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

Pozole with Traditional Garnishes

Up at Barrio…we kinda like to think so. Pho is a Vietnamese thinly sliced meat and rice-noodle soup dish that is accompanied by garnishes such as green onions, white onions, cilantro, thai basil, lemon or lime wedges and bean sprouts.

In relatively the same “ballpark”, Pozole is a traditional soup or stew from Mexico. It is made from hominy with pork (or other meat), chili pepper, and other seasonings and garnishes such as cabbage, cilantro, radish, avocado and lime juice to name a few. There are a number of variations on pozole, including blanco (white or clear), rojo (red), de frijol (with beans), and elopozole (sweet corn, squash, and chicken or pork meat).

Here at Barrio, we use hominy and shredded pork cheek and then serve cabbage, radish, cilantro, white onion and corn tortillas on the side. We even have a breakfast version with a poached farm egg. Truly a bowl of delicious goodness…add as much or as little of the sides as you like!