Mixology at Home - Smokey Tamarind Margarita
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Can any fruit be used as a cocktail ingredient? We might have the answer in this Mixology at Home.
Supposedly ... according to McCormick and Company, maker of seasonings and spices ... tamarind will be the flavor that dominates menus this year.
Tamarind is a fruit that comes from a tree that commonly grows throughout Africa, Mexico, Asia, and India. it is described as having a tangy-sweet flavor but I think it is more sour.
McCormick says it can be added to potato chips, ice cream, and even coffee. McCormick is even partnering with a craft burgers company to feature tamarind in milkshakes, burgers, and fries for a limited time starting Feb. 1.
Why are we talking about a food ingredient on Mixology at Home? Because some people believe tamarind is a great addition to a cocktail. I am not one of them.
A little reminder going forward on this drink. We display our failures as well as successes on Mixology at Home. Alena Neves gets to tell us if we have a hit or a miss. We also defer to Eric Gardner’s palate. His palate is refined while mine isn’t even house-broken, let alone trained.
I searched online for some cocktail recipes and came away with three that might work, a tamarind whisky sour, a margarita, and a smokey margarita. Some use a tamarind paste or concentrate while others use a tamarind syrup.
I have some good mezcal so we went with a smokey tamarind margarita.
Rim a glass with salt. Today I’m using a habanero and honey mixture. Use a margarita or rocks glass, doesn’t matter, as long as it isn’t a red solo cup!
In a shaker with ice, add one and a half ounces of mezcal, a half ounce of tamarind paste or concentrate (we went with about a third of an ounce, and that works), a half ounce of agave syrup, and if you want, add a half ounce of lime juice. Shake vigorously to ensure it is well-mixed. Strain into the glass and, hopefully, enjoy it.
Alena wasn’t sure about the taste but Eric said the taste was right.
Time to disclose this: my wife and I tried all three recipes and we said “Nope,” tamarind is not something we will be using in the bar. Having said that, it might still be really good in a shrimp stir fry or maybe even as a marinade for pork chops. But behind the bar? Not.
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