Sangrita
Encyclopedia
Sangrita, whose origin dates back to the 1920s, is a customary partner to a shot of straight tequila
blanco
; a non-alcoholic accompaniment that highlights tequila's crisp acidity and cleanses the palate between each peppery sip. The basic conception of sangrita is to complement the flavor of 100% agave
tequila, which is also peppery and citrusy in taste. Before increased worldwide popularity and corporate interest in tequila
in the late 1990s and early 21st century, few outside of the Mexican Pacific region bordering the state of Jalisco
, where tequila was mainly produced and consumed, knew of the existence of sangrita, and much less its recipe. As popularity grew, so did commercial efforts to recreate the mysterious red, spicy drink that was served with tequila. In fact the drink was not that mysterious. While most outsiders would reference its red make up as tomato juice and spices, locals and traditionalists agree that the one ingredient that most likely doesn't belong is tomato.
A popular recipe in Guadalajara
(Jalisco's largest city) was said to have originated from the leftover juices (mainly orange) of an equally popular regional fruit salad covered with fine chilli powder, usually piquin. As the fruit salad, known to tapatios (Guadalajara's natives) as pico de gallo
, was consumed from a large bowl during breakfast, the remaining juice was saved and poured on a small and narrow clay cup, which itself would be the precursor of the tequila shot glass. In essence, the recipe of the original sangrita is thought to be that and the same recipe of the fruit salad from which it was strained. In almost all cases the drink took its bright red color from a mix of the fine pepper powder, spices, and pomegranate
, while the base was mainly orange or sweetened lime juice. The key to a balanced sangrita recipe can be found in the fruit salad's recipes, which would have included any or all of the following: tangerine
, cucumber
, papaya
, mango
and jicama
.
Traditionally, sangrita is served with tequila blanco, but it can also accompany tequila reposado. The tequila and sangrita are each poured into a separate shot glass (or caballito) and the two are alternately sipped, not chased. Sangrita is used in a drink known as "The Mexican Flag
", where three separate double shot glasses are filled with lime juice, tequila and sangrita.
region of Jalisco
is made with Seville orange, lime and pomegranate
juices, with chile powder
or hot sauce
added for heat. However, most modern sangrita recipes (particularly outside of Jalisco
) have mistakenly attributed the red appearance of the drink to tomato juice
instead of the chile powder. While some would argue that there is no set rule on what sangrita should contain, as the main ingredient, it is commonly considered by older residents of Jalisco
that tomato
and particularly branded recipes such as the "Clamato
" mix stem from ignorance and feeble efforts to recreate the drink due to its growing popularity. It can feature a blend of orange
, lime
, tomato
and/or pomegranate juices, or pomegranate-based grenadine
with the addition of something spicy (hot sauce or fresh/dried chile
), and sometimes white onion
and salt
.
A variation on a basic traditional recipe:
A basic tomato based recipe (although tomato juice is considered anathema by many purists):
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
blanco
Blanco
Blanco is an adjective often used in surnames.It may refer to:-General:*Eduardo Blanco , multiple people with the name*Francisco Manuel Blanco, botanist*Griselda Blanco, United States drug lord...
; a non-alcoholic accompaniment that highlights tequila's crisp acidity and cleanses the palate between each peppery sip. The basic conception of sangrita is to complement the flavor of 100% agave
Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
tequila, which is also peppery and citrusy in taste. Before increased worldwide popularity and corporate interest in tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
in the late 1990s and early 21st century, few outside of the Mexican Pacific region bordering the state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, where tequila was mainly produced and consumed, knew of the existence of sangrita, and much less its recipe. As popularity grew, so did commercial efforts to recreate the mysterious red, spicy drink that was served with tequila. In fact the drink was not that mysterious. While most outsiders would reference its red make up as tomato juice and spices, locals and traditionalists agree that the one ingredient that most likely doesn't belong is tomato.
A popular recipe in Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
(Jalisco's largest city) was said to have originated from the leftover juices (mainly orange) of an equally popular regional fruit salad covered with fine chilli powder, usually piquin. As the fruit salad, known to tapatios (Guadalajara's natives) as pico de gallo
Pico de gallo
In Mexican cuisine, pico de gallo , also called salsa fresca, is a fresh, uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato, white onion, and chilis...
, was consumed from a large bowl during breakfast, the remaining juice was saved and poured on a small and narrow clay cup, which itself would be the precursor of the tequila shot glass. In essence, the recipe of the original sangrita is thought to be that and the same recipe of the fruit salad from which it was strained. In almost all cases the drink took its bright red color from a mix of the fine pepper powder, spices, and pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
, while the base was mainly orange or sweetened lime juice. The key to a balanced sangrita recipe can be found in the fruit salad's recipes, which would have included any or all of the following: tangerine
Tangerine
__notoc__The tangerine is an orange-colored citrus fruit which is closely related to the Mandarin orange . Taxonomically, it should probably be formally named as a subspecies or variety of Citrus reticulata; further work seems to be required to ascertain its correct scientific name...
, cucumber
Cucumber
The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit when ripe. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and...
, papaya
Papaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
, mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
and jicama
Jícama
Pachyrhizus erosus, commonly known as Jícama , Yam, and Mexican Turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine, although the name most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. Jícama is one species in the genus Pachyrhizus. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as yam bean,...
.
Traditionally, sangrita is served with tequila blanco, but it can also accompany tequila reposado. The tequila and sangrita are each poured into a separate shot glass (or caballito) and the two are alternately sipped, not chased. Sangrita is used in a drink known as "The Mexican Flag
Flag of Mexico
The flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War...
", where three separate double shot glasses are filled with lime juice, tequila and sangrita.
Ingredients
Authentic sangrita from the Lake ChapalaLake Chapala
Lake Chapala is Mexico's largest freshwater lake. It lies in the municipalities of Chapala, Jocotepec , Poncitlán, and Jamay, in Jalisco, and in Venustiano Carranza and Cojumatlán de Régules, in Michoacán.- Geographic Features :...
region of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
is made with Seville orange, lime and pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
juices, with chile powder
Chile powder
Chili powder is the ground, dried fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices . It is used as a spice to add piquance and flavor to dishes. In American English the name is usually spelled "chili", or, less commonly, "chile"...
or hot sauce
Hot sauce
Hot sauce, chili sauce or pepper sauce refers to any spicy sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients.-Ingredients:There are many recipes for hot sauces - the common ingredient being any kind of peppers. A group of chemicals called capsaicinoids are responsible for the heat in chili peppers...
added for heat. However, most modern sangrita recipes (particularly outside of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
) have mistakenly attributed the red appearance of the drink to tomato juice
Tomato juice
Tomato juice is a juice made from tomatoes. It is usually used as a beverage, either plain or in cocktails such as a Bloody Mary or Michelada.-History:...
instead of the chile powder. While some would argue that there is no set rule on what sangrita should contain, as the main ingredient, it is commonly considered by older residents of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
that tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
and particularly branded recipes such as the "Clamato
Clamato
Clamato is a drink made of reconstituted tomato juice concentrate flavored with spices and clam broth. Made by Mott's, the name is a portmanteau of "clam" and "tomato"...
" mix stem from ignorance and feeble efforts to recreate the drink due to its growing popularity. It can feature a blend of orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
and/or pomegranate juices, or pomegranate-based grenadine
Grenadine
Grenadine is traditionally a red syrup. It is used as an ingredient in cocktails, both for its flavor and to give a reddish/pink tinge to mixed drinks. "Grenadines" are also made by mixing the syrup with cold water in a glass or pitcher, sometimes with ice....
with the addition of something spicy (hot sauce or fresh/dried chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
), and sometimes white onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
.
A variation on a basic traditional recipe:
- 1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
- 3/4 to 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 oz. real pomegranate-based grenadine
- 1/4 tsp. ancho chile powder or 3 dashes hot sauce
- 1-2 slices jalepeno
A basic tomato based recipe (although tomato juice is considered anathema by many purists):
- 2 parts freshly squeezed tomato juice
- 1 part freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 part freshly squeezed lime juice
- Fresh minced green chile to taste