One of my favorite cocktails, mezcalitas are fresh and fruity, with a hint of smokiness. In Mexico City, I’ve had traditional mezcalitas with freshly squeezed orange juice, frozen with cantaloupe juice, and floral with passionfruit juice (my personal favorite), but I’m going with the classic here. Mezcalitas typically follow a 2:1 or equal parts ratio of mezcal to juice, but adjust to your liking depending on the smokiness of your favorite mezcal. Compared to margaritas, their tequila cousin, mezcalitas are made with all fresh ingredients without added sugars from simple syrup. And while I love margaritas, there’s a simplicity and freshness to mezcalitas that make for a great accompaniment to dinners like chicken, birria, and vegetarian tacos.
How To Make MezcalitasINGREDIENTSChili-Salt Powder: One of the signatures of a mezcalita, and margaritas for that matter, is a rimmed glass. For mezcalitas, a chili-lined glass is key to balancing the smokiness of mezcal. Tajín is a great option since it’s already a blend of chiles, lime, and salt, but feel free to adjust to your spice level with other red chili powders.Lime: Use limes to rub the rim of the glass, squeeze fresh juice into the cocktail, and garnish the drink. The lime really shines through, providing the citrusy punch this drink needs.Mezcal: Like tequila, mezcal is a spirit derived from the agave plant. But think of mezcal like wine, because mezcal can be produced with many dozens of varieties of agave, similar to grapes. And, like wine, there are pretty bottle designs that make for good displays on a bar cart. More than anything, look for where the mezcal is produced, its age (joven meaning young, or añejo meaning older in Spanish), and its color. Like tequila, mezcal can be clear or a golden honey color. For a good-quality mezcal, look for a bottle labeled as produced in Mexico.Orange Juice: I know straining seems like an unnecessary step, but it’s essential here. No one wants pulp in this cocktail.Cointreau: If you don’t have Cointreau—an orange-flavored liqueur—at your home bar, I highly suggest tracking some down. You can use it in margaritas, sidecars, Mai Tais, French 75s, and Cosmopolitans. A great Mexican brand called Naranja can be used as well.STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Pour some of the chili-salt powder onto a shallow dish, such as a small plate. This step is entirely optional but highly recommended. Rub the rim of a short glass with a lime half. Dip the rim into the powder, turning and making sure it adheres.
PHOTO: FRANCESA ZANI
In a cocktail shaker, combine the mezcal, orange juice, lime juice, and Cointreau. You can also use passionfruit puree or pineapple juice instead of the lime juice. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and vigorously shake until the shaker is really cold, which could take up to 20 seconds. You’ll shake for longer than you might think!
PHOTO: FRANCESA ZANI
Strain the drink into the glass you’ve got ready. Garnish with whatever lime or orange slices you have left.
PHOTO: FRANCESCA ZANI
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe TipsTake extra care with the ingredients: Since this cocktail is simple, take an extra minute to squeeze an orange and lime. Strain the pulp out for extra smoothness.Try new fruit juices: Once you make the traditional mezcalita with orange, feel free to swap for other fresh fruit juices like pineapple juice or passionfruit puree.
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
Dining and Cooking