Viva, YaVe!

by Anna Tusa

The key to a festive Cinco de Mayo

WITH EARLY SPRING weather in New Orleans and summer heat just around the corner, I created some refreshing tequila cocktails with a new brand that was recently introduced to me.

YaVe Tequila has a very smooth finish and does not have any extra sugar which makes it great for mixing cocktails. In Spanish “key” is spelled llave and pronounced “yahveh”, so YaVe Tequila will be the “key” ingredient in all of this month’s cocktails.

YOU PUT THE LIME IN THE COCONUT

2 oz YaVe Coconut Tequila

1 oz fresh pineapple juice

1 oz fresh lime juice

½ oz cream of coconut

Mix in a blender or shake up and serve over ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple and toasted coconut.

COMING IN HOT

1.5 oz YaVe Mango Tequila

1 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur

1 oz mango puree (if you don’t make your own, Finest Call is a good one)

.5 oz orange liqueur (I used Gran Gala)

.5 oz fresh pineapple juice

1 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz Pineapple-infused Demerara Syrup

Tajin & pineapple leaf for garnish

Rim a rock glass with Tajin. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Strain over ice and garnish with a pineapple leaf.

SPICY WATERMELON PALOMA

2 oz YaVe Jalapeno Tequila

1 oz watermelon juice

1 oz lime juice

2 oz grapefruit soda

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake. Strain into a chilled Coupe glass rimmed with salt (or sugar). Garnish with a lime wheel.

WHAT’S YOUR PASSION?

2oz YaVe Mango Tequila

1.5oz Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur

1 oz fresh lime juice

.5 oz Agave Nectar

1-2 mango slices

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake. Rim a rock glass with salt and muddle a piece of fresh mango in the glass, now fill with ice, and strain the cocktail shaker into the glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. The last treat is enjoying the fresh mango at the bottom of the glass.

MANGO MULE

2 oz YaVe Mango Tequila

1 oz Fresh Lime Juice

4oz bottle of Barritt’s Ginger Beer (this one is more expensive, but made with fresh cane sugar)

Pour all ingredients into a copper cup filled with ice, stir, and garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.

THE TOASTED COCONUT ESPRESSO MARTINI

2 oz YaVe Coconut Tequila

1 oz Coffee Liqueur

1 Single Shot of Freshly Brewed Espresso Toasted Coconut flakes

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin filled with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with coconut flakes and three espresso beans (for health, luck, & prosperity).

I hope you enjoy these cocktails as much as I did. These will be Great for Cinco de Mayo!

A few of these cocktails will be featured at Poppy’s Crazy Lobster in Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin. The restaurant underwent a major renovation and boasts a new lobsterinfluenced menu and innovative craft cocktails like these.

Send me photos of your favorites to my new Instagram account: Shaken’ Up Nola.