Recipe Friday: Tequila Time

Just in time for National Tequila Day on July 24th, check out this great tequila cocktail recipe from Slate Catering (Santa Barbara, Calif.). 

(Left) Alvaro Rojas (Alcazar Tapas) and (right) Allie Chandler (Slate Catering). Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée

Slate Catering makes a spicy passion fruit margarita with Passion Fruit purée, habanero-infused blue agave silver tequila, lime and simple syrup. Aptly called Heat of Passion, the drink expertly balances sweet-tart, spicy and citrusy flavors.

“This has been a top seller at my partner’s tapas restaurants for many years and now for catering for years as well,” says Allie Chandler, who founded Slate Catering in 2019 with veteran restaurateur Alvaro Rojas (Alcazar Tapas).

Slate Catering bottles the cocktail and ties it with fresh flowers for farmer's market-inspired presentation in a bucket of ice. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée

For catering events, Heat of Passion is bottled by hand with sprigs of fresh herbs and flowers and dehydrated citrus wheels tied in twine. The drink is so popular it’s been adapted for aquachile, a Mexican ceviche-style dish with water-pulverized chilis. Allie and Alvaro swap langostino for traditional shrimp in their aquachile and serve it in a passionfruit, lime and habanero sauce topped with microgreens. 
Inspiration comes from the farmer’s market and the flavors of the world, particularly Spanish, Mexican and Californian cuisine. That includes the menu of hand-bottled cocktails, all garnished with color-coordinated botanicals.

Heat of Passion. Photo courtesy The Perfect Purée

Heat of Passion 

Recipe courtesy Alexandra Chandler, Owner, Slate Catering 

Yield: 1 serving  

Ingredients

1 ½ oz 100% blue agave silver tequila
¾ oz passionfruit 
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz simple syrup 
Pinch of sea salt

Method