Developed in 1543 by a Swiss immigrant, Cachaca is the most popular distilled beverage in Brazil and is the product of the distillation of fermented sugarcane juice. The alcohol strength is usually from 38% - 80% by volume and like Rum, there are two varieties, unaged (white) and aged (gold). With only 1% of the produced Cachaca being exported it is very hard to find the gold variety.

International Cachaca Day was started by the Sociedade Brasileira da Cachaca, a Brazilian government organization. It was created to commemorate June 12th 1744: the day when Portugal, then the colonial authority in Brazil, outlawed the production and selling of Cachaca.

In the United States, Cachaca is often used as the main spirit in many ‘tropical style’ drinks including the Caipirinha (pronounced ‘KIE-PUR-REEN-YAH’).

• 2 ounces Cachaca
• 1/2 - 3/4 of quartered lime
• 2 barspoons of sugar (or 3/4 ounce simply syrup) muddle with ice
• shake with crushed ice
• pour entire contents into old fashioned glass

Here at Barrio, we feature 6 different Cachaca Options; Ypioca, Boca Loca, Cachaca 51, Leblon, Pirassununga 51 and Cachaca Samba. You can be sure Bar Manager Casey Robison will concoct a fabulous, special Cachaca drink just for the day! Word on the streets is he is going to utilize an apple and cinnamon puree!

The great thing about most of the drinks at Barrio is that they also come with a great story. I asked our Bar Manager, Casey Robison, to offer a good one up for our blog…without hesitation, he went with our version of the Tequila Sunrise.

Our recipe hails from the Agua Caliente resort and racetrack of the late 1920’s. A sleepy little area 4 miles south of Tijuana, Agua Caliente came to prominence in 1927 when a hot-shot San Diego businessman and real estate developer named Baron Long turned the sleepy mineral springs area into a bustling resort complete with a hotel, restaurants, casino, nightclub and luxurious racetrack. Since prohibition was in full swing in the United States, this new resort area became a very popular place for American tourists looking for fun and frivolity.

The original Tequila Sunrise recipe was used routinely at Agua Caliente as a hangover remedy and sold for 25 cents. During the 1960’s, the drink made a revival in the United States at which point orange juice was added. As you see below, the original recipe did not have orange juice. Most agree it was simpler and had more flavor.

Salud

In a Collins glass:

• 1.5oz El Jimador Reposado
• 1oz Simple Syrup
• 1.5oz Lemon Juice
• Fill with Soda Water

Float:

• .25oz House Made Grenadine
• .25oz Creme De Cassis

Many of you have been asking for the recipe to our Steamed Local Mussels…well, here you go!

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Penn Cove Mussels
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tablespoons White Onions, Minced
• 2 Teaspoons Garlic, Minced
• 1 Habanero Chile, Halved
• 1/4 Cup Crema Mexicana, Creme Fraiche or Heavy Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Micro Cilantro or Cilantro Leaves
• 3 Slices Baguette, Toasted

Method

1. Sweat the onions, garlic and halved habanero in the oil until it just begins to color.
2. Add all of the mussels at once, turn the heat to high and cover the pan.
3. Shake the pan vigorously with the lid on to coat the mussels and agitate them so that they will open.
4. Steam the mussels with the lid on for 3-4 minutes until they all open. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
5. Drizzle in the Crema Mexicana and swirl the pan so that the cream mixes with the liquid.
6. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro.
7. Serve with toasted bread.

ENJOY!

For all you chocolate lovers out there…we have something new for you to try as our homemade churros come with a xocalatl chocolate dipping sauce! In ancient Aztec culture, xocalatl was the drink of the gods. The term translated means “warm or bitter liquid”. We use a 70% chocolate made from cacao grown in Mexico, and add a blend of cinnamon, ancho chiles, Mexican vanilla and a little cream and sugar. C’mon in and get your xocalatl on!

A quick side note on percentages as it relates to chocolate…this is interesting stuff that I just learned about also. The 70% we use refers to the ratio of cacao to sugar. The more cacao, the deeper, darker and more pronounced the chocolate flavor will be. As a rule, milk chocolate is at about 35-45 percent cacao to sugar, semisweet chocolate is at about 50-60 percent and bittersweet is at about 60-70 percent.