Continue the Spooky Spirit with the Zesty Rambutan

Has Halloween really just graced us with its presence in 2020 already? How are we so far into the year? I can’t be the only one who feels like time is completely whizzing by but is so slow at the same time. Not to mention, since Halloween wasn’t really a true Halloween this year, I feel like we have to keep the spooky spirit going throughout this week. The holiday deserves more than just one day! One of my favorite things about Halloween each year is having fun with cocktails and putting different spins to make something truly “chilling.” I’m starting off the post-Halloween week with one tequila concoction I’m really excited about with Espanita Tequila. Recipe for the spicy, spooky libation is below!

The Zesty Rambutan

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Espanita Blanco Tequila

6-7 Rambutans

1-2 Jalapeño slices, seeds removed

0.25 oz Fresh ginger juice

1 oz Triple sec

1 Tbsp frozen concentrated Limeade

GARNISH

Lemon wheel

METHOD

Grate a piece of ginger and squeeze the juice out. Measure 0.25 oz in a jigger. Peel the skins from rambutans, remove the seeds and slice the fruit. Place sliced rambutan flesh and jalapeño slices in a Boston shaker and muddle. Add Espanita Blanco tequila, fresh ginger juice, triple sec, limeade and a handful of ice. Shake vigorously and strain through the fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice.

The Hottest Tequila Right Now: JAJA | Recipes and Recs

It is no question that JAJA is THE hottest tequila now. The founding team includes Maurice Tebele and Martin Hoffstein and it’s the tequila of our generation. Not only does it boast a smooth taste, but its bottle and branding is unapologetically photo-worthy with a design that us millennials particularly can’t get enough of. Triple distilled and thoughtfully crafted, JAJA is sweet and herbal - inspired by the lightness of free-spirited days and intimate nights.

JAJA features two delightful versions - Blanco and Reposado.

Triple distilled for a smooth experience, Blanco offers subtle notes of black pepper and citrus fruit while capturing the essence and sweetness of its only ingredient — Pure Agave Azul.

Triple distilled and aged for six months in fine oak barrels for a rich and elevated experience, Reposado (En Ingles “Rested”) offers hints of vanilla, oak, honey, and caramel.

Pronounced “ha ha,” this tequila is authentically sourced and is produced sustainably and responsibly. As if JAJA couldn’t get any cooler, it partners with the Tequila Interchange Project (TIP) to support bat friendly farms and preserve sustainable, traditional practices in tequila production. To put it simply, JAJA is the only tequila to sip now (and for many years to come). Here’s some to-die-for JAJA cocktail recipes perfect for sipping with friends and celebrating the good times together.

Pomarita

1.5oz JAJA Blanco

¾ oz pink peppercorn grenadine

¾ oz lime juice

Thin slice of habanero

Dash of bitters

Top soda water

Island Mule

1.5 oz. JAJA Blanco

1.5oz Pineapple Juice

½ oz. fresh lime juice

2-3 dashes grapefruit bitters

Top with Ginger Beer

Garnish Lemon Peel

Grapefruit Tequila Spritzer

1.5 oz JAJA Blanco Tequila

1.5 oz Grapefruit Juice

Top with lime soda

Sparkling water

Cucumber slices and rosemary to garnish

Hard Thyme Lemonade

1.5oz Blanco Tequila

4 oz Thyme-Infused Lemonade

Thyme Sprig

JAJA’s Revenge

Ingredients:

4 slices of cucumber

2 large basil leaves

1 ½ oz. JAJA Blanco

½ oz. fresh lime juice

½ oz. simple syrup

2 Altos Plata Libations to Celebrate With This Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo has to be one of my top favorite holidays. The main reason being that it’s all about tequila and I am SUCH a tequila girl! I recently discovered Altos Plata Tequila and couldn’t be more excited to create some classic Cinco De Mayo cocktails using it.

Altos Tequila Plata is made from 100% blue agave grown in the Los Altos highlands of Mexico. Complete with herbal notes of cooked agave, Plata is slightly citric and sweet with a fruity aroma. It's a classic tequila for the modern world.

Classic tequila with a twist? I am sooo into it. Here are two cocktails using Altos Plata that are not only perfect for Cinco De Mayo, but for all year round!

Crafted Paloma

Ingredients:

  2 parts Altos Plata

  2 part Fresh Grapefruit Juice

 1 part Lemon Juice 

  ½ part Agave Syrup

  Pinch of Salt

Method:

   Frost the glass rim with salt and crushed pink peppercorns.

    Pour all the ingredients except the grapefruit juice into the glass.

 Mix using the ALTOS molinillo to dissolve the agave syrup.

  Fill the glass with ice and finish with the pink grapefruit juice.

  Garnish with half slice of pink grapefruit.

Tommy’s Margarita

Ingredients: 

   2 parts Altos Plata

    1 part Fresh Lime Juice

   ½ part Agave Syrup

    Lime Wedge for garnish

Method: 

 Build up all the ingredients in a shaker with ice.

 Shake, and strain into an ice-filled cup. 

   Garnish with a lime slice on top.

Trick Or Treat | Tequila Avion Gummy Bear Jello Shots

Happy Halloween! Ummmmm HOW is it Halloween? Crazy how time flies - but I felt like ‘Ween has been over since Saturday. I went to Just Jared’s annual Halloween party and dressed up as a chic 80s mom (yeah, IDK either) and have been over it since LOL. However, one thing I LOVE is Halloween cocktails. They are just even more fun than regular ones so I always get excited every year.

This year, things are getting REAL sweet: my treat to all of you is tequila-infused gummy bear jello shots! Now this is how you celebrate a grown up Halloween successfully! Check out my recipe to make at home to celebrate all things spooky!

GUMMY BEAR SYRUP

(Makes about one cup)

Ingredients:

1 cup - Gummy Bears (Your choice in flavor - I did half cherry half lemon. Get creative!)

1 ½ cups - Water

1 pinch - Citric Acid

1 pinch - Salt

Method:

     Prepare a double boiler. 

 Add the Gummy Bears and the water to the top of the boiler. 

   Let Gummy Bears slowly melt into the water, stirring occasionally. 

  Once they are completely incorporated, transfer the mixture into a separate saucepan. 

  Add citric acid and salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

     Once the mixture has reduced to 1 cup, you’re ready to build the shots.

THE JELLO SHOT

1 cup - Tequila Avión Silver

1 cup - Gummy Bear Syrup

1/3 cup - Powdered Gelatin (This is about half of what you’d normally use in a Jello shot, but since there’s gelatin in the Gummy Bears, you don’t need so much.) 

Method:

  Add the Tequila Avión to the Gummy Bear Syrup while it’s still hot enough that it hasn’t started to set. Slowly whisk in gelatin, so that there are no big clumps. 

   Prepare your serving vessels by spraying the insides of them lightly with olive oil cooking spray, so the shots will release more easily when they’re set up. 

   Transfer the mixture into a pourable container and pour into the prepared serving vessels. 

    Place vessels in refrigerator and let set up (about 2 hours). 

  When they’re fully set, they’re ready to enjoy!

It's National Tequila Day... So Let's Make Lots of Tequila Cocktails

National Tequila Day might just be one of my favorite days of the year. But I mean... isn't any day you drink tequila one of your favorite days? Maybe I'm just biased because tequila is my fave (sorry vodka... actually not sorry), but there's nothing like a nice refreshing tequila cocktail on a hot day -- perfect that this day falls during a summer month! Here are some of my favorite recipes to celebrate with: perfect for parties, get togethers or simply just sitting by the pool or in your own backyard with one in hand. Cheers!

Corralejo Spicy Pineapple Paloma

Ingredients:

2 ounces Corralejo Silver

½ ounce grapefruit juice

½ ounce lime juice

½ sliced Serrano pepper

¾ ounce agave syrup

Pineapple soda (to top)

Tajín (for rim)

Directions:

Rim your glass with Tajín

Add all ingredients except the bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice

Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients

Strain into your glass over fresh ice

Top with pineapple soda

Garnish & Enjoy!

Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients: 

2oz tequila

2oz pomegranate juice

1oz lime juice

1oz simple syrup

Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade

Vanilla flake salt rim, for garnish

Lime wedge, for garnish

Directions: 

Rim glass with a lime and dip into salt, fill glass with ice and set to the side. In an ice filled cocktail shaker, combine tequila, pomegranate juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and shake. Strain into glasses and top with Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade, stir lightly to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Los Arango Spicy Ginger Margarita

Ingredients:

2 ounces Los Arango Blanco

1 ounce lime juice

½ ounce ginger simple syrup

3 slices fresh cut jalapeño

Tajín for rim

Directions: 

Rim your glass with Tajín

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice

Shake to chill and combine ingredients

Fine strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice

Garnish & Enjoy!