The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest SpiritChef Dave Martin

Given my relative lack of experience with tequila, I decided to begin my review at the beginning with a definition of tequila and then proceed to the next question, which focuses on the the reason why the rim of a glass used for a margarita is first moistened-typically with juice from a lime wedge- and then dipped in salt.

From the beginning: Tequila is a distilled beverage made with the blue agave plant. The area that produces the most tequila surrounds the town of Tequila, which is about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara. The regional connection is reminiscent of the regionality of French wines. Think Champagne.

Next: Moistening the rim of the glass with lime juice and then dipping the rim in salt (typically coarse salt), tempers the bitterness of the tequila. One source said that while salt is commonly used, you could use sugar or cocoa, a mix of herbs or even chili powder. The source also suggested coating the rim of other cocktails.

Another interesting tidbit: Mexicans tend to drink tequila straight (“neat”).

El Baston del Rey Tequila, which sponsored the book, produces four different tequilas-Silver, Reposado, Anejo, Extra Anejo. The second, third and fourth varieties are aged in oak for varying amounts of time, the second in Canadian oak, the third in American oak, and the fourth in French oak. Each of the recipes uses a specific tequila.

In the introduction, Chef Dave Martin explains how he lost the weight he’d gained on an extended tour of Italy by limiting his alcoholic intake to tequila and, in addition, using it in cooking. One of the points he stresses is that tequila is a stimulant, as opposed to a depressant, adding that it also increases your metabolism, which can be a positive factor in weight loss.

Whatever the plusses, taste and ease of preparation are always important factors when it comes to choosing recipes. Seasonality is also important, especially in the summer when cooking and eating outdoors is at the top of everyone’s list.

The meat in the following recipe should marinate for no more than 2-3 hours, given the high level of acidity in the marinade.

Citrus & Tequila Marinade

4 pounds skirt, flank or flap steak2 cups fresh orange juice1/2 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup el Baston del Rey Reposado Tequila1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon onion powder1 tablespoon pioncillo or brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cumin1 cup corn or neutral oil 2 tablespoons agave nectar1 1/2 kosher salt and black pepper blend, for grilling

Make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add the meat, press out the excess air, reseal the bag and then allow the meat to marinate for the specified time. Remove the meat from the bag.Cook the meat on the grill, stove top or in the oven.

The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest Spiritby Chef Dave Martin

Given my relative lack of experience with tequila, I decided to begin my review at the beginning with a definition of tequila and then proceed to the next question, which focuses on the the reason why the rim of a glass used for a margarita is first moistened-typically with juice from a lime wedge- and then dipped in salt.

From the beginning: Tequila is a distilled beverage made with the blue agave plant. The area that produces the most tequila surrounds the town of Tequila, which is about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara. The regional connection is reminiscent of the regionality of French wines. Think Champagne.

Next: Moistening the rim of the glass with lime juice and then dipping the rim in salt (typically coarse salt), tempers the bitterness of the tequila. One source said that while salt is commonly used, you could use sugar or cocoa, a mix of herbs or even chili powder. The source also suggested coating the rim of other cocktails.

Another interesting tidbit: Mexicans tend to drink tequila straight (“neat”).

El Baston del Rey Tequila, which sponsored the book, produces four different tequilas-Silver, Reposado, Anejo, Extra Anejo. The second, third and fourth varieties are aged in oak for varying amounts of time, the second in Canadian oak, the third in American oak, and the fourth in French oak. Each of the recipes uses a specific tequila.

In the introduction, Chef Dave Martin explains how he lost the weight he’d gained on an extended tour of Italy by limiting his alcoholic intake to tequila and, in addition, using it in cooking. One of the points he stresses is that tequila is a stimulant, as opposed to a depressant, adding that it also increases your metabolism, which can be a positive factor in weight loss.

Whatever the plusses, taste and ease of preparation are always important factors when it comes to choosing recipes. Seasonality is also important, especially in the summer when cooking and eating outdoors is at the top of everyone’s list.

The meat in the following recipe should marinate for no more than 2-3 hours, given the high level of acidity in the marinade.

Citrus & Tequila Marinade

4 pounds skirt, flank or flap steak2 cups fresh orange juice1/2 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup el Baston del Rey Reposado Tequila1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon onion powder1 tablespoon pioncillo or brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cumin1 cup corn or neutral oil 2 tablespoons agave nectar1 1/2 kosher salt and black pepper blend, for grilling

Make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add the meat, press out the excess air, reseal the bag and then allow the meat to marinate for the specified time. Remove the meat from the bag.Cook the meat on the grill, stove top or in the oven.

The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest SpiritChef Dave Martin

Given my relative lack of experience with tequila, I decided to begin my review at the beginning with a definition of tequila and then proceed to the next question, which focuses on the the reason why the rim of a glass used for a margarita is first moistened-typically with juice from a lime wedge- and then dipped in salt.

From the beginning: Tequila is a distilled beverage made with the blue agave plant. The area that produces the most tequila surrounds the town of Tequila, which is about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara. The regional connection is reminiscent of the regionality of French wines. Think Champagne.

Next: Moistening the rim of the glass with lime juice and then dipping the rim in salt (typically coarse salt), tempers the bitterness of the tequila. One source said that while salt is commonly used, you could use sugar or cocoa, a mix of herbs or even chili powder. The source also suggested coating the rim of other cocktails.

Another interesting tidbit: Mexicans tend to drink tequila straight (“neat”).

El Baston del Rey Tequila, which sponsored the book, produces four different tequilas-Silver, Reposado, Anejo, Extra Anejo. The second, third and fourth varieties are aged in oak for varying amounts of time, the second in Canadian oak, the third in American oak, and the fourth in French oak. Each of the recipes uses a specific tequila.

In the introduction, Chef Dave Martin explains how he lost the weight he’d gained on an extended tour of Italy by limiting his alcoholic intake to tequila and, in addition, using it in cooking. One of the points he stresses is that tequila is a stimulant, as opposed to a depressant, adding that it also increases your metabolism, which can be a positive factor in weight loss.

Whatever the plusses, taste and ease of preparation are always important factors when it comes to choosing recipes. Seasonality is also important, especially in the summer when cooking and eating outdoors is at the top of everyone’s list.

The meat in the following recipe should marinate for no more than 2-3 hours, given the high level of acidity in the marinade.

Citrus & Tequila Marinade

4 pounds skirt, flank or flap steak2 cups fresh orange juice1/2 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup el Baston del Rey Reposado Tequila1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon onion powder1 tablespoon pioncillo or brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cumin1 cup corn or neutral oil 2 tablespoons agave nectar1 1/2 kosher salt and black pepper blend, for grilling

Make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add the meat, press out the excess air, reseal the bag and then allow the meat to marinate for the specified time. Remove the meat from the bag.Cook the meat on the grill, stove top or in the oven.

Don’t complain that you haven’t been warned, because I’m telling you upfront to leave room for the giant fortune cookie dessert when you’re having dinner at Tao Chicago. The other desserts (molten chocolate cake, banana pudding et al) are excellent, but you really have to experience the over-the-top fortune cookie, complete with chocolate-dipped edges and cavities filled with dark chocolate mousse on one side and light chocolate mousse on the other.

Of course, fortune cookies aren’t really Chinese. But when it comes to cooking, creativity regularly trumps authenticity. Food evolves; cuisines cross-pollinate.

Consider, for example, the menu at Tao Chicago. It meanders through Asia, mingling dishes from China, Japan and Thailand with ingredients and concepts that are, on occasion, plucked from elsewhere. The yellowtail poke tacos, for example, are finished with a soy vinaigrette and spicy sour cream, while the aged bone-in ribeye sports a maple soy glaze. But don’t be confused, the food at Tao Chicago is emphatically Asian, as is the dramatic decor dominated by a towering statue of Quan Yin, a benevolent deity venerated as the Goddess of Mercy by Chinese Buddhists.

The best way to sample Tao’s menu is to order as a group. There are, of course, a few musts, such as the satay of Chilean sea bass glazed with miso and the lobster wontons in a rich shiitake ginger broth that’s laced with butter. Executive chef Laura Sendik says the broth is so good that diners rarely leave more than a drop or two.

Promoted to executive chef at the beginning of June, Sendik has been on staff at Tao Chicago since the restaurant opened in 2018 in a vintage greystone that was once home to the Chicago Historical Society. The building’s carefully crafted interior, which also includes a separately housed nightclub, exudes an intimacy enhanced by both the attentive service and the generous spacing of the tables in the dining room.

“Dining at Tao is meant to be a transcendent experience,” Chef Sendik observes. “Walk through the door, and you’re in a different world, a place where you can craft a meal that will take you on a culinary journey through Asia, no passport required.”

Tao Chicago, 632 N. Dearborn Chicago 224.888.0388

the lobster wontonsthe Sea Bass sataythe Tuna Pringles

The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World’s Greatest SpiritChef Dave Martin

Given my relative lack of experience with tequila, I decided to begin my review at the beginning with a definition of tequila and then proceed to the next question, which focuses on the the reason why the rim of a glass used for a margarita is first moistened-typically with juice from a lime wedge- and then dipped in salt.

From the beginning: Tequila is a distilled beverage made with the blue agave plant. The area that produces the most tequila surrounds the town of Tequila, which is about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara. The regional connection is reminiscent of the regionality of French wines. Think Champagne.

Next: Moistening the rim of the glass with lime juice and then dipping the rim in salt (typically coarse salt), tempers the bitterness of the tequila. One source said that while salt is commonly used, you could use sugar or cocoa, a mix of herbs or even chili powder. The source also suggested coating the rim of other cocktails.

Another interesting tidbit: Mexicans tend to drink tequila straight (“neat”).

El Baston del Rey Tequila, which sponsored the book, produces four different tequilas-Silver, Reposado, Anejo, Extra Anejo. The second, third and fourth varieties are aged in oak for varying amounts of time, the second in Canadian oak, the third in American oak, and the fourth in French oak. Each of the recipes uses a specific tequila.

In the introduction, Chef Dave Martin explains how he lost the weight he’d gained on an extended tour of Italy by limiting his alcoholic intake to tequila and, in addition, using it in cooking. One of the points he stresses is that tequila is a stimulant, as opposed to a depressant, adding that it also increases your metabolism, which can be a positive factor in weight loss.

Whatever the plusses, taste and ease of preparation are always important factors when it comes to choosing recipes. Seasonality is also important, especially in the summer when cooking and eating outdoors is at the top of everyone’s list.

The meat in the following recipe should marinate for no more than 2-3 hours, given the high level of acidity in the marinade.

Citrus & Tequila Marinade

4 pounds skirt, flank or flap steak2 cups fresh orange juice1/2 cup fresh lemon juice1/2 cup el Baston del Rey Reposado Tequila1 tablespoon garlic powder1 tablespoon onion powder1 tablespoon pioncillo or brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cumin1 cup corn or neutral oil 2 tablespoons agave nectar1 1/2 kosher salt and black pepper blend, for grilling

Make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add the meat, press out the excess air, reseal the bag and then allow the meat to marinate for the specified time. Remove the meat from the bag.Cook the meat on the grill, stove top or in the oven.