It’s been just about a month since Julie and I hosted the Third Annual Tequila and Salsa Party. This party, unlike the previous two parties, was the first to involve a broader invite list. As such, it felt much more like a “regular” party, and a lot less like a “special event.” This isn’t to say that it was a bad time, it was—it just left me wanting more. Perhaps that’s a good thing. Maybe it means we need to have a winter and summer version of the party…
As usual, the tequila was stellar, with the top tequila award going to the brand new Republic Tequila. Other tequilas included one from Tabasco, Don Eduardo, Patron XO Cafe, Senor Frogs, and more that I can’t recall now. The surprisingly good Tabasco Tequila made for a really nice, spicy margarita.
The Tequila and Salsa Party would not be complete without an assortment of salsas—homemade and store bought. There were red salsas and green salsa, hot salsas and mild salsas, and even a fruity salsa. One thing that stood out to me was the lack of smoky salsas. Compared with years past, the chipotle was only a small part of the show. I know my salsas were all about fresh ingredients. Personally, I made a couple of red salsa, and a couple of tomatillo salsas, including one using the drippings from a green chile brisket.
And now we come to the real star of this Tequila and Salsa Party—the food! This year’s party featured a taco bar, with all of the fixings. For the filling, we had smoked pulled pork, the previously mentioned green chile brisket, and shredded chicken. All 3 made for excellent taco filling, though the pork and brisket were the favorites. Mix in an assortment of fillings, like diced jalapenos, pico de gallo, cilantro, chopped onions, cotija, jack and cheddar cheese, and even lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream, and you’ve got perfect tacos which were cradled perfectly inside of corn and flour tortillas.
Thanks to everyone who made this party possible, especially our friends Erin and Sara. I’m looking forward to the 4th Annual Tequila and Salsa Party, and perhaps a “3.5!”