How A Herradura Tequila Pairing Feast Turns Winter to Summer

(Content by Barbara Hansen, Gerry Furth-Sides, photos by Gerry Furth-Sides) Starting off the year in a wintry night setting with a summery tequila pairing dinner with historic Herradura tequila instead of wine. It worked. //www.herradura.com

Herradura introduced reposado to the tequila industry in 1974. It grew to international popularity within decades, almost as if it were there for centuries. It is an amber-colored tequila liquor with notes of cooked agave, vanilla and butter complemented by a smooth and sweet finish with a touch of spice. Fun fact: Herradura in Spanish means “horseshoe” and the story goes that the owner found one in the agave fields one day.

The location was a dark and elegant private dining room at Beauty & Essex in Hollywood, a perfect backdrop for the spectacular colors and flavors of the menu. It was one of those menus where you wanted every item on the list. We got them.

Arriving guests were welcomed at the top of the stairs to a private dining room with an icy cocktail that blended lime, cilantro and jalapeño with tequila blanco the American markets knows as tequila silver.

This same tequila blanco cocktail paired with a Kale and Apple Salad with apple cider vinaigrette, candied pecans and shaved goat cheese. The kick of the citrus and pepper added a welcome pop to the ingredients.

The bright, fresh Herradura silver was also perfect with the salad and with crispy tuna poke wonton tacos. Even more highly recommended is the Herradura Reposado.

Herradura introduced reposado to the tequila industry in 1974. It grew to international popularity within decades, almost as if it were there for centuries.

Herradura’s version of reposed, aged 11 months, came with butter-basted scallops with shrimp and saffron rice and roasted vegetables with pipián sauce, queso fresco and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Hints of dark chocolate made Herradura Añejo interesting with thick-cut filet mignon. Aged 25 months, this tequila is rich enough to go with dessert.

Still, Herradura Ultra Cristalino was chosen for the dessert This tequila boasts a fruity nose, caramel notes and slight sweetness from agave syrup added after charcoal filtration to eliminate color.

The two desserts were butter cake with mixed berries and big puffs of Chantilly cream, and white chocolate pots de crème with strawberry compote. Both pair best with Herradura Alta Crystallino.

The after-dinner drink was Herradura Legend, aged 14 months in grooved barrels treated with heavy toast and char to produce more color and flavor complexity. It’s a luxury at $150 a bottle. 

In between each course, congenial, commanding Global Brand Ambassador Ruben Aceves explained how each tequila was made. He’s historian, a master taster and a legend in the tequila industry. We were so lucky to have an evening with him since he is retiring this year. He reminisced about how his family home was a neighbor to the company, and he started learning about tequila tasting as a child.

Homecooks are encouraged to try this at home! The general rule of thumb: select softer, aged tequilas which are complementary to more dishes. Blanco or silver tequilas pair best with citrus and lime flavors. Reposado pairs best with bold and spicy ones, and añejos and extra añejos are best paired with sweet,

Herradura bottles tequila daily, made from 200 tons of agave harvested from 18 million plants growing on 22,000 acres of plantations. The 152-year-old company is based in Amatitán in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.