if ya have to put lime in yer beer to make it drinkable, you need to find a better beer... feh
Posted on 05/04/2014 9:02:01 PM PDT by nickcarraway
L.A. bars laugh in the face of the Mexican drug cartels this Cinco de Mayo
You’d think in light of The Great Lime Crisis of 2014, bartenders would have to get Iron-Chef creative to prepare for the margarita-thirsty masses heading their way this Cinco de Mayo. But surprisingly, apart from a few spots that have developed workarounds or shifted focus to lime-less alternatives, many bars and restaurants are not letting limited limes stop them from celebrating the holiday the way they want: with massive margarita drink specials.
Here’s how L.A. bars are handling the holiday—with or without limes.
Petty Cash: The Beverly Boulevard cantina is keeping things simple for its Cinco de Mayo/one-year anniversary party with straight-up $5 Fortaleza tequila shots. Kicking things off, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Fortaleza Tequila’s Guillermo Sauza will lead a tequila tasting; $5 cover at the door. If you’re dying for a margarita, however, try the “50/50” which splits lemon and lime. On their Margarita Mondays (not on Cinco) there’s the aptly named “Cartel Margarita” with lemon, house curacao and Tequila Cabeza Blanco for only $6.
Tavern: Instead of its bi-monthly wine and cheese night, Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s Tavern will host a “Cocktailitas and Bites” event for Cinco starting at 7 p.m., featuring four tequila and mezcal cocktails paired with eats by Goin. Not coincidentally, only one of the specialty cocktails contains lime. “When I look at it from a business point of view our cocktail cost went up by about $1.50 to $2. However it's like gasoline, you still need to drive,” says Tavern barman Christiaan Rollich. “We still will be using limes and lime juice, we just have to be more thoughtful in using it. And, of course, as long as it doesn't affect the integrity of our cocktails. I don't want to just use lemon juice for the hell of it.” Here’s Rollich’s list: Taberna Verde: Reposado tequila with cilantro, lime, basil and jalapeno sorbet Moscow Margarita: Silver Tequila with roasted beets, housemade orange liqueur and ras el hanout Oaxaca Sour: Mezcal with Angostura, lemon, vanilla and egg white Fire & Smoke: Tequila with blood orange, sweet wood, arbol chile and mescal
City Tavern DTLA: The gastropub will have two sangrita specials as well as margaritas. But while the City Tavern’s use of lime wedge garnishes suggests it’s unaffected, it is actually using Perricone juices. “They hand juice everything daily,” said Bar Manager Brent Falco. “Because they do so much more volume they’re not charging me more.” And it’s just as well since what little limes are available now aren’t all that great. “They’re not even good, they’re dry, and for me Perricone is giving me a level playing field where they all taste exactly the same,” she adds.
Rosa Mexicano: Rosa is doing up “5 Days of Cinco de Mayo” (from May 1 to 5) specialty cocktails flaunting the fresh-squeezed citrus, from the “Tradicional” margarita pitcher to the frozen “Tropical (lime)” pitcher. There’s also the “Margarita Francesca” with Grand Marnier and the “Fresa Picante” with strawberry and jalapeno infused El Jimador blanco, lime and organic agave. “We don't change what we do during these short-term fluctuations, so no price changes or recipe changes are being considered as a result of the current produce cost increases,” says Brook Vandecar, Rosa Mexicano’s beverage director.
Las Perlas: The team behind the downtown tequila bar says they’ve been lucky in that they haven’t had to make any changes at all since the bar uses fresh squeezed juice from a local lime purveyor. They’ll have $5 margaritas as well as $5 Palomas and tequila shots and $3 Tecate beer. Stick around til 9 p.m. for the mariachi band.
Gracias Madre: Even though the vegan eatery says that organic limes cost it $136 a case, double what it normally costs the bar program, beverage director Jason Eisner says, “On Cinco de Mayo, we're going to have limes, and we're going big.” The lime-y Purista Margarita and Michelada will only be $5 on Monday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Mohawk Bend: The in Echo Park hotspot is going lime crazy. “On Cinco de Mayo we will have the real stuff flowing,” says Bar Manager Lauren Reyes. “We will pay up for fresh real limes and their delicious juice. I can't imagine the day without it.” The tequila cocktails will be $12, the beer cocktails $7. Mohawk’s limey list: Margarita: Ixa Organic Tequila, Fruitlab Orange Liqueur, agave nectar, lime juice Técito: Ixa Orgánic Tequila, Jamaica Tea, Ginger, lime juice Agua Caliente: Ixa Orgánic Tequila, muddled jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, house-made Chilito bitters El Clasico: 329 Days of Sun lager, tomato juice, celery salt, lime juice, Tapatio Cocktel de Tamarindo: Golden Road Hefeweizen, Tamarindo Soda, lemon, chile
Pink Taco: For Cinco party central, Pink Taco has got two volume-friendly cocktails on tap which use fresh lime juice squeezed in-house and will be sold in pitchers for $40 each: the margarita and, “for non-tequila drinkers,” the Moscow Mule. How is that possible? Easy. The company just pays for the limes and doesn’t raise the cocktail prices.
Red O Restaurant: From May 2 to May 5, the Newport Beach and Melrose locations are doing up a cocktail tribute to the Mexican flag with $10 “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (El Bueno, El Malo, y El Feo) cocktails. Two of the featured cocktails use lime and the official company line is that Red O is not letting the shortage interfere with how it normally does things. “The lime shortage definitely has increased our costs, but we are committed to serving quality products and both our kitchen and bar continues to use fresh lime juice squeezed in house for our recipes,” said Dan Oliver, director of wine and spirits at Red O Restaurants. Red O’s List: The Good/El Bueno (white): tequila, coconut, lemon, and orange liqueur The Bad/El Malo (red): tequila, hibiscus, limonada, and orange liqueur The Ugly/El Feo (green): tequila, cucumber, epazote, fresh lime, and simple syrup
So the LA Slimes can use this phrase...but a sorority/frat on a college campus can’t????
if ya have to put lime in yer beer to make it drinkable, you need to find a better beer... feh
A tavrern owner doesn’t have to worry about pampered lefty professors.. who worship any group that is not based on traditional American values.
Correct. You put the lime in the coconut.
Today I intend to drink a couple shots of Jack and a couple of Maker’s Mark. Good American stuff.
As I understand from my trip to Mexico many years ago the tradition started when people put a slice of lime in the opening of the can or bottle to keep the flies out.
Drinks?
It’s all about mayonnaise anyway
then either clean the place up or give me the cap to cover the top, don't spoil the beer... i think it stated in the 80's as a marketing ploy, also i've read it's to cover skunky beer taste to killing germs on the bottle mouth
strangely enough, or not, Corona will not answer any questions on why it's advertized with lime
and somebody should tell the US beer companies making "lime beer" that hygiene isn't an issue in America
Madison Avenue has power!
ain't that the 100% truth...
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