“This was rough, because I hate mushrooms. Button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, even morels,” says Daniel de Oliveira of GT Fish & Oyster, who was challenged with the fungi by Tim Williams of Francesca’s Forno. The cocktail’s name derives from a recent incident at a dinner he was attending in Guadalajara, when a wasted guest drunkenly groped his manager.
THE GUADALAJARAN HANDSHAKE
1.75 oz Olmeca Altos Plata tequila
1.25 oz portobello-cayenne syrup*
.5 oz red pepper shrub (a vinegar-based syrup)
.75 oz fresh lemon juice
spray of Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal
In a mixing tin combine all ingredients except spray and shake hard. Strain and pour into an iSi Twist ‘n Sparkle beverage carbonator (note: you’ll need to make six servings in order to fill it up to the line for carbonation), pour into a cocktail glass, and spray the mezcal for an aromatic garnish.
*To make portobello-cayenne syrup, place sliced mushrooms in a mixing bowl with just enough water to almost submerge them. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Place mixing bowl on the top of the pot and let simmer for about ten minutes. Strain off the solids and combine equal parts sugar and several dashes of cayenne powder.
WHO’S NEXT
Next up is Matty Eggleston of Perennial Virant, working with wasabi.
—Kate Schmidt