Holiday season 2020 is here, what will you be serving with those cozy winter meals?  For us, Tequila is always on the table, and we've done some taste testing to make sure you're set with the best pairings possible this year. 

 

White Cheddar & Potato Gratin + Gran Dovejo Reposado

Layers of potatoes, meets layers of flavors when you’re sipping a glass of Gran Dovejo Reposado with this recipe for White Cheddar and Potato Gratin from @food52.  Reposados do well to stand up to cheeses like the white cheddar used here and a handful of freshly chopped chives, compliments the toasty herbaceousness of Gran Dovejo. Photo by Rocky Luten. 

Baked Brie + El Tequileno Reposado Rare

El Tequileño’s Reposado Rare cuts through the fattiness of a warm double cream brie while complementing it with sweet and dry holiday flavors of cinnamon, candied ginger, baked apple, and piloncillo.  This recipe from @InaGarten, at the @foodnetwork is simple, and delicious. 

 What makes this reposado rare? By law, Reposados are required to be aged in barrels smaller than 600L and aged less than one year. El Tequileño breaks the rules with this Rare Reposado, instead aging it for 6 years in a very large American Oak pipon, resulting in an amazingly complex and rich Tequila with exceptional depth.

Fennel Salad + Cascahuin Plata 48

The Shaved Fennel Salad with Walnuts and Croutons from @bonappetitmag and a bottle of Cascahuin Plata 48 will certainly be hitting our holiday table this year.  Cascahuin’s blanco at 48% is fresh and bright, with fatty undertones and lingering salinity.   Partner that with crisp shaved fennel, toasted walnuts(we find hints of walnuts in the aroma of Cascahuin too!), buttery, salty parmesan and croutons, and you’ll be on your way to a delicious meal.  Photo By Stephen Kent Johnson, Food Styling By Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling By Kalen Kaminski 

Caramel Baked Pears + Compoveda XA

Wanting to spice up your Tequila and dessert pairing this year?  This recipe for Caramel Baked Pears from @williamssonoma and a bottle of Compoveda Extra Añejo will do you no wrong.  Any Compoveda fan will immediately realize some familiar flavors in this ingredient list - vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, and of course juicy, roasted pears.  In our version, there is also a scoop of vanilla ice cream involved, but you do you. 

Pecan Pie + ArteNOM Anejo

The key to a perfect pecan pie is the balance between gooey, and dry, the filling, and the perfect crust.  And in some ways, this also applies to aged Tequilas, great producers know how to keep that agave sweetness in the foreground, while allowing oak barrels to impart just the right amount of tannic infusion and drying on the palate.  

Enrique Fonseca, is a master of this craft, and balance, and so, of course, his project with ArteNOM - Seleccion de 1146 Añejo was the first thing to come to mind when pecan pie was put on the table.  We love the flavors of richly caramelized agave, dark chocolate, orange zest, and toffee in this añejo, and we think you will too.  

Here’s a simple and delicious recipe from @cookiesandcups. 

 

Carajillo con Cava de Oro Tequila

As our resident expert, newly also a resident of Guadalajara, @carolynalia knows, the Carajillo is the hottest post-dinner drink in Mexico these days.  Simple, and delicious, this recipe from Ricardo Alonso at the @robbreport , adds Tequila to the mix.  Bring a little bit of Mexico to your friends this year and teach them how to make this classic cocktail. 

50 ml of Cava de Oro Extra Añejo

45 ml of Veracruz or Chiapas coffee,

10 ml of Cocoa Liquor

 20 ml of Licor del 43

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, add 5 ice cubes, cover and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, managing to add as much air as possible to the mixture.

In a fancy glass, add ice and strain shaker over top. Garnish with roasted coffee beans.