Sangrita: The Topic

[pingarina]

In my current obsession with becoming a crack Mexican home cook, I've turned to making Sangritas (ora'le!) to have with our antojitos. Actually, this past weekend was my first (and second and third...) attempt.

I first learned about this lush little "accompaniment" from my mother, who vacationed in luxury in Mexico. If you order a completo in Mexico, you get two tall, thin, cool glasses, one with good Tequila, one with the spicy chaser. She used fresh orange juice, lime juice, salt and chili powder or Tabasco. Really delicious. Sour/sweet/salty/hot/yum.

I conducted thorough research, obsessive nerd-cook that I am. Most recipes, and bartenders, insist on using tomato juice, some adding orange and lime as well, and some sort of hot sauce. The potion dictated by, in my opinion, the most trusted sources, those being James Beard (website) and Diana Kennedy, swear by sour orange juice (or a mix of sweet orange and lime); pomegranate juice/syrup, or Grenadine; and salt and powdered pequin chile.

I used the recipe from La Kennedy and, not finding sour pomegranate juice (but I do know where to find it..), used a bit of ancient Grenadine the first night and Jumex brand strawberry nectar the next. Although I juiced some sour oranges for the second try, the strawberry was a little flatly-sweet.

Anyway, a bottle of Sauza Conmemorativo later, I'm hooked. So, any experience with this delightful combination and/or opinions on the "authenticity" of the non-tomato based Sangrita? Your thoughts, por favor.

-Ping

[guajolote]

Welcome pingarina

Here's my recipe. I started out using the Bayless recipe but now I just add stuff until there's a good sweet/sour/hot balance. I've never had a sangrita without tomato, but it sounds intriguing. The Bon Appetit Mexico issue had a good idea: they scooped the pulp out of lime halves, froze them, and used them as cups for the tequila and sangrita. I tried it and my guests were very impressed.

Hope you'll post in the Mexico forum; their are several good Mexican cooks here.

[sandra]

See, here is a perfect example of my peeves with the Kennedy/Bayless types - sour pomegranate juice?!?!?! What's up with that? You think that a Mexican that lives in the middle of th country actually has access to this kind of stuff?? Overblown, overworked recipes...

Here are my two recs:

Sangrita Gudalajara:

1 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons lime juice

4 teaspoons grenadine

salt and pepper

hot sauce to taste

shake and serve in shot glasses

Sangrita de Tomate

4 small tomatoes. peeled and seeded

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tablesppons chopped onions

1 chile serrano

1 tab lime juice

2 tea sugar

salt and white pepper

combine in blender and serve in shot glasses

The difference between the two is regional...

Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again, anywhere in mexico the recipe is going to vary wildly from town to town, even from house to house, there is no definitive sangrita - all I can say is anyone who tells you to go find obscure ingredients os probably trying too hard...

My favourite is one recipe in a Bayless book that called for 10, 5-inch tortillas...HA! Like the lady that makes them down the road is really going to be measuring each one to see if it conforms to the specified 5 inches....

Salud!

[pingarina]

Sandra, I detest any recipe that looks "overblown, overworked" (sorry, I don't know how to insert your message as a quote). It's my hobby, my delight to get to the root of cooking methods, to find originals. I realise that there are myriad ways of concocting drinks and food in Mexico - it's a big country with lots of diverse cultures as well as influences from many other parts of the world. I simply was throwing the question out there in an effort to compare experiences and recipes. While I do not feel the need to defend Diana K. (I haven't read Bayless yet), I must say that all of my cooking queries directed at Mexican born-and-raised friends have elicited responses in concurrence with her research.

In regards to your recipe for Sangrita Guadlajara: pomegranate=la grenada (Spanish); la grenade(French).

Guajolote, thanks for your response. I will be lurking on the Mexico board frequently.

Drinkboy, thanks for the reminder about the Saveur bit. I haven't gottne that far down in the mail pile yet!

[sandra]

In regards to your recipe for Sangrita Guadlajara:  pomegranate=la grenada (Spanish); la grenade(French).

Yes, thank you for the translation, pingarina, I am Mexican and Spanish is my first language...

I was simply pointing out that such a thing as "sour" pomegranate is not something you easily find -

I was only pointing out that sometimes such a simple thing as a sangrita can become such an issue with certain food resercahers/writers that it becomes an ordeal for the general cook to follow - same can be said for tacos or chilaquiles.... I once saw a recipe for tacos that was 2 pages long (I will not now say where I saw it, in case I upset anyone) That's a bitt OTT, no?

[Chef Shogun]

Think Sangrita would freeze well? I'm thinking: mix up a batch, and freeze it in an ice cube tray for re-heating (or at least melting an warming, in something like one of the little glass bowls I use for my meez) when I want tequila.

[LEdlund]

Think Sangrita would freeze well? I'm thinking: mix up a batch, and freeze it in an ice cube tray for re-heating (or at least melting an warming, in something like one of the little glass bowls I use for my meez) when I want tequila.

←

I freeze mine all the time. I use it as a base for bloody mary's so I freeze it in one cup containers then thaw, mix with tomato juice and vodka and drink. Yum.

[ScottNYC]

Was recently in Mexico and I had Sangrita mixed with tequila and a splash of lime juice and it was amazing. I brought home 1 bottle from the duty free store in the airport ($5) and it was gone in a matter of days. It was called Sangrita el Jimador.

So, does anyone have a recipe for Sangrita, know if any place that serves it here in NYC, or know of a liquor store that sells it already bottled? Or maybe you know of a liquor store in Mexico that can send me some?

[shelora]

Was recently in Mexico and I had Sangrita  mixed with tequila and a splash of lime juice and it was amazing.  I brought home 1 bottle from the duty free store in the airport ($5) and it was gone in a matter of days.  It was called Sangrita el Jimador.

So, does anyone have a recipe for Sangrita, know if any place that serves it here in NYC, or know of a liquor store that sells it already bottled?  Or maybe you know of a liquor store in Mexico that can send me some?

←

It's traditionally drunk to accompany your tequila, usually not mixed in.

You simply have to make your own. It's easy. It's fun. It's delicious and nutritious!

Any good Mexican restaurant in New York should be making their own as well. Try Zarela or Rosa Mexicano for starters.

Here is my recipe - it might actually be from Rick Bayless, I've forgotten.

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

8 tsp. grenadine

1/2 c. tomato juice

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lime juice.

1 tsp. hot sauce (I prefer Tapatio)

1/2 tsp. salt.

_______________there you go.

Edited October 20, 2005 by shelora (log)

[JetLag]

Admin: Threads merged.

When I lived in Mexico, whenever I hit a cantina I'd ask the cantinista, bartender, for a tequila and sangrita. The tourist places would usually pour ready mixed sangrita but the local places would always mix their own. Since I'm an obvious gringo who speaks very good Spanish they'd go out of the way to impress. I bet I've had literally hundreds of different versions of sangrita. Care to share your experiences? Recipies? I speak better Spanish than I type has not jas

[Sneakeater]

I would be grateful even to be told of a restaurant or bar in New York City (sorry to be provincial) that serves sangrita with its tequila shots.

I mean, that's the way you're supposed to drink tequila.

If I remember right, the little serving device in which they serve tequila at La Esquina, for example, contains a place where a glass of sangrita would go, but, if I remember right (which owing to the tequila I might not), no sangrita.

[ScottNYC]

I believe Pampano on East 49th St has it.

[GlorifiedRice]

According to Pati Jinich, Sangrita has 5 ingredients,

Toasted Soaked Ancho Chilis

Orange Juice

Lime Juice

A slice of white onion

Salt

Its delicious