The boss is ready to call some shots.
Or at least pour some.
El Jefe Tequila from Carmel's Ryan Sanchez of Surf N Sand, Valley Hills Market & Deli and Corral Market & Deli celebrates a coming-out of sorts at Laguna Seca this weekend.
Sanchez and his team'll stock two margarita booths with a range of signature drinks during the AMA Superbike races and have the El Jefe mujeres on hand tambien.
The official El Jefe AMA post-race party happens at Vesuvio 8-10pm Saturday on the roof top, with tastes, special cocktails and other accoutrements.
The craft cactus juice is now available at Surf N Sand Liquors, 10th Street Liquors, Grapevine Liquors, Baja Cantina, Turn 12, Vesuvio, 1833, CRBC and Montrio Bistro.
It comes after Sanchez dedicated a chunk of the past couple of years to legal import wrangling, source procuring and, finally, cactus roasting in Amatitán, Jalisco.
The blue agave, which cooks for 24 hours in earthen ovens, results in a liquor delicate enough to sip slowly and weighty enough to push Patron out as the official tequila of Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway.
The blanco, reposado and añejo 750 ml bottles ($42.99-$51.99) represent the first time a boutique tequila has called Carmel its home.
More quick bites, both bitter and sweet, appear below:
• We’ve lost one of those personalities that couldn’t be contained, and one of those guys who was the glue for a close-knit community that included judges, lawyers, principals, dentists, doctors and MHS Toreadores, with the passing of Sal Poma, who owned and operated Bottles 'n Bins by the Hyatt forever and them some. (Thirty-four years to be exact, where 10th Street now appears.) But not before he got to meet little angel Stella.
• The dynastic duo of Thamin Saleh and Jeffrey Weiss, who run jeninni kitchen + wine bar in P.G. (920-2662), just visited the James Beard House in N.Y. Now they have a brand new menu coming out this week. Yes/yum.
• Bakery Station on Monterey in Salinas (783-1140) now serves ACME coffee with the bells and whistles.
• There will be Ocean Sushi and Firestone beer (and other treats), and even more flavor on stage at the debut Camp Anostraca at Henry Miller: NVO, Lily Zobler, Todd Hannigan and more, plus the real star, the Burning Man art Anostraca monster bus itself, decorated by burners descending from around the country.
• Jacks Restaurant & Lounge and Peter B’s Brewpub (649-2699) now have a loyalty club. If it’s as remotely rocking as PBBP’s Mug Club—which allows a 24-ouncer of craft beer for around $4—that’ll be a very good thing.
• Happy 100th, Mr. George Tanimura. Get more on one of the area’s ag founding fathers with our Face to Face Q&A feature by SaraRubin out Thursday.
• And happy 20th, French Laundry. Check out my Q&A with Thomas Keller on the blog in the next few days.
• Big Sur landmark Nepenthe makes top 10 outdoor restaurants in the country, according to Gayot.
• Win a turtle race at Carbone’s and get tickets to midget wrestling this Sunday. Been waiting to write that sentence my whole career. More up on the blog soon.
(1) comment
Tequila is not made from a cactus, it is made from the agave plant. No alcoholic beverages are made from cactus. A little research, please.
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