Kurt Schlechter and Derrick Hartman from The Bartenders Workshop competed in the first “Tahona Society International Margarita Competition” in Mexico that was held from the 30th of May 2010 to the 5th of June 2010. Kurt won the competition and his prize is a trip to New York to work in some of the top cocktail and tequila bars and present the drinks he made in the competition. For pictures check out www.facebook.com/tahonasociety. See his winning drinks below. We will keep you up to date with some news from New York.







My friends Margarita

Glass:
Rocks glass with cinnamon & Naartjie (Mandarin) salt lip

Method:
Muddle orange slice with skin in base of mixing glass, add rest of ingredients and shake with ice and double strain into glass over ice

Ingredients:
Orange slice
5 raspberries
55mls Olmeca Altos 100 % tequila Reposado
1 whole (small) lime squeezed
18.75mls (3/4 shot) Rooibos tea & vanilla syrup
12,5mls (½ shot) Cointreau

On the side:
shot glass with Slithers of Jicama (Mexican fruit with neutral taste) dipped in Naartjie (Mandarin) & cinnamon homemade salt

Garnish:
Pineapple leaves arranged in an agave plant style with naartjie & cinnamon homemade salt

For the Nose:
Using a atomizer spray a mixture of half dark blue agave syrup and Olmeca altos Reposado over the drink, be careful not to wet the salt lip in the process.

Olmeca Fresca (make two drinks)

Glass:
two rocks

Method:
Muddle grapefruit in base of mixing glass, add rest of ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into two glasses with ice

Ingredients:
1cm thick grape fruit wheel with skin
Half a lemon freshly squeezed
55mls Olmeca Altos 100% tequila Blanco
62,5mls (1.5 shots) agave syrup
Once you have shaken the mixture hard and strained, fill with sparkling water and stir with KNIFE!

Garnish:
Lemon & grapefruit twist