Not sure what day it is? Got any guesses from the picture above?
It’s Cinco de Mayo!
We thought we’d celebrate by showcasing a Mexican drinking tradition that features the non-alcoholic and spicy drink: the Sangrita.
Traditionally the Sangrita is enjoyed alongside a blanco tequila to help cleanse the palate and contrast the peppery qualities of the tequila with its own spicy acidity. But the folks at Casa Noble took it a step further with their Casa Noble Ritual:
- One sip of Sangrita
- One sip of Casa Noble Crystal
- A couple sips of Corona Extra beer
In San Francisco the “beer and a shot” is currently the Bartenders’ secret handshake – so mixing the tradition of Sangrita with Tequila with beer just makes sense.
The Sangrita
Translated as “little blood”, this non-alcoholic drink is often the subject of confusion. The name is often confused with “Sangria” (which as we know is a very different drink) and the recipe is often confused with the Bloody Mary – where folks mistake the red appearance for tomato juice. In actuality, there is no tomato juice in a true Sangrita – the red color comes from chile powder and pomegranate juice, and the pulpy texture from the orange juice.
That said – drink what you like! If you’ve found a Sangrita variation with tomato juice that you enjoy – go for it. I’m not going to tell you what to drink!
Check out the Sangrita recipe below and I definitely encourage you to give it a try – it’s great on its own, it’s great alongside any blanco tequila and it’s fantastic in the “Casa Noble Ritual” as described above!
Sangrita
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 oz Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
- 1/2 oz Lime Juice
- 1/2 oz Pomegranate Concentrate You can use pomegranate grenadine instead
- 2 dashes Tapatio Hot Sauce
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously.
- Strain into a rocks glass.
