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Love a spicy Margarita? Try this ume jalapeño take from the owner of Bar Sumi.
About the cocktail
How many ways do we love thee, Marg? Let us count the ways… literally. Flick through our extensive (and delicious) cocktail library, and you’ll see just how many ways we adore the classic Margarita – on the rocks, with a twist, super traditional, or anything in between. All equally yum in our eyes. So, when Wen Wang, Bar Sumi owner and cocktail extraordinaire (who also recently created the Emerald Dove cocktail for us), came up with yet another brilliant take on a Marg, we immediately started drooling. Meet the El Zesty Panta. “This is a creative cocktail that harmoniously blends Eastern and Western flavours,” explains Wen. “Inspired by the classic Margarita, it is elevated with the fruity sweetness of Japanese umeshu, while a touch of lime and chili adds a gentle, lingering spice.” Sounds incredible to us. Wen expertly combines lemon, umeshu liqueur, jalapeño and sugar syrup to craft his El Zesty Panta. The result is a vibrant, flavour-packed Margarita with a kick – rich, spicy and full of character. Imagine a Spicy Marg, but with the depth and complexity of aged reposado-style tequila. “Reposado imparts a richer, more robust character that blends seamlessly with the fruity sweetness of Choya plum wine,” explains Wen. “The vanilla and woody qualities of reposado balance the acidity of lemon and the spiciness of chili, creating a harmonious cocktail where no single flavour dominates.” But hang on, what exactly is umeshu, and what does it bring to a Margarita? Umeshu is a liqueur, also known as plum wine, that’s made from unripe Japanese ume fruit, steeped in shochu and sugar. It’s got a sweet-and-sour kick that adds a whole new layer of fruity complexity to your cocktails, and here, Wen’s gone for the excellent Choya Golden Ume. “For bartenders, it serves as a ‘flavour bridge’, harmonising other ingredients while delivering a refreshing and delightful ume flavour,” explains Wen. If you’re anything like us, you’ve already got your cocktail tins out and you’re ready to go. But before you start shaking, check out Wen’s expert tips below.
Watch: How to make El Zesty Panta
Ingredients
1 fresh jalapeño, chilled and sliced
20mL sugar syrup 45mL umeshu, AKA plum wine 30mL lemon juice 45mL reposado tequila 3/4 cup crushed ice Garnish: ½ lemon and salt for glass rim
Method
Use a lemon wedge to wet the rim of your glass, then dip it in salt to coat. Pop the glass in the freezer to chill Using a rolling pin, crush some ice (enough to make about three quarters of a cup) between two tea towels Place all your ingredients and crushed ice into a cocktail tin, and shake until the tin is nice and frosty on the outside Pour into your chilled salt-rimmed glass without straining
Wen’s top tips
Wen is a cocktail superstar, so we’re feeling pretty chuffed he’s shared some of his best bartender hacks for y’all playing at home. The first red hot tip (get it?) is to chill your jalapeño. Don’t freeze it so it’s rock solid, but chill it right down. “Cooling slows down the release of chili heat, reducing the dissolution of capsaicin and preventing the spiciness from becoming overpowering,” explains Wen. “This allows subtle fruit and herbal aromas to stand out, while maintaining balance and moderate heat.” If you’re not entirely keen on a super spicy drink or, adversely, you prefer it hot, hot, hot – you can adjust the spice of the drink to your liking. “When cutting chili peppers, you can remove some of the seeds as they typically carry more heat,” suggests Wen. “If you want a stronger spicy flavour in your drink, you can leave some seeds.” While the recipe calls for no straining, if you don’t want chilli seeds, pulp or ice shards floating around in your drink, Wen suggests double-straining to make “the drink smoother, fresher and more refined.” Lastly, we’re feeling snackish – what are we eating with the El Zesty Panta? “Drinks with spicy ingredients are best paired with spicy or grilled foods, as this enhances the complexity of the cocktail’s flavour while also elevating the overall enjoyment of the drink itself,” explains Wen. Spicy skewers on the barbie fit the bill quite nicely, or if tequila has you craving Mexican, some spicy grilled tacos sound delish, too.
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