The Emiliano Zapata Cocktail
Here's one I created while living in Mexico, originally for a restaurant of the same name that failed before it was ever started. It was named, of course, after the great Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata who fought to create land reforms in favor of the Mexican peasants. For his actions, he was hunted, set up and shot; such is the life of greatly controversial men. What does this have to do with sitting on one's ass drinking? Not a whole lot, but perhaps we can offer a toast to the type of man who at least tries to change the world, regardless of his means of doing it.
This drink is based on a Zim Zala Bim Cocktail but it takes a radically different approach. It is remarkable for 3 reasons; firstly, it is a cocktail which uses mezcal, the less successful and might I say backwards cousin of tequila. Mezcal, however in my opinion, is superior provided that you use a superior brand. The process of making mezcal differs from tequila and adds an extra level of flavor since the agave hearts are first baked and in a sense smoked before being ground and made into a mash. The result is a distinct flavor ignored by mixologists and even sometimes Mexican bars. Secondly, it's a Mexican-spirit based drink that doesn't include the use of lime juice--providing an opportunity for the drinkers to approach the spirit at a different angle. Finally, it is a bitters heavy cocktail adding a full 1/4 oz of bitters into a single glass. But don't worry, the mezcal can take it.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Mezcal Reposado
- 1/4 oz. Kahlua
- 1/4 oz. 2 to 1 simple syrup
- 1/4 oz. Angostura bitters
Mix all ingredients together in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 50 seconds and strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube inside. Garnish with a short strip of orange zest or an orange twist and if possible, a mezcal marinated gusano (the moth larvae better known as "the worm" at the bottom of a bottle of mezcal--just to remind you what you're drinking) skewered through a toothpick along with the orange peel and placed on the side of the glass.
Arriba, Abajo, al Centro, Adentro!
--BWD
