A request for a “dealer’s choice” at Pujol in CDMX quickly yielded a Tamarind Mezcal Margarita. It was yet another unique and delicious example from the rainbow along the Margarita Trail.
If you read my post about the “Little Flag” you know I was immediately and totally captivated by mezcal. It has a smoky flavor and complexity other agave spirits can’t duplicate. It was the perfect complement to the aromatic, slightly sweet flavor of tamarind. I decided then and there to explore all mezcal had to offer while traveling the Altaplancie Mexicana.
Tamarind is the fruit of a tree native to North Africa. The pod has edible pulp and it’s cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical regions. It’s slightly sweet with a pungent aroma and flavors of apricot, lemon and dates. Popular in Mexican cuisine, it’s used to season almost everything, including candy, sodas and ice cream.
This cocktail requires tamarind puree and I was unable to find it anywhere. Making puree from raw tamarind pods is a laborious process, so I use commercially available concentrate. With research and some trial and error, I found that diluting the concentrate with two parts water for each part concentrate gave me what I needed.
Follow along as I re-live my journey on the Margarita Trail and share the delicious recipes with you! Print
Tamarind Mezcal Margarita
Smoky Mezcal with orange, agave and tamarind puree, rimmed with a mixture of chipotle and demerara sugar
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- Chipotle salt with demarara sugar
- 1–1/2 oz tamarind puree concentrate (2 parts water to 1 part concentrate)
- 1–1/2 oz mezcal or tequila
- 3/4 oz triple sec
- 1/2 oz agave syrup
- 1 lime wedge – for garnish
Instructions
- Rim a double rocks glass with a mixture of chipotle maragarita salt and demarrara sugar
- Fill a shaker halfway with ice
- Combine all the liquid ingredients in the shaker and shake vigorously until well chilled
- Fill a double rocks glass with ice cubes
- Strain, fill your glass and garnish with the lime wedge
- Squeeze the lime over the cocktail before drinking