Puckered Perfection: The Perfect Patron Margarita for any Palette

Puckered Perfection: The Perfect Patron Margarita for any Palette 

By Kelly Grace Thomas

Edible Skinny helped make some hard decisions on February 22, this year’s National Margarita Day. We were invited by Patron to help decide 2016's #PerfectMargarita.

With each sip we debated which of these creatively crafted drinks, that ranged from spicy to smoky and everything in between, would win this year palatable perfection.

The event held at the Smog Shoppe in Los Angeles celebrated National Margarita Day by showcasing eight guest mixologists and their hand-crafted inspiration. Each were assigned  a flavor that inspired a new take on a classic cocktail, with every ingredient and variation imaginable. From tropical to savory with some herbal in between, these margaritas puckered with personality and went way beyond the boundaries of rocks and salt.

While Edible Skinny could make your mouth water with savory adjectives and dizzying descriptions, we figured we’d let these margaritas speak for themselves:)

While Patron won’t crown the Margarita of the Year until April, we figure you could try these recipes at home and decide for yourself. From us to you, here at eight stellar margarita recipes that will have you wish they made holidays like these more often. Happy National Margirita Day. Hope life is delicious.

For more information about the contest and all seven recipes visit MargaritaOfTheYear.com where you can log in and cast a vote (once daily, through April 15th) for their favorite.

*Indicate an Edible Skinny favorite

*Drink Name: The Resting Garden Margarita

Margarita Style: Herbal

Bartender: Ryan Brown

Market: Tampa, Florida

Bar Name: Anise

1.75 oz Patrón Reposado

.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Mango

1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

.75 oz Agave Syrup

6 Sage Leaves, (2 for garnish)

Pinch of Salt

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Holding a fine mesh strainer in one hand, “double strain” the drink by pouring the drink through it into an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with two sage leaves and a grilled mango slice.

Inspiration: I wanted to create a drink that stayed true to the classic margarita, yet still explored other flavor profiles. I experimented with a few different fresh herbs for this style, and landed on fresh sage because it has a warm, earthy flavor that complements the fresh agave notes in the Reposado nicely.

Margarita Style: Tropical

Drink Name: Stargarita

Bartender: Bettina Barnoczki

Market: Miami, Florida

Bar Name: Faena Hotel

Margarita Style: Tropical

Drink Name: Stargarita

1.5 oz Patrón Silver Infused with Mint Tea*

.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Mango

.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz Star Fruit Puree or Muddled Star Fruit

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a salt-rimmed Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of star fruit and a lime wheel.

* Patrón Silver Infused with Mint Tea:

Steep 4 mint tea bags per 12 oz of Patrón Silver for 30 minutes. Remove teabags.

Inspiration: For the tropical margarita I wanted to concoct a recipe that was really fresh and refreshing, ideal with the heat and climate of the tropics, and prepared with readily available ingredients. Living in a tropical climate, we are always looking for ways to cool off.  Mint is very cooling and the tartness and lightness of the starfruit with a little funkiness from the Mango Citronge made for a margarita one can sip on all day in the sunshine.  I also wanted it to be lighthearted and fun, and something that would stand out catch one's eye.

Margarita Style: Savory

Drink Name: Winter in Jalisco Margarita

Bartender: Laura Newman

Market: New York, New York

Bar Name: Cienfuegos/Mother of Pearl

1.5 oz Patrón Silver

.75 oz Patrón XO Cafe

.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange

.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1 barspoon (.125 oz) Toasted Sesame Oil

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh kumquat.

Inspiration: I’m inspired every day by the culinary melting pot that is New York City, so I love when I can incorporate flavors from across the globe into my cocktails. For this savory margarita, I was inspired by the rich flavors in traditional Mexican mole sauce, and then I mixed it up a bit with the sesame oil for a bit of Asian fusion as well – because mixing flavors and cultures is what New York is all about!

Margarita Style: Modern

Drink Name: The Re-Margarita

Bartender: Rosie Ruiz

Market: Los Angeles, California

Bar Name: Cole’s

2 oz Patrón Silver

2 oz Carbonated Homemade Orange-Lime Cordial*

Method:

Pour Patrón Silver over cracked ice in a double old fashioned glass, and top off with an equal measure of the carbonated homemade orange-lime cordial. Gently stir ingredients to combine. Garnish with lime and orange wheels studded with a clove.

*Carbonated Homemade Orange-Lime Cordial:

Place the peels of 8 limes and 10 oranges in a bowl along with 4 cups sugar and muddle to release the essential oils. Cover and let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, juice the limes and oranges. After 1 hour, add citrus juices, 2.5 oz. Patrón Citrónge Lime and 4 whole cloves and stir to create a syrup. Refrigerate 8-12 hours, then strain and store in fridge. To carbonate, mix 18.5 ounces of the cordial liquid with 6 oz. water and charge using a soda siphon or whipped cream charger with two six-gram CO2 cartridges.

Inspiration: "We look to our past, to see the future" … The Future is all about convenience along with the resurgence of homemade products. This recipe is easy to use at home yet sophisticated enough to have at any craft cocktail bar. In this time of social media and easy accessibility, people want more than ever to connect on a human level. What better way than to “make” your own cocktail ingredients from scratch and serve them at your leisure to your guest or loved ones.

*Margarita Style: Spicy

Drink Name: Rosa Picante Margarita

Bartender: Jordan Corney

Market: San Antonio, Texas

Bar Name: Bohanan’s

2 oz Patrón Silver

.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz Simple Syrup

.5 oz Ginger Syrup

.5 barspoon Jalapeño Oil or a Fresh Jalapeño Slice

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe that has been half-rimmed with rose sea salt, and top with a dash of rose water. Garnish with a rose petal, if available.

*Margarita Style: Smoky

Drink Name: Smoked Mangonada Margarita

Bartender: Stephen Halpin

Market: Dallas, Texas

Bar Name: Parliament

2 oz Patrón Reposado

.75 oz Smoked Patrón Citrónge Mango*

.75 oz Mango Puree*

.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into into an ice-filled double old fashioned glass that has been rimmed with Tajin (a chili lime salt). Garnish with a slice of fresh mango.

*Smoked Patrón Citrónge Mango:

Pour 6 oz of Patrón Citrónge Mango into a large empty bottle. Using a smoking gun, fill the bottle with smoke and swirl to combine for 20 seconds. It is now ready to be used as needed.

*Mango Puree:

Peel and pit one ripe mango and cut into pieces. In a food processor, purée mango with 1.5 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice until smooth.

Margarita Style: Classic

Drink Name: Hacienda Margarita

Bartender: Andrés Moran

Market: Guadalajara, Mexico

1.5 oz Patrón Silver

.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange

.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.25 oz Agave Nectar

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Patron Puts the “Art” Back in Party with the “Art of Patron”

This year Patron is putting the art back in party with their “Art of Patron” contest.  The contest inspired by Patron’s craft and commitment to the finest tequila, is proving to be the perfect way to mix things up. The contest invites artists and innovators to give “the brand’s distinct glass bottles a second life” through artistic interpretation, asking applicants to create an original work of art or functional item that contains, is made from, or depicts any Patrón bottle or component thereof. From elegant chandeliers to fresh and funky vases, Patron enthusiasts have shown just how versatile this iconic glass bottle can be. The contest, which ended on April 30, will narrow ten finalists to one grand prizewinner who will receive $10,000 and national exposure for their work of art. To promote their contest, Patron invited Edible Skinny to the “Art of Patron” Los Angeles event to experience the taste behind the art.  

The Art of Patron event reminds us just how much dedication goes into a perfectly crafted cocktail through inspiration and mixology. The event focused on Patron creativity featuring over ten signature cocktails ranging from the classic Patron Smoked Sea Salt Margarita made with Patron Silver, pineapple, and paprika to the Tea Sea, which featured Patron XO Café, cold- brewed coffee and spiced and sweetened condensed milk. With other drinks like the Mexican Mule, made with Patron Resposado, Ginger Beer and lime juice and the Patron Old Fashioned, there was something on the list for everyone. While we are all use tequila staples like margaritas or shot, these cocktails made us wonder why we had been limiting the potentials of this perfectly palatable Patron. Through conscientious crafting each Patron cocktail told a story, and our taste buds listened. 

And no story is complete without reminding us of its roots. The Art of Patron Event offered guest an escape from reality through immersive 360 degree Oculus Rift technology which brought guest back to the origins of it all. Those who took the trip were transported to a hacienda in Mexico where they experienced Patron’s first handcrafting from start to finish through the eyes of a bee. This virtual experience took us on a journey where we traveled from the highest-quality Weber Blue agave plants grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, to the centuries-old distillation process, to the signed, handcrafted glass bottles, Patrón is produced with unparalleled attention to detail.

The Art of Patron event left no taste untapped when it came to art. With a walkthrough gallery of Andy Warholesque Patron portraits, to a monster Patron bottle recreated in crayons, to color your own cocktails, to photography rooms, the event made sure you attendees were living the art as much as tasting it. They even featured a create your own bottle artwork station, where guest could bedazzle or decorate their own Patron bottle to take home. 
 

And no night or cocktail would be complete without the finishing touches. To make sure things continued to spice up, Patron featured a spice stations where attendees could learn about the different flavors used to rim these creative and innovative cocktails. There was also a make-your-own station where guests could choose from over 25 spices to create a personalized combination that they received in a Patron tin, for their home drinking pleasure. 

Patron, a perfect balance of taste and tradition has outdone themselves this time, pushing the boundaries of influence and inspiration. The Art of Patron shows us tequila is an art form every step of the way, from inception to consummation, this versatile spirit is a masterpiece.   

For more information about the #artofpatron or Patron spirits, please visit Patronspirits.com

The Fabulousness of Herradura's Colección de la Casa and Redbird!

Edible Skinny was lucky enough to get invited to Casa Herradura introduction to its third Colección de la Casa offering: a Scotch Cask Finished Tequila Reposado hosted by Rubén Aceves, International Director for brand development, Brown Forman Tequila Mexico, Tequila Herradura at Neal Fraser’s recently opened Redbird in DTLA last week! (And wow that was quite the word filled sentence!)

Casa Herradura started their Colección de la Casa legacy two years ago with the successful launch of the inaugural “expression” Port Cask Finish Reposado.  This was then followed up with their second “expression” Cognac Cask Finish Reposado.  The third in this series is a Scotch Cask finished Reposado that acquires its complex body and extraordinary smooth taste from resting in two different types of oak casks.  It’s everything that’s great about Scotch, but now in Tequila form

Casa Herradura is one of Mexico’s most historic and renowned tequila producers.  Founded by Ambrosio Rosales and Aurelio Lopez, Casa Herradura has been hand-harvesting, handcrafting, and estate bottling 100% agave tequila at the Hacienda San José del Refugio, since 1870.  Herradura is credited with the introduction of the world’s first-ever Reposado and extra-Añejo tequilas in 1974 and 1995, respectively.  FYI Most Mexicans consume there Tequila straight and we followed this tradition during the entire event.  They might mix it with one mixer such as Coke, but they don’t follow the American standard of Tequila in cocktail form! 

And let’s talk about the recently opened Redbird’s location!

One of the few remaining 19th-century structures in Los Angeles, the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana was dedicated in 1876 and served as a religious landmark for more than 100 years.  After suffering damages in the 1994 Northridge Quake, the historic building was eventually decommissioned and transformed into a special events venue.

Owned and operated by chef Neal Fraser (BLD, Fritzi Dog), his wife Amy Knoll Fraser, and restaurateur Bill Chait (République, Bestia, Petty Cash Taqueria, etc.), the rectory building adjacent to the cathedral was recently converted into Redbird, the much-awaited follow-up to Fraser's last restaurant Grace (RIP). FYI: the restaurant's name is a homage to the cardinal whose offices were once located on this site!

For our Colección de la Casa event we were sequestered away in one of the private rooms off the rectory building that included a balcony, 12-person table, and an exclusive kitchen where Neal Fraser personally cooked for us!  Boom!

From the Veggie sidelines I was able to document the delicate yet gamey (or at least it looked that way) English Pea, Soybean, Black Truffle Soup, and Ancho Sangrita, Avocado.  The dish was paired with Herradura’s simple Blanco (aka Silver)

Blanco (aka Silver) Tequila.   Sweet in flavor with a touch of oak the finish was crisp, clean, and smooth.

The standard main course was equally as visually gamey (Bacon Wrapped Saddle of Wild Boar with Spaetzle, Kale and Tequila Violet Mustard sauce) but Fraser was kind enough to whip up a Tofu based dish for the Vegs of the group complete with Spaetzle!  Both paired fabulously with Herradura’s Tequila (regular) Reposado smooth flavor profile of vanilla, butter and dried fruit!

But the most fabulous part of the evening was the most fascinating dessert I’ve had in years!!!  Created by Jashmine Corpuz, Pastry Chef at Redbird, the Tequila Caramel Budino was composed of keffir lime crumble, candied macadamia nuts, cilantro, cilantro syrup, pineapple & vanilla salad, and jalapeño cilantro sherbert.  You haven’t really lived until you’ve tried jalapeño cilantro sherbert with cilantro syrup!!!  This was of course paired with their featured Colección de la Casa Tequila Reposado where its long-drawn out Scotch finish with a touch of sweetness complimented it perfectly!

It was a fabulous event at a fabulous location where I ended up with a fabulous bottle of Herradura’s Colección de la Casa as I was walking out the door!  And how did I end up finishing this fabulous night?   At home surrounded by my fabulous roommates sipping everything that’s great about Scotch, but now in Tequila form!

Salud!