Contest entry: Basilador

So...the USBG was having a contest for Ohio members to create a recipe for Tequilador Blanco or Tequilador Reposado to be distributed in little recipe booklets with the tequilas.  I haven't heard anything since the deadline (which wasn't too long ago, so I don't know when results are going to happen Edit:  Basilador was picked!  The recipes will have a QR code with them so that people can go to a video of each cocktail being made (embedded in this entry below!).  I'll be going to Cleveland at some point in December to be filmed making it so I'm not sure how mine came out.  I love the drink, and I've gotten some nice feedback on it.  The name may be a little misleading, as there's not an overwhelming basil flavor to it, but it seemed cute and clever and better than anything else I could think of at the time...ha 

Basilador
Glass:  Large cocktail
Method: Muddle, Shake and Strain
Garnish: Grape spiral/basil sprig


Ingredients:
5 each green grapes
3 each Basil leaves
1.5 oz Tequilador Blanco tequila
.5 oz Cointreau
1.5 oz Simple syrup
2 oz Fresh lime juice


Muddle grapes and basil leaves with a little simple syrup.  Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice.  Strain into a large cocktail glass and garnish.


To make garnish:
I wish I had a video camera for this one.  Take a green grape and use a paring knife to cut the grape into a spiral.  Wrap spiral around basil sprig, and use a fruit pick to secure.

And now, my awkward first time in front of a camera making a cocktail:

Wine and margarita...together?

I've been seeing a lot about beer cocktails around the internet lately, and I was going to post about the one currently on our menu next, but a lovely group of ladies who enjoyed this drink absolutely insisted last night that this be my next entry...so here you are!  The Southern Magic will just have to wait a little while longer.

We had a gentleman and his wife sit at a table last night, and the gentleman asked his server if we could make a margarita using jalapenos.  We have jalapenos, so...of course!  I went over to say hi and get a little more info before I started mixing.  He told me about a margarita he had in New York that used fresh jalapeno and Sauvignon Blanc, and wondered if I could bring those flavors in (P.S.  If you happen to know the margarita and the place he was channeling in NYC, I'd love to hear!).  My favorite part was that our Sauvignon Blanc is a Fume Blanc, so I got to bring in a touch of the smokiness that our restaurant centers around.  I got his tequila preference, and went from there.  I liked the result so much that I plan on fiddling with it a little bit (primarily the glass rimming--I just used our house-smoked hickory salt last night) and using this on our summer menu.

Don Diablo

Glass:  Collins/Highball

Method: Muddle/Shake and Strain

Garnish: Hickory smoked salt rim, lime and orange slice

Muddle:

3 slices fresh jalapeno (seeds and all)

.75 oz Agave nectar

Tiny dash simple syrup (seriously...like only a few heavy drops)

Add to mixing glass:

1.25 oz  Don Julio Reposado

.5 oz   Cointreau

.5 oz  Dry Creek Fume Blanc

2 oz   Fresh lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into a salted Collins glass over ice.  You could do this one up in a large martini glass, too (which is the version I'll end up putting on our menu).  Again, I was going with his preferences when I made this.