If you need a gift for a tequila lover, how about mezcal, tequila’s smoky cousin.

The giftee can try a side-by-side comparison, straight up or on the rocks.

Here’s the difference between tequila and mezcal.

Here’s the history of mezcal.
 
 
BACANORA: A D.O. MEZCAL

In April, IZO Bacanora won Best in Category at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, an annual judging of more than 3,000 different spirits.

Trivia fans: It’s the oldest spirits competition in the U.S., and the second oldest in the world. Judged by the world’s leading spirits experts and covering a breadth of spirits, it’s known for its great picks.

Bacanora is a regional mezcal from the northwestern state of Sonora, Mexico: a tiny Mezcal appellation in the mountains of Sonora, lauded for its great mezcals.

Bacanora is made from a regional varietal of the Agave Angustifolia Haw, also know as Agave Pacifica, Agave Yaquiana and Agave Bacanora. The plant* is native to Sonora.

Bacanora production dates back to at least the 1600s, when the Native Opata learned agave distillation from the Spanish. However, that spirit was declared illegal‡ in 1915, and it remained so for 77 years, until 1992.

Times change: Bacanora has been protected by Denomination of Origin (D.O.) status since 2000. It can only be distilled in Sonora.

Roasted and cooked in underground pits, the agave piñas, which take up to 12 years to grow, have a distinctive flavor that is earthy, peppery and complex.

IZO Bacanora. 88 proof, is double distilled in copper and stainless steel. Per the distiller’s notes, the result is a full-bodied mezcal, robust and aggressive, with bold smoke. There are pops of lime and fresh black pepper, and a lingering smoke finish†.

This is a sipping mezcal. People who like to sip a smoky Scotch may enjoy a bottle, too.
 
 
GET YOUR BACANORA

For a top-of-class spirit, IZO Bacanora is affordable at $67.99 a bottle. You can buy it here.
 
 
ABOUT IZO SPIRITS

Founded by Gaston Martinez, a native of Durango, Mexico, IZO Spirits is a collection of premium, handcrafted agave spirits produced sustainably right in the heart of town. They are made according to centuries of tradition, from slow-roasted, wild agave hearts (piñas) that are harvested on local ranches. Discover more at IZOSpirits.com.

The company makes six premium mezcal varieties and one tequila.

Here’s a new term for us: the people who craft mezcal are called mezcaleros.

[1] IZO Bacanora mezcal. The spirit is crystal-clear (photo © IZO Spirits).

[2] While top mezcals are made for sipping straight or on the rocks, here’s a mezcal cocktail from Empellón restaurant in New York City, that combines mezcal and gin (photo © Empellón).

[3] Want some salt with that smoke? Sip mezcal tequila-style, with salt and lime (photo © Sunset Royal Beach Cancun).

*Agave (photo #3) is not a cactus; it is a succulent, and was once classified in the same botanical family as lily and aloe. Today it is classified in its own family, Agavaceae, which consists of more than 400 species.

†Flavors and aromas, especially of finer spirits, are complex. While smoke may be a top note in mezcal, the particular flavor and aroma of any spirit (or wine, or craft beer) is predicated on a number of factors from the type of agave used, to where and how it was grown, to the production and aging processes. Each of these can vary widely.

‡Back then, bacanora was the #2 economic activity in the state. The governor of Sonora was very religious, and believed that producing and drinking alcohol was immoral. He thus banned production [source].

[1] A Ramos Gin Fizz elevates the standard Gin Fizz (next photo) into a frothy cloud (photo © Danjie Sorum | Unsplash).

[2] A standard Gin Fizz (photo © Pete And Gerry’s).

[3] Orange blossom water, also called orange flower water, is a distillate of blossoms of the bitter orange tree (photo © Nielsen-Massey).

[4] Save the artisan gin for a less complicated cocktail. A big brand—Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks, Tanquery—is fine in a Ramos Gin Fizz (photo © Andreas Haslinger | Unsplash).

[5] Henry C. Ramos (1856-1928), known as Carl, created one of the signature drinks of New Orleans (photo © New Orleans Public Library).

For World Gin Day and National Dairy Month, how about a Ramos Gin Fizz, also known as also known as a Ramos Fizz? It’s not your typical gin cocktail, as you can tell by photo #1.

It’s worth buying a bottle of orange blossom/orange flower water (photo #3), just to enjoy the heavenly melody when it combines with the fresh lemon and lime juices. You can add a drop to any gin cocktail.

(Orange blossom water, also known as the essential oil of neroli, can be used in baked goods, fruit salad, ice cream, puddings and nonalcoholic drinks, including smoothies and tea; as well as non-culinary uses. It’s produced by water distillation of the blossoms of the bitter orange tree.)
 
 
IT’S A MILK PUNCH

Ramos Gin Fizz is a milk punch, a category of cocktails made with a spirit plus milk or cream.

When cocktails were first being developed and spirits were not as refined-tasting (i.e., rougher) as many are today, sugar was added to cocktails to soften the taste of the alcohol. So was milk.

Other examples of milk punch include the Brandy Alexander, Eggnog, Grasshopper, Mudslide, Pink Squirrel and White Russian. An older version of Irish Coffee, Scáiltín, is made with equal parts whiskey and milk.

The “fizz” portion of the Ramos Gin Fizz (and any drink called a Fizz) refers to a cocktail that includes sugar, citrus juice and soda water. See the standard Gin Fizz in photo #2.

The Ramos Gin Fizz is made with gin, lemon juice, lime juice, egg white, sugar, cream, orange flower water and soda water.

It’s served in a large, non-tapered 12- to 14-ounce Collins glass (photo #1).

As you can see in the difference between photo #1 and photo #2, the orange flower water and egg white significantly affect the flavor and texture of a Ramos, compared to a regular gin fizz.

The key to achieving the texture is to dissolve the sugar before adding ice. The sugar acts as an emulsifier, and it and the alcohol “cook” the egg white to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria [source].

The history of the Ramos Gin Fizz is below, as are recipes for other versions of Gin Fizz.

Perhaps you’d like to host a Gin Fizz party on the next World Gin Day? (Tip: Serve portions of the different recipes in shot glasses.)
 
 
RECIPE: RAMOS GIN FIZZ COCKTAIL

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients except the ice and soda in a mixing glass (no ice) and shake for two minutes.

2. ADD the ice and shake hard for another two minutes, then again. To get the ideal texture, you want to shake until you can no longer hear the ice rattle. This is why small cubes are better.

3. STRAIN into a Collins glass without ice, and slowly top with soda water to develop a head. Some bartenders use a straw to guide the soda water and not damage the foam. Insert the straw into the drink and pouring the soda along it. The straw is optional for serving, but we prefer using one.
 
 
OTHER VERSIONS OF THE GIN FIZZ

A standard Gin Fizz consists of gin (2 ounces), fresh lemon juice (1 ounce), simple syrup (3/4 ounce), one egg white, and soda water to top.

We’ve seen different takes on the Gin Fizz, from a Blackberry Gin Fizz with muddled blackberries to a Yuzu Gin Fizz with yuzu replacing the lemon juice (a most excellent substitution).

Some other Gin Fizz recipes include:

The Ramos Gin Fizz was created in 1888 by the eponymous Henry Charles Ramos, known as Carl. It debuted at his New Orleans bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, at the corner of Carondelet and Gravier Streets.

Originally called a New Orleans Fizz, the drink had exceptionally long 12-minute shaking time. The saloon kept more than 20 bartenders in a single shift, all dedicated to making the Ramos Gin Fizz. The end result was a pillowy drink, smooth as silk and delightfully citrusy.

How could one bartender shake a drink for 12 minutes? He couldn’t: The drink was made by long line of “shaker boys,” who would each shake the drink for 30 seconds, then pass it to the next man down the line. That’s what was needed to get the unique frothy texture [source].

Even with that crew, the bar struggled to keep up with demand for the popular drink. During the Carnival (Mardi Gras) of 1915, 35 shaker boys were on hand at once—and even they were unable to keep up with the demand [source]. People waited for nearly an hour to get their drink [source].

New Orleans was a Gin Fizz town. The standard Fizz recipe of the time combined gin, lemon and lime juices, superfine sugar and seltzer. A “Silver Fizz” variation that appeared in 1883 added an egg white.

Ramos added cream, which is very difficult to emulsify with the other ingredients—hence the excessive shaking—and orange flower water, which elevated the flavor of the fresh citrus juices [source].

In 1907, Ramos sold the Imperial Cabinet Saloon and purchased the Stag Saloon, also on Gravier Street. From there, the drink took on legendary proportions [source].

When Prohibition was passed in 1919 (effective January 17, 1920), Ramos famously announced, “I’ve sold my last Gin Fizz,” shut his establishment and pursued other ventures. He gave his secret recipe to the New Orleans Item-Tribune, for publication—a very generous thing to do, as others who created famous drinks took their proprietary recipes to the grave [source].

Prohibition was repealed on December 5, 1933, and the cocktail reemerged in the Roosevelt Hotel of New Orleans—which trademarked the name.

One of the drink’s big fans was Governor Huey P. Long, who would actually bring one of the Roosevelt’s bartenders, Sam Guarino, on business trips with him, just to ensure a perfectly-made supply. It was on a business trip to New York City in 1935 that Long had Guarino teach the bartenders at the New Yorker Hotel how to make the cocktail. He and called it his “gift to New York” [source].

A bit about the man: He was a family man, and closed the doors nightly at 8 p.m. so patrons would go home to their families. He was closed on the sabbath, until patrons pushed him to open—and he did, for just two hours.

He did not tolerate drunkenness or rowdiness in his establishment. Later, as a Freemason*, he became a teetotaler.

He was, by all accounts, a gentleman’s gentleman [source].

________________

*Freemasons or Masons comprise the oldest fraternal organization in the world, dating to the Middle Ages. The mission of Freemasonry is to make “better men out of good men”: better fathers, better husbands, better brothers and better sons; to strengthening a man’s character, improve his moral and spiritual outlook and broaden his mental horizons. A benevolent organization, many activities are of a charitable nature. George Washington was a member; Benjamin Franklin was a founding member of the first Masonic Lodge in America. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gerald Ford were Masons, as was Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill. Here’s more about it.

The second Saturday of June (tomorrow) is National Rosé Day. For some serious eating and some food fun, how about Rosé Can Chicken?

Here’s a more elegant version of Beer Can Chicken from D’Artagnan, purveyor of fine foods (photo #1). The sauce is made with a glass of rosé.
 
 
ABOUT BEER CAN CHICKEN

Why put a chicken over a can of beer or wine? Roasting a chicken vertically, whether in the oven or barbecue, will yield crisper skin and juicier flesh.

Standing up, the grease drippings run clean off the body into the pan below. The result is crispy skin.

And the technique is also a conversation piece.

The beer flavor doesn’t imbue the flesh, so much as it provides the moisture of evaporation to make the flesh more succulent.

While it contributes no alcohol to the chicken, if you don’t want to use alcohol, fill an empty can with cider or stock, or use a can of soda (photo #3).

The history of Beer Can Chicken is below.

Here’s an explanation of the claims for moister chicken.
 
 
ABOUT ROSÉ CAN CHICKEN

The difference with this recipe is, instead of a beer can and a side of barbecue sauce, rosé, pan drippings and crème fraîche come together for a simple, silky sauce.

Chicken Note: D’Artagnan made the dish with their proprietary Green Circle chicken (photo #2), a free-range chicken, certified humane by Humane Farm Animal Care, raised without antibiotics or hormones. They’re fed actual vegetables collected from commercial kitchens and farmers markets, along with grains.

The diet and the care that is taken on the farm—plus air-chilling—give these birds a unique, old-fashioned, real chicken flavor.

Of course, you can use your bird of choice.

Wine Note: If you can’t find canned rosé (photo #6), you can use any canned white wine or sparkling white wine. If you need a hack, fill an empty can of beer with the wine.

And, buy enough rosé to drink with the chicken (photo #7).

For a side, we like a mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and a Dijon vinaigrette.
 
 
RECIPE: ROSÉ CAN CHICKEN ON THE OVEN OR GRILL
 
Ingredients

 
Plus:

 
RECIPES WITH ROSÉ WINE

[1] Roast or grill a chicken on top of a cake of rosé (photos #1 and #2 © D’Artagnan).

[2] A free-range Green Circle Chicken from D’Artagnan, certified humane by Humane Farm Animal Care.

[3] If you don’t want to use alcohol, use a can of soda (photo © Weber Grills).

[4] Herbes de provence are an aromatic blend of herbs from the south of France: basil, bay leaf, chervil, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory and thyme (some blends even add lavender, mint, orange zest and/or oregano). It is used for flavoring eggs, meats, soups, and vegetables. You can roll a log of goat cheese in it (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[5] Honey granules are dehydrated honey, enabling honey flavor to be added to dry spice blends. They can also be used as dessert garnishes, added to cereal, tea, and anywhere you’d like honey flavor (photo © Civilized Coffee ).

[6] House Wine rosé is widely available; and more importantly, it’s in a 375mL can as opposed to the more ubiquitous, single-serve 250mL can (two 375mL cans = 1 750mL bottle). You need the 375mL size for the chicken (photo © Original House Wine).

[7] Don’t forget a bottle of rosé to drink with the chicken…and maybe some watermelon for dessert (photo of Rosé Of Pinot Noir © Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards).

Credit for popularizing Beer Can Chicken goes to Steven Raichlen, with publicity in The New York Times, the Today Show and other key media outlets.

Raichlin, the author of The Barbecue Bible and other books, published the Beer Can-Chicken cookbook in 2002.

But Beer Can Chicken actually burst on the barbecue scene around 1995, says Raichlin.

“…while I didn’t invent it (I learned it from a Texas barbecue team called the Bryce Boar Blazers,” whom he met at the “Memphis in May” World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

“I did introduce it to the American mainstream [source 1] [source 2].”

[1] A formidable triple-decker pork belly grilled cheese sandwich from Slaters 50/50 (photo © Slaters 50/50).

[2] A slab of pork belly (photo © The Country Victualler).

[3] Strips of pork belly (photo © Wild Fork Foods).

[4] What cheese do you want on your sandwich? Slater’s uses pimento cheese, made with cheddar. We added a slice of emmenthaler, a Swiss cheese (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

[5] Bacon ketchup: Who knew? This is a spicy version. There are also mild versions (photo © Ass Kickin’).

This is quite some grilled cheese sandwich (photo #1), created by Scott Slater, founder of the burger chain Slater’s 50/50.

It’s a restaurant whose signature burger is 50% ground bacon/50% ground beef.

“We do bacon better than anybody, and this sandwich is no exception,” says company founder Scott Slater.

Pork Belly Grilled Cheese is his take on a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, and is a big hit with patrons (the difference between bacon and pork belly is below).

The Pork Belly Grilled Cheese sandwich uses pimento cheese spread instead of sliced cheese. We put together a copycat recipe based on Slater’s description of the sandwich. Then we added our own twist: a slice of emmental, a swiss cheese (photo #4).

Of course, for the real thing, head to a Slater’s 50/50 California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada or Texas.The restaurant makes its own pimento cheese, jalapeño-bacon jam and pickled red onions. We’ve provided some hacks in the instructions.

Slater’s serves the sandwich with french fries and a proprietary bacon ketchup.

You can buy bacon ketchup; or here’s a recipe.

We think the sandwich has enough flavor that it doesn’t need another condiment, like ketchup.

> Check out the different types of bacon.
 
 
RECIPE: PORK BELLY GRILLED CHEESE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

Photo #1 shows a triple decker sandwich. We made a single-decker sandwich, which was plenty rich and satisfying.

1. PICKLE the onions. You can purchase pickled onions, but here’s how to pickle them from scratch. You can pickle the onions up to a week in advance. The longer they’re in the brine, the more the pickled flavor.

2. PREPARE the pimento cheese. If you don’t buy it ready made, here’s a recipe.

3. PREPARE the jalapeño bacon jam. You can purchase bacon jam and stir in minced jalapeños. Or, here’s a recipe.

4. SLICE and cook the pork belly. You can pan-fry it, roast it, or slow-cook it. Here’s how. When ready to assemble the sandwich…

5. TOAST the bread. Butter it lightly if you desire (we thought it was overkill), and slather it with pimento cheese. Add the pork belly. In our version, we added a slice of emmental (Swiss) cheese, and used a butane kitchen torch that we use for crème brûlée).

6. ADD the top piece of toast and serve.

 
PORK BELLY VS. BACON: THE DIFFERENCE

Bacon is made by salting and seasoning different cuts of pork through a process called curing—using salt to draw moisture out.

In addition the U.S., the belly meat* is typically used. The bacon is then cured—salted, to draw out moisture—and smoked, to add smoky flavor.

While it comes from the same belly of the pig, pork belly is neither cured nor smoked. It is also served in thicker slices and instead of smoky flavor, has a softness ad slick mouthfeel from the added layers of fat.

All bacon is pork belly but not all pork belly is bacon.

Though a fattier meat, it can be diced for stir-fry, rolled for roasting or cut into square or rectangular “steaks.”

________________

*The belly is the area on the lower side and underside of the pig, from which American bacon (“streaky bacon”) is made. In other countries, bacon is also made from the back, butt, jowls, loin, shoulder and sides. Sometimes it is smoked, sometimes not.

It’s often difficult to pick a gift for someone. So many of us have more “stuff” than we need, and/or no place to put anything else. That’s why we always give food gifts.

If the giftee* is a tea drinker, there are many fine gifts of loose tea, and even tea bags.

Here are two of our favorite gift ideas from Harney & Sons, one of America’s finest tea purveyors.
 
 
DELUXE LOOSE TEA STARTER KIT

If you’re not sure if the recipient uses loose tea, how about Harney’s Deluxe Loose Tea Starter Kit?

It’s currently on sale, too, for $—29.95—a 40% reduction from the regular price of $49.95 (plus free shipping).

Loose tea might seem cumbersome, but it’s not.

It takes just seconds more to fill the tea strainer and pop the strainer into the hot water, instead of a tea bag.

Connoisseurs agree that loose tea is the best way to brew‡.

The starter kit helps anyone become a “master infusiast,” right at the kitchen counter.

The kit includes everything needed to enjoy the perfect cup, with top quality† tea):

 
Even the sturdy black and gold gift box is a “keeper,” to store or organize other items in your home.

Order it from Harney & Sons.

[1] The Deluxe Loose Tea Starter Kit (photos © The Nibble).

[2] Open the box, and find everything needed to brew a great cup of tea.

Another option Tea Of The Month, a monthly subscription that delivers premium loose teas or sachets (tea bags) with brewing instructions and tasting notes.

The tea selection change each month, and include black, green, oolong and white teas.

Here are the details.
 
 
MORE ABOUT TEA

> The Different Types Of Tea

> The History Of Tea

> The History Of Tea Bags

________________

*We prefer “giftee” to “recipient,” because it is explicit that the person is recieving a gift. A recipient can receive anything.

†Whole tea leaves that are infused in hot water provide the best flavor. They are the top quality tea leaves. Broken tea leaves need to be infused in bags. A name familiar to Americans, orange pekoe, is not a type of tea but a grade of tea. It is the second highest grade in a seven-tier grading system for black tea. It describes the size and physical condition of the leaf.

When loose tea leaves are steeped in a pot or cup, there is plenty of room for them to move around, absorb water and expand. The water flow through the leaves and extracts (infuses) the flavors and aromas. In a bag, the leaves are constrained so there is less infusion.

‡Tea bags are a relatively new way to brew tea (the history of tea bags).