When asked for my cocktail order at Pujol, I requested a “dealer’s choice” with mezcal. Following a short wait  a tamarind margarita appeared, another of the many delicious cocktails I sampled in Mexico.

If you read my post about the “little flag” you know I was immediately and totally captivated by mezcal. It has a smoky flavor and complexity other agave spirits can’t duplicate. It was the perfect complement to the pungent, yet slightly sweet flavor of tamarind. I decided then and there to explore all mezcal had to offer while traveling the altaplancie Mexicana.

Tamarind

I was unfamiliar with tamarind, but learned it’s the fruit of a tree native to North Africa. The fruit pod has edible pulp and it’s cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical regions. The pulp has a slightly sweet and pungent aroma with flavors of lemon, apricot and dates.  It’s popular in Mexican cuisine and used to season almost everything, including candy, sodas and ice cream.

Making the Margarita

This cocktail requires tamarind puree and I was unable to find it anywhere. Raw tamarind pods are available at my local supermercado, but making puree is a laborious process. I found concentrate on-line at a reasonable price, but quickly discovered there was more work to do. With research and some trial and error, I found that diluting the concentrate with two parts water for each part concentrate gave me what I needed.

Follow along as I re-live my journey on the Margarita Trail and share the delicious recipes with you!