1 apple, sliced and cored

1 orange, sliced

½ cup brandy

1 bottle Burgundy Wine

½ cup triple sec

7-up

Orange Juice

Sugar, optional

Soak fruit in Brandy overnight. Fill large water pitcher with ice.  Pour wine in pitcher, filling to half.  Add Triple Sec, 7-up to fizz preference, and orange juice to color preference.  Add fruit and brandy.  Sugar can be added for sweetness.

Cabo Wabo continues to keep mixologists busy designing new ways to incorporate its tequila into cocktails.  One of the most beautiful is the Cabo Gazpachito Shot, an inspiration from the classic cold soup.

2 slices of green or red jalapeno
1 ½ oz tomato juice
1 oz Cabo Wabo Blanco Tequila
½ oz Sherry
Ice
Cucumber spear

Shake up all the ingredients but the cucumber with ice in a shaker and strain drink into a chilled shot glass.  Slam the shot and then eat the cucumber spear to finish.

Salsa:

½ pound tomatillos, husked and washed

1 large tomato

½ medium onion

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro

1 can (3 ½ or 4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Salt to taste (if desired)

Finely chop tomatillos, tomato, onion, and cilantro.  Whirl green chilies in food processor until smooth.  Mix together tomatillos, tomato, onion, cilantro, green chiles, and white wine vinegar.  Add salt to taste is desired.  Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

Egg Rolls:

½ pound mild chorizo

½ medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup refried beans

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

24 won-ton skins

Oil for deep frying

Sour cream for toping

Fry chorizo and onion in medium skillet until choizo is crumbly.  Drain well.  Add beans, cheese, cumin and cayenne pepper (use more pepper if you like it hotter).  Stir until cheese is melted.  Let cool to room temperature.

Place 1 teaspoon of filling close to one corner of won-ton wrapper.  Fold corner over filling to cover.  Fold over left and right corners, then brush sides and top of triangle with water.  Roll, sealing corner.  Place on a baking sheet and cover while rest of skins are filled.

In a deep pan, pour vegetable oil to depth of 1 inch and heat to 360 degrees.  Fry 7 – 8 filled rolls at a time until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Keep warm in oven until all are done.  Serve warm with salsa and sour cream.  Makes 24 egg rolls.

Donaji

This drink is named after the Oaxaca princess Donaji and pays homage to the Mexican culture and its traditional flavors.  Serves 2

2 double old-fashioned glasses

Lime wedge

Chapulin salt **

Large ice cubes

3 oz. full-bodied tequila Blanco

5 oz fresh tangerine juice

5 oz. fresh Texas pink grapefruit juice

1 oz Del Maguey mescal (for the floater)

**Chapulin salt:  Mix 1 Tbs.chopped crickets (available at many markets, either plain or seasoned) with 3 Tbs.of high-quality Sea or kosher salt.

Tortilla Chips

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies or 2 tablespoons chopped Jalapenos

1 small tomato, chopped

½ pound pepper jack or Sanoma jack cheese, shredded

1 cup sour cream (optional)

Preheat broiler

Layer chips onto two 10×15 inch jellyroll pans.  Sprinkle with beans, chiles, and tomato.  Cover evenly with cheese.  Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately, with a dab of sour cream on top of each loaded chip, if desired.  Makes 3 or 4 dinner-size servings, or several more servings as a snack