“Here, see if you can make me something with this”, the liquor rep taunted as he dropped a bottle of aquavit on the bar. If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t really work that well under pressure. I try, but it literally takes me weeks to come up with a new drink that I’m happy with. Maybe I’m slow, maybe I’m a perfectionist, doesn’t matter: I hate it when I have to work under pressure.
So I was especially vexed when this particular wiseass handed me a bottle of aquavit. For those of you who don’t know, is a traditional Scandinavian liquor flavored with caraway and - typically - other herbs such as fennel and anise. It’s delicious, but it’s unique and isn’t known for its superb mixability.
However, I knew the liquor boob was insinuating that I might not be able to rise to the challenge, so I whipped this up (after about three false starts). A small handful of visitors to the bar at Clyde Common have suggested that it might be one of the best drinks I’ve come up with so far, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. I just think it tastes delicious.
1 oz aquavit
1 oz applejack
¾ oz sweet vermouth
¼ oz yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura bitters
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with a large twist of lemon peel and serve.
My problem with homemade tonic water has always been a flavor profile that was too esoteric for the general audience. This recipe takes some of the positive qualities people have come to understand from commercial tonic water and updated them with fresh ingredients.
One question I'm often asked is "Do you have any drink-related book recommendations?" Well, funny you should ask, I've compiled a list of the ten books every professional bartender or home mixologist should own. I keep every one of these close at hand and have read most of them several times. I suggest you do the same.
The problem with living in Oregon is the absence of little wooden shacks by the sea that sell cases of fresh ginger beer stacked on back porches. But with some readily-available ingredients, a recipe I've been revising for several years - and a few free minutes - I can easily transport myself to a little fishing boat on the ocean as I sip a Dark and Stormy made with fresh, house-made ginger beer.
It's always mojito season somewhere, so this advice is timely in your area about half the year. Wether you're making them or simply enjoying them, this advice will help you look like a pro in no time at all.
The flavors of the Richmond Gimlet are imbued with sunshine. Fresh mint mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now.
You'll get a lot of snarky advice on this site about how to make a proper drink, but if you ever need to know what not to do, this is the video for you.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning "little blood") is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
The world of booze can be mystifying to people that don't work in bars or around alcohol all the time. I hear a lot of assumptions about the industry I'm in that are - much like 90% of what you hear in bars - completely false. Here are a few you've probably heard yourself.
The debate rages on: Should we try to look cool and crack open the Boston shaker or be tidy professionals and use the Hawthorne strainer the way God intended? Be sure to leave your two cents in the comments section.
The traditional garnish for a Pisco Sour is a couple of drops of bitters in the foam, but I've never been particularly impressed with the way these few paltry drops of bitters sat in their little egg-white mattress and didn't play along with the rest of the drink. I envisioned a Pisco Sour with a uniformly-distributed bitters-scorched foam: slightly crisp as the fire burnt the sugars, and slightly warm as the foam insulated the rest of the frosty cocktail from the heat. A pisco creme brulée in a glass!
I get so many visitors looking for tips on how to write a bartending resume that I thought I should finally post a tutorial on how to write your own. Click the headline to read more.
I always love showing up to a party with a gallon jug of pre-mixed margaritas, so I've decided to share my recipe. This margarita recipe is the perfect blend of strong, sweet, and sour. But be warned: this recipe packs a serious punch.
There isn't much I can say about this video that hasn't been said already. If you've read anything I've written about cocktails, you'll understand why this video symbolizes everything wrong with the state of bartending in America today. Watch and learn, but be warned: this one isn't for the feint of heart.
About Me
My name is Jeff Morgenthaler and I'm the head bartender at Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon.
I'm 37, I've been tending bar since 1996 and writing about it since 2004. Mixing drinks has become something of a passion for me in recent years, and I strive to elevate the experience of having a drink from something mundane to something more culinary.
The writing I do here is intended as a work in progress. My recipes are like my opinions: they are constantly being revised and refined as I work them through my mind and my fingers. Comments and participation are encouraged, so please don't feel the need to tread lightly here.
Not to be confused with the Spanish wine-and-fruit-based alcoholic beverage sangria, sangrita (meaning “little blood”) is a traditional accompaniment to a tequila served completo; a non-alcoholic sipper that cleanses the palate between fiery doses of agave.
Years ago I was taught that sangrita is a blend of tomato and orange juices, with the addition of something spicy (hot sauce, typically) for a little kick. But further research has convinced me that this American sangrita recipe, while still enjoyable and certainly prevalent, is not altogether authentic.
Real sangrita from the Lake Chapala region of Jalisco is made with Seville orange and pomegranate juices, with powdered chiles added for heat. Taking into account that even the most cocktailian bartender (professional or otherwise) doesn’t typically stock sour oranges or pomegranate juice behind the bar, I’ve worked up a recipe that should approximate the flavor of this spicy little sour orange and pomegranate chaser while still providing an authentic experience.
1 oz orange juice (freshly-squeezed)
¾ oz - 1 oz lime juice (depending on the sweetness of your oranges)
½ oz real pomegranate grenadine
3 dashes hot sauce or ¼ tsp chile powder
Mix ingredients, chill, and serve.
This is far from the final word on sangrita. I’ll still continue to enjoy the tomato varieties (1,2,3), but I think you’ll find a brightness and depth of flavor from this version that plays better with a wider variety of mezcals and tequilas than its heavier gringo cousin.
What’s your experience with sangrita? Chime in with your stories and recipes in the comments section.
Mixed up your recipe a few minutes ago. I have to say it is the best Sangrita I’ve ever had.
I used Florida Juice oranges, organic limes, Fee’s Grenadine and Tabasco Sauce. I think I might double the recipe, pour it in an iced Collins glass and top off with Prosecco next.
Thank you, thank you for clarifying that sangrita should not have tomato in it. Too many times, you order it and get a little more than a citrus-spiked bloody mary mix.
Like many, I first had sangrita while in Mexico. They make it fresh (or at least they used to) at the wonderful Bar La Opera in Mexico City. It was where I first learned to appreciate Tequila as as sipping spirit.
I am excited to try your recipe. It’s a little late in the season, but what would you think about using blood oranges for the OJ?
Also, is that your El Senorio Mezcal or is it stock footage? I really like El Senorio but have never seen it for sale in the US.
I think blood orange would be a very nice addition to the recipe - adjust your lime accordingly. And you have a great point about citrus-spiked Bloody Mary mix being passed off as sangrita. I don’t want to see any Worcestershire, horseradish or celery salt in my sangrita, thank you.
And the El Señorio mezcal is all mine. I also have a bottle of the reposado con gusano lying around here somewhere. But thanks for thinking I could take a photograph good enough to be a stock image!
10 Jun 2008 at 1:08 pm 5. Tokyo Tea
No tomato at all,I dunno dude. It seems to me that there are a lot of well respected mixologists (i.e. D. Degroff, Carpenter, etc.)that support earlier renditions. I’ve always believed to each its own but a LOT of your heroes include a splash of tomato
I know, I know. Even Rick Bayless takes a splash of tomato in his sangrita. But I’m going to stick to my guns on this one, and I’ll continue to take mine sans tomate.
10 Jun 2008 at 9:27 pm 7. Tom
Jeffrey,
Assuming we might be able to find Seville oranges and pomegranate juice, could you give us the real sangrita recipe?
Tnanks,
Tom
Thanks for the explanation of sangria/sangrita. I started to read your post looking for the sangria, and ended happy to have found the sangrita.
I’ll be trying it soon, after the Euro 2008 games. Just one question, when you say chill, do you mean refrigerate or shake with ice? I feel you mean shake, but it isn’t very clear.
Boavida - I left that vague intentionally. You can do either, if you’re in a bar setting you might need to shake the mixture quickly with ice. However, I prefer my sangrita undiluted and refrigerate when that option is available.
Dammit Jeffrey - to choose sangrita as topic was a genius strike!
However I have to say, that even pomegranate is not ultra authentic!
The origin of sangrita came from Don Jose Sanchez who used oranges, salt and chilis to make his homemade tequila a bit smoother…
I am mixing accordingly orange juice, lime juice, salt and good chili powder together to get the authentic result.
Here is the original post of his great-great grandson:
>>The owner of the restaurant was named Jose Sanchez not Edmundo Sanchez. And the orange slices is right but they were not served at the restaurant, Don Jose Sanchez took a bag of oranges, some salt and some ground red arbol peppers with him when he would go out on his canoe on lake Chapala with his friends to drink tequila. He later had his wife squeeze the oranges and add the salt and chile to it and put it in a bottle for convenience on the canoe rides. The red artificial color was later added to make it look more attractive. When Jose died his wife kept the restaurant and she continued to make the drink for customers who named it sangrita because of it’s red color. Since she was a widow they always referred to it as Sangrita de la Viuda. You might ask how I know this? Well my name is Jorge Sanchez, Jose Sanchez was my great grandfather and Don Edmundo Sanchez the current owner of the factory where they make the sangrita is my grandfather. If you have any questions feel free to reply: j.sanchez0201@yahoo.com<<
Dominik - I am aware of this tale, and while it may or may not be ultra-authentic, I’m choosing to go the “authentic” route as I don’t find orange juice, salt and arbol chile powder all that delicious.
21 Jun 2008 at 12:32 pm 13. scott in the LBC
I didn’t have any fresh oranges in the house when I read your post, but I did have Naked Juice: pomegranate/asai and orange juice. It’s probably not perfect, but what the hell.
Anyway, I mixed up 3 oz of each juice, as well as 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice. Then I added 1/3tsp of El Yucateco XXX Habanero hot sauce (which I don’t know if you get in Oregon…).
Anyway, it turned out quite nice with the reposados I have here (Herencia, 4 copas, Partida), so I thought I’d send in a post for all those who have a good juice around but not the actual fruit.
06 Jul 2008 at 9:59 pm 14. Holly
My introduction to sangrita was in the town of Tequila and it took a long time to recreate back in the states. I found this recipe and its pretty good:
2 reconstituted ancho chilis
2 c fresh orange juice
2 Tablespoons grenadine
1 tablespoon minced onion
juice of a lime
1/2 tsp salt
Blend and chill…
great chili taste and not a tomatoe in site…
That’s a great-looking recipe, I’ll have to try this one!
23 Jul 2008 at 12:30 pm 16. Flynn
What’s interesting is that *some* of the tequila meccas I’ve been to in Mexico (all serve sangrita), use tomato in their recipes. Stateside, the best homemade sangrita I’ve had is at El Agave in old town San Diego, and they also use tomato (and what tastes like agave syrup but could be pom syrup).
Here’s a link to the recipe I’ve been honing over the years, and I certainly enjoy it. I wouldn’t hold it up as authentic, in any case.
Hey Jeff! I was wondering if there is a certain type of tequila that is supposed to be enjoyed alongside the sangrita? Do you have any recommendations?
Treva - This will work with any tequila, but I find it goes quite well with a nice, peppery silver or reposado tequila. You can also tailor your sangrita to pair with specific tequilas, which would be an interesting experiment.
22 Oct 2008 at 7:55 pm 19. Brian Kust
I travel a lot to Sinaloa state where I have learned to really enjoy a reposada with tequila. I have never gotten an exact recipe, but every time I ask a bartender what is in it, they tell me it is mostly orange juice and chile de arbol powder. I mistakenly thought the first time that it was tomato based.
Another interesting way I have enjoyed tequila is sipped out of a hollowed out large jalapeno pepper. While this was an “interesting” experience, I prefer the sangrita.
You have a great blog and I will visit often.
02 Apr 2009 at 11:04 am 20. Michael Robertson
Sangrita De La Viuda:
3 cups orange juice
3/4 cup lime juice (Mexican lime is better if you can get it)
3 oz grenadine (Fee Bros works great)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Tabasco
1/4 cup white onions
Chill overnight and strain the onions out.
I’ve had this recipe for years and when I was in Nogales I picked up several bottles of Sangrita that tasted almost exactly like it, but not quite as fresh.
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10 Jun 2008 at 9:16 am 1. blair frodelius
Mixed up your recipe a few minutes ago. I have to say it is the best Sangrita I’ve ever had.
I used Florida Juice oranges, organic limes, Fee’s Grenadine and Tabasco Sauce. I think I might double the recipe, pour it in an iced Collins glass and top off with Prosecco next.
Cheers!
10 Jun 2008 at 9:56 am 2. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Wow, blair, that was quick! Glad you liked the recipe, I’ve been pretty pleased with it myself.
10 Jun 2008 at 11:02 am 3. Sku
Thank you, thank you for clarifying that sangrita should not have tomato in it. Too many times, you order it and get a little more than a citrus-spiked bloody mary mix.
Like many, I first had sangrita while in Mexico. They make it fresh (or at least they used to) at the wonderful Bar La Opera in Mexico City. It was where I first learned to appreciate Tequila as as sipping spirit.
I am excited to try your recipe. It’s a little late in the season, but what would you think about using blood oranges for the OJ?
Also, is that your El Senorio Mezcal or is it stock footage? I really like El Senorio but have never seen it for sale in the US.
10 Jun 2008 at 12:10 pm 4. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I think blood orange would be a very nice addition to the recipe - adjust your lime accordingly. And you have a great point about citrus-spiked Bloody Mary mix being passed off as sangrita. I don’t want to see any Worcestershire, horseradish or celery salt in my sangrita, thank you.
And the El Señorio mezcal is all mine. I also have a bottle of the reposado con gusano lying around here somewhere. But thanks for thinking I could take a photograph good enough to be a stock image!
10 Jun 2008 at 1:08 pm 5. Tokyo Tea
No tomato at all,I dunno dude. It seems to me that there are a lot of well respected mixologists (i.e. D. Degroff, Carpenter, etc.)that support earlier renditions. I’ve always believed to each its own but a LOT of your heroes include a splash of tomato
10 Jun 2008 at 1:11 pm 6. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
I know, I know. Even Rick Bayless takes a splash of tomato in his sangrita. But I’m going to stick to my guns on this one, and I’ll continue to take mine sans tomate.
10 Jun 2008 at 9:27 pm 7. Tom
Jeffrey,
Assuming we might be able to find Seville oranges and pomegranate juice, could you give us the real sangrita recipe?
Tnanks,
Tom
11 Jun 2008 at 3:01 am 8. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Tom
Let’s try this - and do let me know how it turns out:
11 Jun 2008 at 4:44 am 9. Boavida
Thanks for the explanation of sangria/sangrita. I started to read your post looking for the sangria, and ended happy to have found the sangrita.
I’ll be trying it soon, after the Euro 2008 games. Just one question, when you say chill, do you mean refrigerate or shake with ice? I feel you mean shake, but it isn’t very clear.
11 Jun 2008 at 6:00 am 10. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Boavida - I left that vague intentionally. You can do either, if you’re in a bar setting you might need to shake the mixture quickly with ice. However, I prefer my sangrita undiluted and refrigerate when that option is available.
11 Jun 2008 at 8:17 am 11. Dominik MJ
Dammit Jeffrey - to choose sangrita as topic was a genius strike!
However I have to say, that even pomegranate is not ultra authentic!
The origin of sangrita came from Don Jose Sanchez who used oranges, salt and chilis to make his homemade tequila a bit smoother…
I am mixing accordingly orange juice, lime juice, salt and good chili powder together to get the authentic result.
Here is the original post of his great-great grandson:
>>The owner of the restaurant was named Jose Sanchez not Edmundo Sanchez. And the orange slices is right but they were not served at the restaurant, Don Jose Sanchez took a bag of oranges, some salt and some ground red arbol peppers with him when he would go out on his canoe on lake Chapala with his friends to drink tequila. He later had his wife squeeze the oranges and add the salt and chile to it and put it in a bottle for convenience on the canoe rides. The red artificial color was later added to make it look more attractive. When Jose died his wife kept the restaurant and she continued to make the drink for customers who named it sangrita because of it’s red color. Since she was a widow they always referred to it as Sangrita de la Viuda. You might ask how I know this? Well my name is Jorge Sanchez, Jose Sanchez was my great grandfather and Don Edmundo Sanchez the current owner of the factory where they make the sangrita is my grandfather. If you have any questions feel free to reply: j.sanchez0201@yahoo.com<<
[authenticy is not verified]
11 Jun 2008 at 8:30 am 12. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Dominik - I am aware of this tale, and while it may or may not be ultra-authentic, I’m choosing to go the “authentic” route as I don’t find orange juice, salt and arbol chile powder all that delicious.
21 Jun 2008 at 12:32 pm 13. scott in the LBC
I didn’t have any fresh oranges in the house when I read your post, but I did have Naked Juice: pomegranate/asai and orange juice. It’s probably not perfect, but what the hell.
Anyway, I mixed up 3 oz of each juice, as well as 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice. Then I added 1/3tsp of El Yucateco XXX Habanero hot sauce (which I don’t know if you get in Oregon…).
Anyway, it turned out quite nice with the reposados I have here (Herencia, 4 copas, Partida), so I thought I’d send in a post for all those who have a good juice around but not the actual fruit.
06 Jul 2008 at 9:59 pm 14. Holly
My introduction to sangrita was in the town of Tequila and it took a long time to recreate back in the states. I found this recipe and its pretty good:
2 reconstituted ancho chilis
2 c fresh orange juice
2 Tablespoons grenadine
1 tablespoon minced onion
juice of a lime
1/2 tsp salt
Blend and chill…
great chili taste and not a tomatoe in site…
07 Jul 2008 at 10:57 am 15. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Holly
That’s a great-looking recipe, I’ll have to try this one!
23 Jul 2008 at 12:30 pm 16. Flynn
What’s interesting is that *some* of the tequila meccas I’ve been to in Mexico (all serve sangrita), use tomato in their recipes. Stateside, the best homemade sangrita I’ve had is at El Agave in old town San Diego, and they also use tomato (and what tastes like agave syrup but could be pom syrup).
Here’s a link to the recipe I’ve been honing over the years, and I certainly enjoy it. I wouldn’t hold it up as authentic, in any case.
http://portlandfood.org/index.php?s=&showtopic=7139&view=findpost&p=87697
02 Oct 2008 at 3:32 pm 17. Treva Willis
Hey Jeff! I was wondering if there is a certain type of tequila that is supposed to be enjoyed alongside the sangrita? Do you have any recommendations?
06 Oct 2008 at 7:53 am 18. Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Treva - This will work with any tequila, but I find it goes quite well with a nice, peppery silver or reposado tequila. You can also tailor your sangrita to pair with specific tequilas, which would be an interesting experiment.
22 Oct 2008 at 7:55 pm 19. Brian Kust
I travel a lot to Sinaloa state where I have learned to really enjoy a reposada with tequila. I have never gotten an exact recipe, but every time I ask a bartender what is in it, they tell me it is mostly orange juice and chile de arbol powder. I mistakenly thought the first time that it was tomato based.
Another interesting way I have enjoyed tequila is sipped out of a hollowed out large jalapeno pepper. While this was an “interesting” experience, I prefer the sangrita.
You have a great blog and I will visit often.
02 Apr 2009 at 11:04 am 20. Michael Robertson
Sangrita De La Viuda:
3 cups orange juice
3/4 cup lime juice (Mexican lime is better if you can get it)
3 oz grenadine (Fee Bros works great)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Tabasco
1/4 cup white onions
Chill overnight and strain the onions out.
I’ve had this recipe for years and when I was in Nogales I picked up several bottles of Sangrita that tasted almost exactly like it, but not quite as fresh.