because it "speaks" Valentine with its silky, smooth texture and rich, voluptuous color.

To describe this Blood Orange Margarita more than that is difficult - except to say not only does the blood orange and the Cointreau bring a sweet/tart flavor but the blood orange color is rich and intense.
 

I use martini glasses for my margaritas and I put them in the freezer to get frosty.

Blood Orange Margarita (from Rick Bayless)
Makes 9 cocktails

2/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup 100% agave silver tequila
1/2 cup Cointreau
2 cups fresh blood orange juice (you’ll need about 6 juicy blood oranges)
A lime half for moistening the glass rims
SAL DEL MAR 
Ice cubes (you’ll need about 6 cups—small ones are best)

In a large pitcher, stir together the lime juice, sugar and 3/4 cup water until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the tequila, Cointreau and blood orange juice. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Moisten the rims of three 6-ounce martini glasses with the cut side of a lime half. Spread SAL DEL MAR on a small plate, then upend the glasses into the salt to crust the rims.

 Fill a cocktail shaker about 3/4 full of ice and measure in 1 1/2 cups of the margarita for 3 drinks. Cover and shake for about 15 seconds to thoroughly chill the mixture.

Strain into the prepared glasses and hand to your guests.

When you’re ready, finish the remaining margaritas in the same way.

Super Bowl Sunday

I have to admit it. I am not a football fan but I do love the food and drink part.

At our house the cocktail will be a Paloma... a "margarita" made with grapefruit juice.

It's easy to make:

Rub half the rim of a highball glass with a grapefruit wedge. Dip the glass in SAL DE COCKTAIL.

Combine 1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice with 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Stir until the sugar is dissolved and then add a jigger of tequila, ice and top with club soda.

Our new grey linen Sal de Cocktail bags make a great gift for the bar!

The Art of Salting A Margarita Glass

      For Margarita lovers...

THE QUEST FOR SALT: The Grove Cafe and Market

The Grove, Albuquerque

My quest for finding salt in all kinds of form is ON and we’re off on our summer cross-country “road trip.”

I love Santa Fe but Old Town Alburquerque has my favorite breakfast/lunch cafe...The Grove Cafe & Market and so, of course, food wins out.

The Grove  is very creative with their menu and they feature organic and local seasonal products. They also make the best English muffins (I know because I’m a connoisseur of Engish muffins).

Here are some of my favorite breakfast items from their menu:

POACHED EGGS with toast and fresh fruit
with roasted turkey or black forest ham
with La Quercia prosciutto, roasted asparagus, parmesan

ORGANIC EGG WHITE FRITTATA with toast seasonal vegetables, arugula salad, pecorino cheese

ENGLISH MUFFIN housemade served with butter and local honey or Heidi’s Organic jam

CROQUE MADAME with fresh fruit
black forest ham, tomato, whole grain mustard, gruyere cheese,
topped with sunny side up egg, open faced and warm on rustic farm loaf

THE BREAKFAST SANDWICH with fresh fruit
scrambled egg, lettuce, tomato, mayo on housemade english muffin add avocado, add turkey, ham or bacon

THE BURRITO
scrambled egg, Tully’s sausage, goat cheese, housemade green chile in tortilla, with our roasted tomato jalapeno salsa

Their pantry is irresistable.  It is filled with with local goods and other selections for the Foodie including salts....but alas no Sal del Mar.  (I couldn’t help visualizing it there!)

Before leaving, I had to buy for the road The Grove’s English Muffins that they sell by the half-dozen. And there before me was “My Albuquerque Salt Find”...... Salted Chocolate Brownies. 

Later in Chicago.....

Salted brownie and milk.... yum!

Our Salted Recipe for Chocolate Brownies from Vivian Bennett:

Salted Fudge Brownies

(adapted from Food & Wine/Kate Krader)

1  ½ sticks unsalted butter

2 ounces bitter chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs

1  ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Sal Del Mar sea salt or more to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges.  Lightly butter the foil.

2.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the bitter chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat.  Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugars, eggs, vanilla and flour.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.  Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter.  Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.

3.  Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter.  Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour. Carefully lift the brownies out of the pan.  Cut into hearts if desired or refrigerate until firm, about one hour then lift the brownies and cut into 16 squares.  Serve at room temperature.

Make ahead  The salted fudge brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and frozen for up to one month.

A Little of Fire and Ice

Mexican Fire Drill Cocktail, Nox Tucson

I am once again behind in coming to my journal. But we are off on a cross-country trip to Cape Cod from Mexico and I have already started photographing Ideas for Sal del Mar starting with a stop at Nox, a new and creative restaurant in Tucson, Arizona.

It wasn't hard to be inspired by the food and cocktails served here.  There are dishes like tacos with duck confit, hoisin, and chive and a dish of spicy rock shrimp, with a sweet chili glaze and chili aioli.

But, of course, it was the cocktail menu that captured my attention.  There are two categories:  Shaken and Refreshing and Stirred and Boozy.  (I learned that drinks that have citrus or simple syrup or thick mixes such as egg or diary are shaken versus those that stirred. Stirring is a more gentle technique for mixing cocktails and for a perfect amount of dillution.   

I spotted the “Mexican Fire Drill” cocktail because, of course, I saw it has smoked salt as a primary ingredient along with jalapeño infused tequila, pineapple, demerarra, and lime.  (I asked the bartender to serve mine on a salt-rimmed glass ).

There was a definite punch with the jalapeño infused tequila but not too much to not appreciate the savory smokey taste of the salt and the sweet of the pineapple.  

And the Nox menu....said it well:

"We ate well and cheaply and drank well and cheaply and slept well and warm together and loved each other"   - HEMINGWAY

We’ll be on the road again soon.

FIRE AND ICE

1 1/2 oz. jalapeño infused tequila

juice of 1 1/2 limes

1 oz. pineapple juice

1/2  oz. demerarra

Smoked Salt (heat enough water to dissolve smoked salt...swirl around glass and then throw out)

Sal de Cocktail  (rub lime around half the glass and dip glass into Sal de Cocktail)

Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled half way with ice cubes. Shake and serve in a Sal de Cocktail salt-rimmed glass.