 A regular profile of bars, bartenders and their signature drinks.
When the Baja breezes get warm and the sun twinkles like diamonds on the water, can summer bar far behind? And what better drink to toast in the season of verrano than a refreshing sangria, especially if it is made by cantinero (bartender) José Medina at Sano’s Steak House in Ensenada.
Medina, who has been with Sano’s since it opened six years-ago, is a quiet man of few words, but his brilliant smile speaks volumes. As he melds together a concoction of lime juice, simple sugar, mineral water and red wine, he mumbles, “mucho refresco”, and he is right…it is, indeed, very refreshing. Sangria, at $5.50, also joins martinis in the ‘most popular drinks’ category at Sano’s, with the fruity sangria winning out over the lunch crowds that jam the verdant patio in the warmer months.
What’s Medina’s secret? He doesn’t really have one. “Hacerlo con gusto,” he says. You have to enjoy making it.
But Medina’s bartending partner, Miguel del Moral, does have a secret. A rather more loquacious fellow, he is happy to share his special beverage with Baja Times readers, noting that it he prescribes it for ‘day after’ hangovers. Here is Miguel del Moral’s recipe for a cure:
“Extracto”
½ oz Cinzano rojo
½ oz Campari
¼ oz Dubonnet
¾ oz Cognac V.S.O.P.
3 drops Angostura Bitters
Mix sweetened lime juice with sparkling soda; blend the three first ingredients together, and then add them to the lime juice mixture. Float the Cognac and bitters over the top.
So there you have it…one too many sangrias on Friday and Saturday an “Extracto” will fix you right up. Three cheers to Sano’s, and their Doctors of Mixology!
Sano`s Stea House, which also serves breakfast and lunch, is located at Km. 108.5 on
the scenic road to Ensenada. Open daily between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. For reservations,
in Mexico call (646) 174-4061. MC & VISA accepted
Everyone knows that first-time visitors to Baja simply have to go to the local landmark, La Fonda. True, it has changed over the last five years and old-timers will say that some of its rustic charm has gone missing. But La Fonda is still unique, fun and atmospheric and it is, after all, a legend. And some of its cocktails are no less than legendary. There is one concoction, in particular, that evokes memories of a former colorful owner and the bacchanalian parties that would happen at La Fonda under his watch.
What is this folkloric drink? Your first clue: The big bunches of fresh bananas hanging from the palapa roof.
Bartender Rogelio Garcia, a La Mision native, grabs a parfait glass and begins pouring in a healthy dose of rum, banana liqueur, simple syrup and crushed ice. A turn in the blender creates a creamy, butter-colored liquid that pours almost to the top of the big cocktail glass. Garcia then selects one of the biggest bananas, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he slowly peels the fragrant, ripe fruit.
Like a big yellow smile, the banana is carefully laid across the mouth of the glass, forcing the drinker to address it before actually sipping the cocktail. But no way is the drink finished yet! With great panache, Garcia wields a can of whipped topping, leaving an abundant cloud of cream from one end of the banana to the other. Something is still missing, though. With aplomb, Garcia plucks a plump maraschino out of a vast cherry reservoir and plops it right into the middle of the cream.
There it is, the famous La Fonda Banana Daiquiri! But how to drink it? There are tales of this drink being shared by two women, each approaching the banana from opposite sides. There are rumors that patrons have been challenged to eat the banana in one gulp. And then, there are those who, upon seeing this suggestive beverage, are just too darned embarrassed to drink it at all. But they are definitely missing out.
According to Garcia, this and the La Fonda margaritas are the bar’s two most popular drinks. Although he, himself, is a tequila man, he enjoys making what he calls “drinks of the coast”, that feature tropical fruits and juices. And his greatest satisfaction is to “serve his customers well, and see them content and happy”. Without a doubt, this mission is easily accomplished with just one of his extravagant Banana Daiquiris!
For information or directions to La Fonda, call 011-52-646-1550307.
|
