The Tippling Bros. a Lime and a Shaker Read online

  Copyright © 2015 by Tippling Bros., LLC

  Photography © 2015 by Lauren Volo

  Food styling by Molly Shuster

  Prop styling by April Flores

  All rights reserved.

  For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

  www.hmhco.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Carducci, Tad.

  The Tippling bros. : a lime and a shaker / Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay, the Tippling bros., with Alia Akkam ; foreword by Doug Frost ; photography by Lauren Volo.

  pages cm

  Includes index.

  ISBN 978-0-544-30232-7 (hbk.); 978-0-544-30274-7 (ebk.)

  1. Cocktails. I. Tanguay, Paul. II. Akkam, Alia. III. Title. IV. Title: The Tippling brothers. V. Title: Lime and a shaker.

  TX951.C27 2015

  641.87’4--dc23

  2014023051

  Book design by Steve Attardo / NINETYNORTH Design

  eBook design by Jessica Arnold

  v1.0415

  Foreword

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  Tradition

  Craft

  Spice

  Celebration

  Hold the Booze

  Syrups, Salts & Other

  Concoctions

  Index

  I met these guys years ago, one of them at a chance meeting in a German bar. Nope, there was no leather involved. Just wine, beer, that sort of thing. We each noticed that another English speaker was hanging at the rail—we tossed snide comments back and forth, knew immediately we were of a similar bent (again, stop with the leather, it was not that).

  We both loved to drink and liked to talk about it and our tastes were very catholic. We were both visiting German wineries, it turned out. But we were drinking beers. Then whiskey. Soon we were famous friends, talking tequila and trash.

  That was Paul. The other Tippler, Tad, I met a short time later and it was much the same: We were trying to talk smack and talked nonsense instead, and we were perfectly content with that. I’d say things remain pretty much the same today except that Paul and Tad aren’t talking nonsense in this book at all. They might have fun, poke fun, make fun of each other (they are well rehearsed at that part), but the collection of recipes and anecdotes you’re perusing at this moment is chock-full of wisdom—drink wisdom, bar wisdom, flavor wisdom, agave wisdom. It is the miracle of agave spirits that enthusiasts will get silly and spiritual in the same breath. It’s not the drink that’s talking. Or rather, it’s not the alcohol; it’s the spirit of that remarkable spirit. There is something so earthy, so complex, and so assertive about a great agave-based spirit that it inspires equally the senseless and the sublime.

  If that last part seemed a bit too overwrought, that’s another reason you’re holding this book in your hands, preparing to take it to the counter and pay for it (do not slip it into your shoulder bag, that is not cool). Tad and Paul, astute and proven businesspeople, have their feet firmly on the ground, even if their heads are spinning at times from the delicious drinks they offer.

  All this lofty philosophizing shouldn’t be taken to reflect what the Borracho Brothers have done within these pages. This shit is real (to use the bar vernacular), and it is practical. For one, you will learn how to make a proper sour, not the crap in a bottle and, dear god of flavor, not the crap that spews out of a bar gun. Run for the exit if you see a barkeep using sour mix from a gun. These are no small bones. Making a perfectly balanced sour is an act of aesthetic equilibrium: Ingredients change, flavor preferences vary from one person to another, but you must hew to a model that is more important than any of that stuff. A great sour unfolds a world of drink possibilities, but first you must find its balance. These guys will tell you how.

  Of course, you will need to learn to juice. There are tricks of the trade, and these bad Borrachos tell you more than their compadres would like them to do. But they will. Juicing, shaking, every manner of bar technique is in here, straight from the mouths of guys who practice their craft every day.

  With these skills and with newfound understanding of your ingredients, you will make Margaritas. Not the swill swirling in the blender (although blenders are handy for large batches). No, you will learn of the multi-faceted drink that has become the Margarita, from its beginnings to its simpler and more complex versions, each and every recipe and ratio, along with a remarkable but well-rehearsed set of variations.

  This will lead to more ruses from the behind the bar: Making a large batch of perfectly balanced, consistent cocktails requires a different kind of technique. The Tipplers will show you how.

  Sangrita. One of the great mixers of the world: piquant, tangy, citric, rich with umami. How can just a few groceries come together to make such refreshing complexity? Read on and find out. You will also discover a new world of syrups. These now common tools for the mixologist can range from the gentle to the grotesque. But the Tippling Fellers have a set of lovely syrups for you to try (my new favorites are epazote and guajillo).

  It’s important that you read what Tad and Paul have to say about peppers. The world of capsicum is not merely hot—it is also earthy, fruity, salty, smoky, and, well, you get the idea. The Borrachos want to help you discover these ancient foods that, having spread about the world, define cuisines throughout Latin America as well as much of Asia. Closest to my heart, they want to show you Mexican culture. They would insist that they are Norte Americanos, barely elevated above gringo-hood. But they get the culture, and when you read this book, unpack some fresh ingredients, and start chopping, measuring, pouring, shaking, and drinking (alongside some traditional foods), you may get it too.

  Tequila, mezcal, and agave spirits of all origins have something to offer beyond flavor and inebriation. I don’t know that reading this book will bring you there. But I’m pretty sure that reading this book, making some of these cocktails, preparing and cooking some of the food referenced in here, and, most importantly, doing it with good friends will offer you some insight into why two talented guys would want to write this book and create the businesses they have built around the soul of agave. And they have connected the dots thusly: Writing about cocktails should be fun; the best writers are funny. And these guys are that too.

  To know them is to love them, these tippling, teaching, thoughtful Borrachos.

  Doug Frost, MS, MW

  Tad Carducci would like to thank

  My dad, for never doubting and always being proud.

  My grandfather, for teaching me about food and hospitality and for being the first “tippler” I ever knew.

  My wife, Joanne, for loving me extremely. Also, for being the final “palate” behind many of these recipes.

  Leo and Abigail, for being the first and last things I think about each day.

  To Jay, Britt, and Rob, my hysterically funny, entertaining, and bearded siblings—not Britt, the beard that is.

  Paul Tanguay would like to thank

  My mom. Your work ethic dictates my life. Thanks for believing in me and always being there for me.

  My Grandma Alexina, long gone but a daily inspiration.

  My sis. Loving, caring, and solid as a rock. Wish you were closer.

  Kaley, for being the brash, street-smart city kid I wanted you to be, but in a loving and respectful way. Keep it up, Curly.

  Avery. Getting to know you
keeps me up at night and gets me out of bed in the morning.

  Lissette Ayala. Reminding me daily how lucky I am. Te amo mucho.

  Thierry Haxaire and Isaac Kestenberg. For giving this Quebecois his first chance in the wild, wild world of New York restaurants.

  . . . love all of you.

  Tippling Bros. would like to thank

  The Beverage Alcohol Resource, for creating a massive and growing family of spirits and cocktail geeks. Dale DeGroff, for starting this whole mess and inspiring the hell out of the likes of us. Steve Olson, for igniting passions for things boozy. David Wondrich, for “improving” anything he gets his hands on. Doug Frost, for being one of the best teachers in the world. Andy Seymour, for being a leader, a mentor, and a friend. And “feckless” Paul Pacult, Sean Ludford, and the incredible Ultimate Beverage Challenge posse.

  Gary Regan, for dipping his finger where it does and does not belong.

  Tony Abou-Ganim, for raising the bar higher than anyone can reach.

  The badass BarSmarts Crew and ½-oz. jiggers.

  The Mixfits, a motley band of some of the greatest bartenders, and people, that exist.

  The Shakestir family.

  The DSWE family—past, present, and future.

  Gianfranco Verga and Danny Valdez for helping Tippling Bros. become what it is.

  The thousands upon thousands of dedicated bartenders and beverage professionals who daily walk the rail, deliver hospitality, and make people happy. They have propelled the industry to astronomical heights and continue to do so (even you Carlotta).

  To the United States Bartenders’ Guild and its offshoots and affiliates for creating brotherhoods and sisterhoods of like-minded individuals.

  Paul Sauter, Scott Huth, Luis Barrios, and Sean Still. They are ninjas.

  Special thanks to our guest cocktail contributors. They are bartenders, visionaries, and dear friends—Todd Thrasher, Joaquín Simó, Dushan Zaric, Jason Kosmas, Simon Ford, Willy Shine, Scott Baird, David Wondrich, and Phil Ward.

  Sam and Tim Shaaban, the Von Thripp, Bruno Pouget, and the original Apothecary crew. Long live the Hot Racy Ape.

  Jimmy Yeager for being the greatest hospitalitarian anywhere, ever.

  Dave Grapshi for taking us on our first trip to Jalisco.

  Frank Gifford, for not pressing charges.

  Michael Barrett, Johnny Kraz and The Habes, The Tippler NYC, and tipplers everywhere.

  Julio Bermejo for opening America’s eyes to tequila.

  Ron Cooper for having the balls to open the world’s eyes to mezcal . . . and never spelling it mescal.

  Many thanks to Alia Akkam for kicking our butts and getting words on pages.

  Justin Schwartz and the HMH team for believing in this book and putting up with our shenanigans.

  Dan Kirschen and the fine folks at ICM.

  Genevieve for her design savvy.

  And finally, a very special thanks to the Brothers Sandoval, without whom this book would most likely not exist. To Alfredo for living and breathing Mercadito and trusting Tippling Bros. to keep the drinks flowing. To Felipe for building the spaces where the magic happens. And to Patricio for creating incredible food and consistently bettering what he does.

  Okay, so you picked up this book, which means you have at least a passive interest in tequila, you have most likely had a Margarita before at some point in your life and you are somewhat curious to explore more deeply the world of Mexican cocktails. Look at that! Friends already. This is going to be fun.

  You probably also picked up this book because you are burning to find out what the hell a Tippling Brother is. We don’t blame you. We are a couple of intriguing cats. If you already know what a Tippling Brother is, then we’re surprised you picked up the book at all. But thanks.

  Let’s figure this out. Tippling, first and foremost, is a word that has been all but lost to the ages. It’s an Old English word, most likely originally of French origin. To tipple is to: drink alcoholic beverages fairly continuously in small and consistent amounts.

  It’s basically to stay perpetually buzzed. I think most of us can safely say that we have a tippler or two in our family, no? The uncle who’s always smiling, red-faced, and a ton of fun at family gatherings?

  When we were brainstorming names for our fledgling consulting company eight years ago, we knew we wanted something with a bit of cheeky charm and some built-in credibility. We loved the idea of “Bros.” or “and Sons” for the credibility piece, as we were both always enthralled by successful, long-lived family businesses. The “Tippling” part came to us in a sort of divine flash of inspiration, and as soon as it was uttered, we knew that it was perfect. To us, it means much more than nipping away at spirits (although that is a perk to the job ... and the name). It means that we are constantly digesting little bits of knowledge and information. Learning, growing, and getting better and better at what we do and love.

  We are two guys who have spent our lives in the hospitality industry. Combined we’ve got over fifty years of experience dealing with booze under our belts. We are bartenders. We are cocktail consultants. We are restaurateurs. We are educators. We are wearers of many hats. We are geeks.

  We are also two guys who have spent the better part of the last eight years together: working, sharing ideas, laughing, scheming, traveling the world, butting heads and, of course, tippling passionately. We are brothers in spirit and in spirits but not by blood. We started our consulting biz because we wanted to share what we were passionate about, and very good at, with a much larger audience. We wanted to help the world drink better. Our business cards list us as “Spirituous Advisors and Raisers of the Bar.”

  We met in 2006, when we both took part in the inaugural session of the Beverage Alcohol Resource (B.A.R.) spirits and cocktails education course. It was a grueling week of lectures, practical exams, written tests, and spirits tastings taught by a handful of the world’s leading experts on the topics. It was there that we realized we were kindred spirits—and that we were equally fond of imbibing great spirits. After a year of hemming and hawing and a couple of false starts, we finally leaped in the hopes that the net would appear. Just before Christmas 2008, we quit our lucrative jobs and Tippling Bros., LLC was born. So, now you know what a Tippling Brother is. Let’s commence with the rest of it.

  Why a Mexican-inspired cocktail book, you might ask. Well, first, the Tippling Bros. like tequila. A lot. Mucho. It’s no secret. We’ve been drinking it and, of course, studying and learning about it, for many years. We have been fortunate enough in our careers to be able to spend time with producers, advocates for, experts in, and lovers of, tequila (and other Mexican spirits—don’t even get us started on mezcal) who instill deep reverence and admiration for the distillates. We have many people to thank for opening our eyes to the art, majesty, and beauty of agave spirits over the years, and we are grateful to have been able to use the spirits creatively in cocktails for scores of restaurants, bars, hotels, and events.

  Now, lest you think we would discriminate, while tequila and its cousins are passions of ours, so too are cognac, rye whiskey, rum, single malts, shochu, and gin. We are “spirituous advisors” after all.

  The second reason we decided to pen a book about Mexican cocktails is that we are partners in a restaurant group that specializes in eclectic Mexican cuisine. Mercadito Hospitality is a successful and rapidly growing operation for which Tippling Bros. have run the beverage operations since 2008. We have had the great fortune to work with partners and chefs who have taught us the beauty and simplicity that is great Mexican food. We have been absorbed in the culture and immersed in the ingredients, so much so that a couple of our partners playfully refer to us by a rough Spanish translation of our name, the Borracho Bros. And we have made tons of drinks with those ingredients to celebrate the culture, the spice, the tradition, and the excitement. Within these pages, you’ll
find some of Mercadito’s biggest hits (there have certainly been some misses along the way, but we opted to leave those out).

  The cocktails in this book are fun, revolving around four different themes close to our hearts: Tradition, Craft, Spice, and Celebration. They are all an illumination of vibrant Mexican flavors and (most) are meant to complement food. While there are recipes of varying degrees of difficulty or time commitment, we have tried to keep them as easy, straightforward, and approachable as possible. They are a diverse compilation of concoctions we’ve made for restaurants, bars, hotels, major events, and brands around the world. We like to think there is a little something in here for every palate, every party, and every social situation.

  Peppered throughout the book you’ll find some tips, tricks, and advice that the Bros. have picked up, filched, or figured out over the years. No-nonsense kind of stuff. Okay, that’s a lie. There’s plenty of nonsense. There is maybe nothing Yoda-worthy, but we think there are some little jewels that you can incorporate either into your home cocktailing repertoire or your bar’s beverage program. You’ll also find some personal stories, experiences, and anecdotes from our travels and work experiences. They are at least mostly true, as far as we can remember. Indulge us.

  We also threw in some amazing recipes for traditional Mexican dishes to soak up some of the boozy deliciousness to come. Many thanks to our partner, Patricio Sandoval, the incredibly talented executive chef of Mercadito, for allowing us to share them with you.

  We hope you have as much fun reading this book and working up the recipes as we had writing the words and ... testing ... said recipes. It is our sincere wish that this book will serve you as a reference for many years to come.

  Tipple safely, responsibly and passionately.

  Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay

  The Tippling Bros.

  The recipes that follow in this book are all fresh and mostly original. They were designed to celebrate the spirit of Mexican culture and, as we know, that culture revolves around food. We devised the recipes to be perfect complementary companions to comida mexicana. While big on flavor, they are ultimately refreshing concoctions; most of them are designed to drink over ice, yet many will be just as effective sipped out of chilled cocktail glasses. After hundreds of hours testing a plethora of products and recipe permutations, we present these uplifting libations to you straight from the heart. Each one has its own quirky, distinct personality, but like a good pal, will make you feel right at ease.