Wakey Whiskey: Familia Partila Reposado Tequila

by Eric Ducote

Yeah, I know... it's not a whiskey.  However, today is Cinco de Mayo, and I'm going to leave the margaritas made with grain alcohol to the amateurs and enjoy some tequila in the way it was meant to be enjoyed, sipped like a fine whiskey. I know to most of us, myself included, tequila is a spirit that traditionally has either been done as a shot or as part of a margarita.  And it's almost always good old Jose Cuervo showing up to the party or if someone was feeling like splurging, then maybe some Patron.  

In brief, tequila comes from a specific region of Mexico that surrounds the city of Tequila, and is made from the blue agave plant.  The plant's leaves are harvested, baked, and pressed to create a juice that is then fermented and distilled.  From there tequila is either bottled as a white "blanco" spirit or aged in wooden barrels to create a rested "reposado" or aged "anejo" variety.  These barrels are almost always second use bourbon barrels, which give color and flavor to the blanco tequila similar to what they do for a white whiskey.  

Familia Partida Reposado Tequila

This particular selection is a reposado tequila from Familia Partida out of the city of Tequila.  It's fermented from estate grown blue agave, then aged for 6 months and bottled at 80 proof.  The 6 months of aging give the spirit a light golden color reminiscent to me of a lighter Irish whiskey or Speyside scotch.  

The aroma is slightly sweet with the trademark tequila smell that comes from the agave plant.  A blend of citrus and oak with an underlying booziness.  The bourbon barrel aging gives off a definite vanilla flavor but the cooked agave is the real star, giving this tequila a bit of a margarita flavor even when drank neat.  Personally, I enjoy tequila a lot when drank neat or over ice, I find that the oak aging gives a pleasant base profile with the trademark agave flavor.

This Familia Partida Reposado makes for a really nice sipping tequila, and an excellent start to this Cinco de Mayo! 

Tacos + Tequila: Taco 'Bout A Good Time

So, we are doing a thing. A very big thing. On a mission to bring the people of Baton Rouge a good time, Bite & Booze is teaming up with Brickyard South to throw a major party in the Capital City: TACOS + TEQUILA presented by Tequila Avion! The event will take place underneath the I-10 Mississippi River Bridge behind Brickyard South.

There are going to be ten taco vendors and at least seven tequila cocktail vendors, duking it out for the title of “The Best.” Restaurants like Magpie Cafe, The Overpass Merchant and Mestizo’s will be slinging some majorly creative tacos that we can’t wait to see. There will also be a few restaurants going the traditional route like Cocha and Mr. Taco. We are inviting judges from all over the country to see the best of the best talent here in BR. People like Rue Rusike and Cory Bahr from Food Network Star, Daniel Schumaker, the editor of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine are all coming to the capital city this Friday.

Once the judging is over, attendees will have the chance to walk around from 7pm-10pm and sample and vote for their favorite chef-driven tacos featuring Hola Nola Foods tortillas and hand-crafted Tequila Avion cocktails while enjoying live music and other fun! That’s all the tacos you can eat and all the tequila you can drink people. Taco bout a good time!

So, what are you waiting for? Grab you tickets now and come hang out with us on Friday. We will see you there!

Pico's: A Houston "Mex-Mex" Institution

by Blair Loup

Since establishing Pico’s in 1984, it has become a shining beacon of “Mex-Mex” cuisine in the holy land of Tex-Mex. The Richards family treats their customers like relatives. When you enter the sprawling restaurant you can hear fresh margaritas shaking, smell the hand-pressed tortillas on the flat top and see the genuine smile across the faces of their employees. You can’t have a bad time at Pico’s; they simply won’t allow it.

It’s a large restaurant, but don’t let that fool you. Chef, and owner, Arnaldo Richard has his hand in every dish. The attention to detail that goes in to the flavor built on each plate is extremely authentic. If you’re looking for true Mexican cuisine in the Houston area, you need not look any further.

The depth of flavor isn’t just in the food though. Arnaldo’s daughter Monica Richards is at the helm of their fantastic tequila program. Even the most baseline of margaritas at Pico’s is top-notch. Whether you’re looking to demolish a couple of shakers of their house margaritas or taste from some of Monica’s select barrels, she has taken the time to curate a truly special tequila experience for their guests. The tequila selection alone is a worth the trip.

Jay, Chef Aimee and I have had the pleasure of dining with Monica and visiting with Arnaldo on a couple of occasions and each trip has only made our hearts grow fonder. Here are a few of the best bites and sips we had the last time we were there:

Ontiones Carlos Slim is one dish that I think speaks to the attention to detail and flavor building Arnaldo's cooking is centered around. With this take on Oysters Rockefeller, Arnaldo uses an intricate blend of celery leaf, tarragon, chervil, parsley, herb saint, spinach, collard greens and purslane and tops each bite with cotija and parmesan cheeses.

Ontiones Carlos Slim

These mussels are sautéed in a white wine and crema sauce with Spanish chorizo and topped with micro cilantro. After we got a hold of their bolilla (similar to French bread) these babies didn't last long. The creaminess of the sauce combined with the flavor of the mussels and the little kick and umami from the chorizo made each one more poppable than the last.

Mejillones a la Gallega

I'm not going to lie. I think about this next dish all the time. In a section on their menu called Al Ajillo you can find some of the tastiest dishes in the whole joint. Ajillo is a condiment in Mexican cuisine that is made by infusing olive oil with dried chilis and fresh sliced garlic for a minimum of 72 hours. It's even more amazing than it sounds. They sauté different types of seafood in this delectable concoction, but my favorite version is the octopus. So tender, it feels like you're biting into a cloud that's soaked in garlic/chile olive oil; insane.

Pulpo Al Ajillo

Mole holds a very special place in my heart. There's a lot that goes into each mole, but you can always be sure of one thing when it comes to this comforting dish: whoever took the time to make it, undoubtedly stirred in a lot of love. In this case Arnaldo moved me to feelings. The duck fell apart in the rich, decadent mole and the tostones hit the hearty, but sweet notes. I would order this dish again and again.  

Until next time, Pico's! If you're ever in the Houston area, Pico's is a must. Keep a look out for some of their phenomenal tequila dinners as well! 

Still thinking about our fun night tasting delicious tequilas with Monica from the legendary @picosrestaurant last night! #tequila #houston #mexmex

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 13, 2017 at 9:16am PDT

Araña: The Only Spider I Welcome

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Generally speaking, New Orleans is a fantastic destination for food. This is not news. There’s so much for your palate to experience, yet so little time.

In the same streets you taste dishes that are new, inventive, and inspiring, you can experience meals that are so old they practically birthed the crescent city. In a place that is so uniquely Louisiana, some of the meals I’ve enjoyed most recently in New Orleans are based around lime, cotiga cheese, and cilantro.

Araña is everything I want in a Mexican restaurant. Their presentation is beautiful, the flavors are on fleek, and it’s simply built for a good time.

When I dine out, I consider three criteria: atmosphere, drinks, and apps & ‘sserts (because you can’t have one without the other).

If a restaurant pulls off all of these elements successfully, they can have my money.

Atmosphere: check.

I prefer when a restaurant is cozy (not too cramped, but not a cave), the design is well thought out, and the seating allows for natural lighting (because I take pictures of everything I ingest). So many restaurants get things wrong: uncomfortable seating, bad lighting, canned, adult-contemporary music playing in the background.

But Araña is a place I could sit and sip for hours.

Drinks: check.

I tried three drinks that were on totally different levels.

First, the Jalapeño Pineapple Cilantro Margarita: the depth of flavor gave me life. The grilled pineapple has a sultry sweetness from caramelizing on the grill, the fresh jalapeño adds just enough back heat, and I live my life thinking that cilantro improves most things. We’ll call this one a win.

The Jalapeño Pineapple Cilantro Margarita

Next up, the Romera Fresca. This puppy is packed with savory, tart confusion in a great way. Juniper-infused tequila hit with a zing of small batch tonic and finished off with a house-made rosemary syrup can grace my glass any day. Another point to Gryffindor. 

The Romera Fresca: Juniper-Infused Tequila,  Small Batch Tonic, and House Made Rosemary Syrup

I’m not into things that are super sweet, so dessert drinks aren’t my jam. I thought it couldn’t be done, but Araña said, “Here’s our frozen, drunken Horchata. Enjoy.”

Enjoy, I did, and to that I say winner winner, chicken dinner. 

Drunken Horchata

Bite and Booze Bonus: If you’re into tequila, Araña has something for you. Joining the Araña Tequilla Society is free. With each tequila you taste, you take another (somewhat more inebriated) step towards rewards ranging from t-shirts to free tequila flights to a free bottle of expensive tequila. Worried about keeping up with your passport? Don’t be—Araña holds on to it for you. They’ve thought of everything!

Apps, shareables, and ‘sserts: Check. 

Apps and ‘sserts is Blair-speak for appetizers and dessert. If I’m meeting up with my friends, I’m all about grabbing apps and ‘sserts. While there are some stellar sandwiches and entrées, if you share more, you taste more. It’s science.

Here’s the lineup:

Atop a velvety bed of milky oaxaca cheese lies a spicy blanket of house-made chorizo just waiting to be spread on warm corn tortillas and drizzled with a magically bold red sauce. Don’t think, just order it. 

Queso Fundido: House-Made Chorizo, Grilled Oaxaca Cheese, and Corn Tortillas

Tacos are the most delicious way to get your fix without feeling too full, and Araña has some great options. I’m a sucker for tacos Al Pastor: I'm into the savory and sweet juicy pork and succulent pineapple chunks.

Tacos Al Pastor: Shaved Pork, Grilled Pineapple, Cilantro, and Onion

I’m pretty sure “Your Body is a Wonderland” by John Mayer was written about the Torta Ahogana.

Slow roasted pork on bolillo bread, black bean purée, avocado, crema, cotiga cheese, and cumin pickled onion come together under a waterfall of spicy chili dipping salsa and make for a mountain of flavor.

Mind you, this is literally a quarter of the sandwich that’s on the menu so it’s certifiably shareable. 

Torta Ahogada: Slow Roasted Pork on Bolillo Bread, Black Bean Purée, Avocado, Crema, Cotiga Cheese, Cumin Pickled Onion, Spicy Chili Dipping Salsa

The art of the classic fajita has been lost, and Araña has found it in the form of their Poc Chuc.

Smoked pork loin, escabecbe (pickled veggies), crisp red cabbage, and a pork-fried onion poblano sauce were meant to live inside of that corn tortilla, y’all. Pair that with a flight of tequila and I’m in.

Poc Chuc: Smoked Pork Loin, Escabeche, Red Cabbage, Pork Fried Onion Poblano Sauce, and Corn Tortilla

Bite and Booze Bonus: Araña also has brunch (word on the street is that it’s killer). 

Desserts are tricky with me. I can't get more than a bite or two in to a super sweet dessert, but I could get after this Trés Leches cake with fresh berries all day. A little sweet, a little creamy, and totally traditional, it’s definitely worth the caloric sacrifice.

Trés Leches Cake

I know there's a mess of restaurants to try out in New Orleans, but Araña has something special going on that's worth your money.

Mexico: Street Food Bite and Booze of the World Cup

Shall we make another stop along the street food guide to the FIFA World Cup 2014? Mexican cuisine may be something familiar to your palate, but try something outside of the normal Tex-Mex style restaurant and grab a bite and one of the authentic Latin-American restaurants in town! For today's edition of the street food guide we're going South of the border to Mexico for elotes and "Cocktail on the Attack"!

Elotes translated means, corn. Street corn can be found all over the place in Mexico and it is scrumptious! Grilled or steamed corn topped with salty, crumbled Cotija cheese (or queso fresco if you can't find it) and chili powder makes for a quick, easy-to-eat treat. The saltiness of the cheese goes hand in hand with the sweet, fresh corn. My favorite part about street corn (besides how easy it is to make) is the smoky chili powder, it really takes things to the next level. 

Photo Credit: taylortakesataste.com

Instead of going with the classic margarita, I found a recipe for another tasty tequila libation. The Cocktail on the Attack consists of tequila, vermouth, triple sec, and lime juice. It's what I imagine a Mexican martini to be. The tequila represents the majority and is brightened by the lime juice and triple sec. The vermouth kind of brings the flavor profiles together smoothing over the fiesta going on in your mouth. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Yamazaki Sidecar at Nobu: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Yamazaki Sidecar and Mia Margarita from Nobu in Malibu

While in Los Angeles a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to dine around a few different parts of town. My friend Shelly and I somehow got reservations at Nobu in Malibu, so we drove from Hollywood to the beach in order to get a taste of the acclaimed restaurant. With a Ferrari a few Bentleys in the parking lot, we made our way in and ordered a couple cocktails to enjoy while overlooking the Pacific Ocean before dinner.

In honor of Whisk(e)y Wednesday, I decided to share our cocktails with you here. I, of course, ordered a whisky drink. The Yamazaki Sidecar featured an ice sphere and Yamazaki 12 year single malt Japanese Whisky. I've actually reviewed the whisky before on a Whisk(e)y Wednesday post if you want to read about it. The sidecar also contained Gran Torres Orange Liqueur and yuzu juice from the Japanese fruit. The beverage treated me well as the cool breeze blew in from the ocean and the sound of crashing waves set our ambiance.

Shelly had a Mia Margarita. While not a whisk(e)y drink, I still thought I should mention it. Corralejo Anejo tequila, passion fruit, shichimi, and lime juice filled the glass. The flavor packed punch from the shichimi spice mix combined with a quality aged tequila made this an excellent margarita. Dinner at Nobu impressed even more than the starter cocktails. It was a little dark in the restaurant and my pictures can't do the food justice. We did a 12 course tasting menu that I'm still thinking about weeks later. Nobu is a beautiful restaurant with rockin' menu and some great cocktails, that's for sure.

National Tequila Day: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Good Tequila

1) Tequila is not whiskey. Or whisky. I know. But some of it is barrel aged!
2) Today, July 24th, is National Tequila Day.
3) Since Wednesdays are usually reserved for my Whisk(e)y Wednesday posts, I decided to make an exception today to celebrate a different spirit.
4) Drink good tequila.
5) Try a paloma. Another recipe is below.

Tequila really ought to be celebrated. Agave is the plant that tequila is distilled from. It is mostly grown in a select area of Mexico, with one of the most famous regions being the state of Jalisco. Contrary to popular belief, agave is not a cactus. It is actually a member of the lily family, and only blue agave may be used to produce tequila. Any other variety of agave makes mezcal, which is tequila's cousin that is prepared differently and has a smoky bite in its flavor. Tequila is made from the juices of the pineapple-like core of the blue agave plant. After roasting or steaming the massive (up to 300 lbs.) cores, or "pinas," they are pressed to release the juices or aguamiel (honey water). The aguamiel is then fermented and at least double distilled before being bottled and sent to your shot glasses. If you're drinking tequila that is "100% de agave," then that's exactly what you are getting. If it is not 100%, it has to at least be 51% made from agave, with water and sugars taking up the rest, to still be considered tequila. Most commercially available tequilas are 80 proof or in that range, though some can go up to 100 proof. A few other words you might see on tequila bottles are:

Blanco ("white") or plata ("silver"): white spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels;
Joven ("young") or oro ("gold"): is the result of blending Silver Tequila with Reposado and/or Añejo and/or extra Añejo Tequila;
Reposado ("rested"): aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels;
Añejo ("aged" or "vintage"): aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years in oak barrels;
Extra Añejo ("extra aged" or "ultra aged"): aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels.

Maestro Dobel Perfect Paloma

In case you want a tequila beverage today, here's a recipe for the "Perfect Paloma!"

2 Parts Maestro Dobel Tequila (pictured above)
4 Parts Grapefruit Soda
Splash Lime Juice
Shake and strain into a rocks glass
Lime Wedge garnish




Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote, Eric Ducote, and Jeremy Spikes. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own proprietary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Patron Dinner at Restaurant IPO

Pork Belly Course

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the "Dinner of all Dinners" as Chef Chris Wadsworth and Sean "Foodie Patutie" Rivera combined forces on a multiple course dinner cooked and paired with different products from the Patron portfolio.  Of course, for the most part, that meant tequila!  And as you might imagine, my memory of the meal is quite faded, so while I can show you pictures, I certainly won't remember every detail from the feast.  We got started with a shot of cream liqueur mixed with the Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur made with tequila.  After a couple of those, we sat down for dinner in The Office bar above Restaurant IPO.  Our first course brought on some pork belly from Chappapeela Farms that had been brined in Patron Anejo tequila.  It came with a Reposado tequila reduction and pickled mirliton.  This dish really worked well with all the textures and flavors coming together to dance on my tongue.  It paired with a Greek infused Ultimat Vodka, a potato and grain vodka in Patron's collection of spirits.  Chef Wadsworth's infusion with cucumber and whole lot more is spot on.  I suggest getting up to Restaurant IPO and trying it! 

Greek Infused Ultimat Vodka

The next course came a delicious chilled soup from Chef Sean Rivera with a tequila based play on a Bloody Mary.  Unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what was in the soup.  I just know I ate it all.  And I liked it.

Chef Sean Rivera's Soup with a Tequila Bloody Mary

The salad course also escapes me a bit.  The plate presented a duo of salads, one with crab and the other with roasted peppers.  Both were quite nice, as was the tequila based cocktail that came with it.  Or maybe that was the Pyrat Rum.  I had been drinking and forgot to take good notes.

A cocktail with... something

A tequila-based sorbet palate cleanser

I do know the next items that came out, although they maybe the main reason the rest of the details are fuzzy.    The Gran Patron Burdeos and Gran Patron Platinum were poured side by side.  The Burdeos is the most expensive of all Patron tequilas, retailing in the neighborhood of $500 per fifth.  The tequila is made from extremely selective agave and matured in a combination of new American and French oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months, and up to 2 years.  It is then distilled again before it is racked in vintage Bordeaux barrels.  The tequila is smooth and sweet.  It picks up notes from the wood similar to a bourbon with the vanilla and oak flavors.  It can be sipped repeatedly without the need to pucker of gasp at the taste of tequila.  I'd go so far as to say it might be the best tequila I've ever had.  Though in all honesty, the Gran Patron Platinum may have had it beat just because it actually tastes like tequila.  Really.  Good.  Tequila.  The Platinum is comes from those same high-quality agave plants that are hand-selected for sugar content.  It is triple distilled and rested in oak tanks.  The silver tequila is smooth yet carries the taste of agave without being covered up by excessive aging.  This is what the best agave in the world tastes like, and I'd never pass up a taste.  Don't shoot it though.  Both of these tequilas deserve to be sipped and enjoyed, not chased with a squeeze of lime.

Gran Patron Burdeos and Gran Patron Platinum

The main course featured a crawfish stuffed pork chop over boursin risotto with a tequila sauce and crowned by cracklins.  The chop had a well seared exterior with a juicy middle.  The spiciness of the crawfish and the rub played with the sweetness in the tequilas for a great pairing.  In fact, they both worked extremely well, showing me that tequila can be used to pair with foods.  Good to know!

Crawfish Stuffed Pork Chop

By the time dessert came, tequila ran through my blood like Rickey Henderson through a stop sign from his third base coach.  I know it had a chocolate cake with strawberry... because I have the picture below.  I'm sure there was tequila in there somewhere, but I don't really recall.  I also don't have a picture of whatever cocktail came with it, so I'm totally lost there.  But it still capped off a great meal.  Chef Chris Wadsworth and Chef Sean Rivera pulled off an fantastic dinner, and I'm glad I got to attend with rest of Team Voltron.  The folks from Glazers and Patron were excellent as well.  It definitely made me understand what makes a great tequila.

Dessert

Black (and Gold) Friday

1) Shop local today.  You can start by grabbing your ticket to The Truck, the Brewer, and the Blogger II: a pop-up beer dinner at the Tin Roof Brewery in Baton Rouge.  The menu and tickets are available here: http://tbbii.eventbrite.com.  The dinner, on November 29th, supports your local food blogger, local food truck, and local brewery.  It doesn't get better than that!

2) Geaux Tigers!

3) Who Dat?!  The Saints play on Sunday and a perfect way to celebrate the occasion any day of the week is with the Saints inspired cocktail at Whiskey Blue at the base of the W Hotel on Poydras in New Orleans.  The cocktail mixes a delicious anejo (old, or aged) tequila with sambuca to create a color contrast that's kinda black and gold (or Purple and Gold if you want to go today to cheer on the Tigers!).  The bartenders add a few gold flakes to the top just to class up the cocktail even more.  I really enjoyed the beverage when I got to try it earlier this football season.  You wouldn't think tequila and sambuca could be so delicious, but it works!

4) Did I mention to shop local on Black Friday?  Avoid the chains and big box stores.  Support your neighbors!

Hotel Indigo Hosts Local Bloggers and Food Writers

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to a blogger and food writer dinner at Baton Rouge's Hotel Indigo.  The boutique hotel sits on the corner of Lafayette and Convention downtown and features 93 stellar guest rooms.  The entire hotel is filled with amazing photographic prints of scenes from around the Red Stick which gives the space a great local feel.  Next to the lobby on the first floor sits the King Bar & Bistro, named after the old hotel that previously occupied the site in the first half of last century.  The space opens as a coffee shop and for breakfast daily at 6 am then transitions to lunch and to dinner without ever closing.  Perhaps most exciting is the happy hour with tapas from 4-7 pm on Monday through Friday.  I might have to go check that out soon... plus I can bring a laptop and get some work done with the free wireless internet throughout the hotel.

A Teddy Bear Margarita came out as the "prelude" for our dinner at Hotel Indigo.  The beverage consisted of tequila, passion fruit puree, Cointreau, Grand Marinier, and lime juice.  I love a flavorful margarita that never touches high-fructose corn syrup loaded premade mixes!  The Teddy Bear did well to whet my appetite.  The name came from a quote from an early drinker of the cocktail.  This margarita is said to "wrap its arms around you" and squeeze a little like a Teddy Bear if you've had a couple!

The great servers at the King Bar & Bistro placed the "beginning" course in front of everyone at our table.  The Capital City Seafood Gumbo came with rice, Creole mustard potato salad and some garlic bread.  The rich and flavorful roux and broth tasted great as I consumed everything down to the final morsel on my plate.

A Ponchatoula Strawberry Salad was served as our "fresh" course.  The strawberries are buried underneath the fresh spinach in the picture above, but they were actually quite plentiful.  Along with the crumbled cheese and toasted pecans, this salad combined a great mix of flavors and textures.

Along with the salad came a classic cocktail called a French 75.  Very simple in ingredients, the cocktail packs quite a punch to go along with a tremendous flavor and refreshment factor.  The French 75 is a mixture of gin, lemon juice and champagne.  I enjoyed this version so much that I might have to add these to my regular imbibing schedule!

For the night's "main event" we were greeted with Tin Roof BBQ Shrimp served over creamy grits, some garlic bread spears and a side of marinated peppers.  The New Orleans style barbecue shrimp's flavor exploded in my mouth with the addition of Baton Rouge's local brew in the sauce.  One great aspect of all Hotel Indigo properties is that they are required to take on the characteristic of their surroundings.  The hotel has a uniquely Baton Rouge feel complete with two beer taps in the bar that pour nothing but the local Tin Roof Beer.  Being an advocate for both eating and drinking locally, I loved it!

Only to out do themselves, our "finale" tugged at my soul.  I'm a firm believer that every great meal should end with dessert and this one sure worked!  River Road Dark Roast and New Orleans Praline Liqueur accented a stunning slice of Bourbon Pecan Pie.  I could have eaten two or three slices had they been placed in front of me.  I enjoyed the entire meal and am very glad that I got to participate in the "Locals Know Best - Dish on the Dish" series.

  

Baton Rouge Bar Bounce!

Hey Bite and Booze friends! This Friday there is a really cool event going on that I'm happy to be a part of! The Baton Rouge Bar Bounce is going on downtown and I'm being featured as the "celebrity bar bouncer!" I know I know, I'm not really a celebrity yet, but at least a I have an appearance on national television coming up because of MasterChef!

I'm going to start my evening at Jarvis Green's Charity Wine Gala, then make my way downtown. I sure hope to see you there. Let me know if you plan on coming and I'll make sure to find you!

Baton Rouge Bar Bounce

Immediately after Live After Five, on Friday, May 27, the Baton Rouge Bar Bounce begins. Nine downtown restaurants will offer discounted drafts, specialty drinks, margaritas – even tacos and nachos- to those who have the cowboy boot cup. The Baton Rouge Bar Bounce will be from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., the Friday before Bayou Country Superfest. Cups are available for purchase online and at Live After Five.

Participating venues include:

Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant
The Loft
Punchers Sports Bar
The Office
The King Bar & Bistro
Happy's Irish Pub
Schlittz & Giggles
The Roux House
Boudreaux & Thibodeaux’s

Click on the Baton Rouge Bar Bounce Map to Enlarge

Mexico - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Mexico


The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicked off with Mexico playing to a 1-1 draw against the host nation, South Africa.  While it might be a difficult draw to pull the opening day match against the home team, it is not difficult to draw up a vivid picture in my mind about great Mexican food and drinks.  And I'm not talking about Americanized Tex-Mex or putting a lime in your cerveza.  I'm talking about real, authentic, Mexican culture.  Today I will explore traditional bites and boozes from Mexico!  So prepare my friends, Bite and Booze is going south of the border for posole and agave tequila!

Posole (poh-SOH-lay) is a quintessential Mexican comfort food that would equate to the likes of gumbo for those of us in Louisiana.  It equates to a hearty meat broth, traditionally made from pork.  The preferred meat for most authentic posoles is pig's head because it contains the most flavor, but any meat with bones could work.  Posole also contains chili and hominy (corn) that has been soaked in lime juice to add flavor and soften the kernels.  Posole is usually enjoyed at homes in Mexico, posolerias (restaurants devoted to crafting delicious posole), and at markets or from street vendors.  Much like any soup, there are regional differences all over Mexico, with most popular being from the Jalisco and Michoacán states.

Agave (uh-GAH-vee) is the plant that tequila comes from and is mostly grown in select area of Mexico, with one of the most famous being the state of Jalisco.  Contrary to popular belief, agave is not a cactus.  Rather, it is a member of the lily family.  Of all the types of agave plants, only the blue agave may be used to produce tequila.  Any other variety of agave makes mezcal, which is tequila's cousin that is prepared differently and has a smoky bite in its flavor.  Tequila is made from the juices of the pineapple-like core of the blue agave plant.  After roasting or steaming the massive (up to 300 lbs.) cores, or "pinas," they are pressed to release the juices or aguamiel (honey water).  The aguamiel is then fermented and at least double distilled before being bottled and sent to your shot glasses.   If you drinking tequila that is "100% de agave," then that's exactly what you are getting.  If it is not 100%, it has to at least be 51% made from agave, with water and sugars taking up the rest, to still be considered tequila.  Most commercially available tequilas are 80 proof or in that ranger, though some can range up to 100 proof.  A few other words you might see on tequila bottles are:

• Blanco ("white") or plata ("silver"): white spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels;
• Joven ("young") or oro ("gold"): is the result of blending Silver Tequila with Reposado and/or Añejo and/or extra Añejo Tequila;
• Reposado ("rested"): aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels;
• Añejo ("aged" or "vintage"): aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years in oak barrels;
• Extra Añejo ("extra aged" or "ultra aged"): aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels. 

Make sure to check out the BR Beer Scene for his thoughts on Cerveza con Lime!

Credits and Thanks:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootsintheoven/3060122318/

http://tequiladonweber.com/

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/ccerna/tequila.jpg

http://goodfoodmexicocity.blogspot.com/2009/06/pozole-mexican-comfort-food.html

http://www.blueagaverestaurant.com/tequila.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila

Juan's Flying Burrito Creole Taqueria

Way back before the Saints won the Super Bowl (as in the day before), a group of friends I were out on the town in New Orleans and decided to grab some eats and drinks at Juan's Flying Burrito "Creole Taqueria" in the lower Garden District.  Joining me in the debauchery were Daniel "Nunee" Nunes, Brent, Brandon, Celeste, and couple from California (well one was from Nola and the other came from Cali, I think) that invited us to sit at their table with them so we didn't have to wait for a table of our own.  Yeah, it looked like we were in for that kind of night!

Juan's Flying Burrito "Creole Taqueria" on Magazine St. in New Orleans

After settling in at the large booth near the entrance of the restaurant, we found ourselves waiting for service.  When the waiter finally came he told us about their $1.10 Pabst Blue Ribbon drink special, so I promptly order two of them.  Puzzled, the waiter asked if I really wanted two at the same time.  I said yes, I really do, and I'll probably finish both of them before he could return with two more!  Then Brent ordered shots because, well, Brent orders shots.  Being that we were in a "Creole Taqueria," Brent logically concluded that those shots should be Patron.  Oops!

Shot of Patron, Two $1.10 Pabst Blue Ribbons

I was correct about the slow service.  Apparently it is part of the customary charm of Juan's.  They also forgot to bring out our chips and salsa.  It took asking for it 2-3 times before it finally showed up, and then I believe they sent out something on the house because of the mess up.  At least they got that part right!  My memory of the whole things is a little fuzzy because I ordered another double-dose of PBRs and chose to enjoy the company rather than fuss about the service.  At least they acknowledge the slow response times and are aware of it though.  As our waiter very sarcastically pointed out, "we're (Juan's) known for our impeccable service!"

Pork 'n' Slaw Tacos

Several rounds of drinks later our grub finally arrived.  I went with the trio of pork 'n' slaw tacos.  These bad boys came with tender, shredded pork, jack and cheddar cheese, spicy slaw, and salsa fresca for only $6.95.  The wait wasn't short, but to their credit the place was slammed with a lively crowd, and the food turned out to be good and cheap.  We really had a blast interacting with our waiter and the random people that allowed us to join their table.  The tacos themselves were served in hot and chewy flour tortillas that acted as a superb vessel for transporting the tasty pork and slaw from the wax-papered basket to my mouth.  I ate all three tacos and afterwards certainly felt full and satisfied.  I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Juan's again as long as I'm looking for a good time and not in a hurry!  

Things To Do
New Orleans