Cinco Cinco

Cinco de Mayo!

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

It's fiesta time kids!!! Time for some Margaritas and Music! It's Cinco de Mayo (Cinco de Drinko)!
Sorry, but we just love anytime we can drink tequila, have a little Tex-Mex and listen to some "Bom bon" musica. 

Some folks think this is the celebration of Mexico's Independence Day... It is not!

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over a far superior French army way back in 1862. The much smaller Mexican army (2000 to France's 6000) reportedly took over and defeated the French while they were asleep.

No matter how it happened the bottom line is the Mexican's kicked the crap out of the French... sounds like a good reason to party to me.

Oh course all this was short lived when, a year later,  Napoleon sent 30,000 troops back to take over the Mexican army. Hey... celebrate your success while you can!

So crank up the music and grab a big bottle of blue Agave...

The pots are on!

The Plate...

Grilled Chicken with Ancho-Tequila Glaze

Fire up the grill... it's party time. And yes you guessed it, we're making something with tequila. 

Today we borrowed a recipe from our good friend Michael McKenzie (a man that celebrates beating the crap out of the French, but that's another story). He usually whips this up pool side out at his place in Vegas. This is easy, spicy with a little citrus zing and simply "delicioso"! 

What you need... 

1 1/2 cups hickory chips
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Fresh ground pepper & Kosher salt
12 bone -in chicken thighs, skinned
2 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp tequila
1 1/2 tbsp hot sauce
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
6 lime wedges

What you do... 

Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat your grill  to medium-high.

Create a cool side and hot side with coals all on one side.

Combine the chile powder, sugar, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper.

Add chicken to a bowl and toss with the dry mix.

Place the Agave, olive oil, tequila, butter, red pepper flakes and hot sauce in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil and cook to reduce by about half.

Place chicken on the grill, meat side down on the "cool" side. 

Brush with the Agave/tequila mix and grill for 15 minutes.

(good time to have a Sangria!)

Turn chicken over and move to the "hot" side to grill for 5 more minutes.

Briefly grill the lime wedges.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with remaining Agave/Tequila mixture and lime wedges. 

Thanks Michael

The Playlist... 

Cinco Cinco

Like Sammy says "Mas Tequila"... that's all you really need to know about a Cinco Cinco party playlist. 

We threw a few of the traditional tunes to get you in the mood. And, as usual, some new folks you may not of heard. Check out Boom Boom Boom by the Iguanas and Spill the wine by Los Mocosos.

Happy Cinco de Mayo... crank it up and go "en Fuego"!

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar... 

Sangrita

The traditional Mexican way to drink Tequila, dating back to 1920. The basic concept here is to complement the flavor of 100% agave tequila with a peppery and citrus chaser. 

What you need...   

A good bottle of 100% blue agave blanco tequila
A good Sangrita chaser

Mexico City style Sangrita-
5 parts tomato juice
2 parts fresh lime juice
1 part orange juice
Seasoned with Salso, Worcestershire and tabasco 
Lime wedge

What you do...

Mix together the Sangrita and pour into a cocktail glass. 

Garnish with lime.

Now take a shot of Tequila and chase it with the Sangrita... 

Aribba!

Yo Quiero...

Fiesta Grande!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin"!