Quady Winery Blog

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with an Essensia Margarita

 

Andy Geanacopoulos publisher of  Wine in Glasses has blogged about a Margarita made with Essensia.   The recipe is found in Quady Cock-Tails, a drink book available from the winery with our wines as ingredients. We got it from the head bartenders at a popular Mexican restaurant, Barrio, in Seattle Washington after Barrio's Margarita was voted "Best Margarita in Seattle".    It was originally published it in the December 2010 edition of our newsletter:  Dessert Wine Digest.  Several years of our newsletters can be found archived on the  Quady Winery web site.   Using Essensia, which is made from the Orange Muscat grape variety (in place of triple sec) instills a new level of sophistication to this classic cocktail.    Although Petron tequila (shown in the photo) can be used, the recipe called for El Jimador.

 

 

From Barrio Restaurant, Seattle where Essensia is used in place of the typical Triple Sec or Orange Liqueur. 

Essensia Margarita

1/2 oz Essensia by Quady
1 1/2 oz Tequila (recipe suggests: El Jimador Resposado)
1/2 oz Agave nectar
1 1/2 oz Fresh lime juice to taste

 

Olé!

Lisa Ip Wins Quady's 23rd Annual Dessert Wine Competition

Winners were announced at the Vancouver Playhouse during their International Wine Festival "Celebrating Excellence" Luncheon.

This year's winner, Lisa Ip of the Four Seasons Hotel, was also a finalist last year. According to Tomiko Mayede, last year's winner, the judging might be as difficult as competing, maybe more.

Congratulations to all the competitors. Finalists this year included Michael Gelinas and Maria Darquier. Photos of the desserts follow:

L to R: Andrew Quady, Michael Gelinas, Winner Lisa Ip, Maria Darquier, Laurel Quady

Michael Gelinas - Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates

 

Maria Darquier - student at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts

And Lisa Ip's winning entry, Lever du Soleil:

Lisa says: "I think tropical fruit and citrus go well with the Essensia, I just try my best and do what I believe goes well with the wine."

The Dessert Wine Competition began in Madera in 1988, moving to its current home in Vancouver in 1990. Chef Roland Pfaff, of Alsace originally won that year representing Le Croccodile.