Halloween is just about two weeks away and that means Day of the Dead [Dia de la Muerte] isn’t far behind. While the majority of Americans don’t celebrate Day of the Dead, I would wager a good percentage have heard of the holiday and/or seen the iconic sugar skulls.
So maybe you don’t partake in the Day of the Dead festivities but that doesn’t mean you can enjoy a couple of Day of the Dead inspired cocktails
- 1.5 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
- .5 oz. Pedro Ximenez Sherry
- 1 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Sweetened Cocoa Mix
- .25 oz. Agave Nectar
- 1 pinch Ground Cinnamon
- Place all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice, cover and shake well for 10 seconds.
- Strain up into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with cinnamon dust.
Ashes to Ashes – Created by H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixer
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
- .5 oz. Pedro Ximenez Sherry
- 1 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp. Sweetened Cocoa Mix
- .25 oz. Agave Nectar
- 1 pinch Ground Cinnamon
Directions: Place all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice, cover and shake well for 10 seconds. Strain up into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cinnamon dust.
According to Ehrmann, this cocktail honors the multicultural melding of Aztec and Spanish traditions from which Dia de los Muertos was born. Traditional Mexican ingredients such as agave are paired with Spanish ingredients such as Pedro Ximenez Sherry, and finished by sprinkled cinnamon—metaphorical ashes, if you will.[1]
Fresa Catrina – Created by Thomas Waugh of Death & Company
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Espolón Tequila Blanco
- .5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
- .75 oz. Simple Syrup
- 1 small strawberry
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- Splash of Absinthe
Directions: Muddle strawberry with black peppercorns. Rinse a cocktail glass with absinthe. Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker and fine strain into the rinsed cocktail glass.
This drink’s named after Catrina – the skeletal woman pictured at the top of this post. “The figure, depicted in an ornate hat fashionable at the time, is intended to show that the rich and fashionable, despite their pretensions to importance, are just as susceptible to death as anyone else.”[2]
Marigold Ofrenda – Created by Christopher Bostick of The Varnish Bar
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
- 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- .75 oz. Orange Curaçao or Triple Sec
- .5 oz. Light Agave Nectar
- .5 cup peeled and chopped cantaloupe
- 1/8 tsp. Chile de Arbol powder
- 1 small edible marigold for garnish
Directions: Muddle cantaloupe, Agave Nectar, and Orange Curaçao in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients, excluding garnish. Add ice and shake very well for at least 10 seconds. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with edible marigold.
The marigold is considered to be the “flower of the dead” and is supposed to draw spirits hence the use of it in Day of the Dead imagery and in this drink.
Three awesome drinks for a holiday that’s been around for over 2500 years. Here’s to Espolón Tequila, tasty cocktails and happy dead folk.
- [1]This paragraph came from the recipe email the awesome Shani of Espolón Tequila sent me. I decided to just quote the whole thing since it explains the drink perfectly.↩
- [2]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Calavera_Catrina↩
