FOOD & DRINK

The Smoky Elixir

MEZCAL

By Colleen Thompson

It's the wilder, cooler cousin of agave spirits; long overlooked and beautiful in its rusticity. It is often confused with tequila… but these days, mezcal is stealing the limelight.

Once considered a poor man’s libation made by farmers in rural Mexican villages, the spirit has become soughtafter among urbanites in Mexico and beyond. Mezcal — which comes from the Nahuatl language — is a distilled beverage made from the cooked hearts of the agave or maguey plant.

Agave has captured the palates and garnered an almost cultish following, all the while checking the boxes of organic, artisanal and handcrafted.

What Makes Mezcal, Mezcal?

In pre-Hispanic Mexico, the agave was revered as a sacred plant, prominently featured in religious rituals. In Greek mythology, Agave was the goddess of desire who helped raise the infant Dionysus. The production of mezcal today looks much like it did 400 years ago, when the Spanish conquered Mexico and brought with them their distilling techniques. Tracing the origins of mezcal is almost impossible, but legend has it that a lightning bolt struck the agave plant, cooking and releasing its juices. Through this act of heaven, mezcal became known as “the elixir of the gods.”

In a nutshell, mezcal is a distilled spirit from the wild agave plant. Much like wine, terroir plays a huge role in distinguishing mezcal: the soil, elevation and type of agave all contribute to the spirit’s unique sense of place. The agave used in mezcal production is handharvested before the plant blooms. By the time agave flowers, the heart of the plant is spoiled and not suitable for distilling.

Wielding machetes, the mezcaleros clear away the semi-poisonous, spiky greenery and dig out the agave hearts or piña (which means pineapple, because of its appearance). The piñas are then smoked and roasted in rocklined pits over wood-burning fires for a week. This is where the distinctive smoky flavour comes from. To grasp the difference in taste between mezcal and tequila, think barbecued and smoked vs steamed ribs. The roasted agave is cut into chunks and crushed under a tahona or stone wheel grinder pulled by a horse. The mashed agave is fermented in open-air wooden barrels for five to 10 days. After two rounds of distillation, the end result is mezcal.

From plant to cocktail.

Photo IZO Mezcal

Mezcal speaks to the deeply-rooted heritage of a community, which has kept big conglomerates out, until recently. Unlike tequila that is now produced on an industrial scale, most mezcal is still handcrafted on familyrun farms with small outputs in the Mexican countryside.

Tequila, unlike mezcal, can only be produced from the blue agave and only in the state of Jalisco. Mezcal can be made in nine Mexican states (Durango, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas) and from more than 30 varieties of agave. It wasn’t until 1994 that the Mexican government officially applied the name “mezcal” to the agave spirits made in the nine specified Mexican states, including my home city of Durango. Today, any agave spirit originating outside of these designated states cannot be called mezcal.

How to Choose a Mezcal

The smoky notes in mezcal can range from sweet and citrus to floral and herbaceous. The subtle variables in the taste of mezcal are seemingly endless. Most agave plants are harvested after five years, but some are even older, which impacts the flavour. Distillery techniques vary. Some mezcaleros use copper pot stills, while others still use the traditional clay stills. One popular and costly mezcal is de pechuga, which is produced by suspending a raw chicken breast inside the still, which is said to add richness and complexity to the spirit.

Types of Mezcal

1. Joven (or “young”) mezcal is bottled after two months of aging and is transparent.

2. Reposado is slightly darker in colour and is aged for at least two months, but less than a year.

3. Añejo is aged for one to three years.

4. Extra Añejo is aged for three years and up.

*If a mezcal is clear, it hasn’t been aged. If there’s a tint of tan or brown, you have a reposado or añejo on your hands. Aged mezcal generally doesn’t improve with time in oak the way whiskey does. Aging often removes the savoury complexities of the spirit.

How to Enjoy Mezcal

“Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, tambien,” is a popular saying in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. It roughly translates as, “For everything bad, mezcal. For everything good, mezcal.”

Mezcal is for sipping, not shooting. Traditionally served at room temperature in clay cups or small glasses, it is often served with an orange slice and sal de gusano, a chile salt mix with ground fried worms in it. With an alcohol content hovering around 50 per cent, not sipping it, will land you in some serious trouble. It’s also best enjoyed with friends and good food, particularly traditional Oaxacan cuisine. (No greasy burritos allowed.)

Although mainly enjoyed neat, to respect the flavours, mezcal’s complexity also makes for some delicious and intriguing cocktails.

MEZCAL COCKTAILS

– Styling & Photograph by Colleen Thompson

For the following recipes, we used IZO Mezcal, a smallbatch producer founded by Gaston Martinez, a native of Durango, Mexico.

IZO is a collection of premium, handcrafted agave spirits that are produced sustainably in the heart of Martinez’s rural hometown, according to centuries of tradition, and made from slow-roasted, wild Cenizo agave hearts harvested on local ranches.

Butterfly Pea Blossom Smash

Ingredients

2 oz. mezcal

1 oz. lime Juice

1/2 oz. butterfly pea blossom simple syrup

Egg white

Edible flowers for garnish Directions

Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain. Serve in coupe glass; garnish with edible flowers.

Butterfly pea blossom is a flower grown in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The flowers are dried and used to make tea. When mixed with acidic ingredients like lemon or lime, the liquid turns from blue to purple. After making a simple syrup, add one or two blossoms of dried flowers.

Snap-Out-Of-It

Ingredients

2 oz. mezcal

1 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. snap pea simple syrup

1/2 oz. green chartreuse

Salt for rim (optional)

Directions

Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain. Serve in coupe glass rimmed with salt. Sugar snap pea simple syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup sugar snap pea, roughly chopped

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over a medium heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the sugar snap peas and steep for 20 minutes. In a blender, pulse the sugar syrup. Strain through a fine sieve. Store in a sterilized glass jar for up to a month.

Chamomile Margarita

Ingredients

1.5 oz. mezcal

1 oz. lime juice

2 oz. chamomile simple syrup (see recipe)

Ice

Directions

Place glasses and shaker in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before making the cocktails.

Add the mezcal, lime juice, simple syrup and ice into a shaker. Shake and strain over ice into salt-rimmed, chilled glasses. Chamomile simple syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup chamomile flower petals

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water over medium heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the chamomile flowers and steep for 20 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve. Store in a sterilized glass jar for up to a month.

Best of the Best 2021

NEW LOOK, SAME AMAZING HOTEL

After 90 years in the heart of the Seaport District, The Westin Nova Scotian has made a few changes

Photos James Ingram and Mario Madau

As the world went through major changes this past year, so did the historic Westin Nova Scotian. The hotel, which celebrated 90 years in 2020, completely renovated its lobby, bar and restaurant — now offering a modern, comfortable space for guests.

The new restaurant, Seaport Social, is located in the hotel lobby and has an open-concept bar with a bright, contemporary look. The lobby bar pays homage to the great hotel bars of the past with an interesting array of handcrafted cocktails. The focus of the restaurant is fresh, local and sustainable cuisine.

“This is a place for people to safely gather to not only nourish the body, but also to feed the heart with new experiences and memories,” says Alison Dove, director of food and beverage.

The mantra of Seaport Social is always fresh and ever-changing. With this in mind, menus change with the seasons. The team works with local farmers and artisans to supply the restaurant and lounge. Inspired by the diversity in Halifax, they brings flavours from around the world to the wonderful variety of local ingredients. The result is a taste experience you won’t soon forget.

“At Seaport Social, we welcome you like you are our family coming home,” says Dove. “We are a safe harbour in these tumultuous times.”

Offering breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch and dinner, the hotel also offers exclusive private dining options for various sizes of groups, plus catering, virtual cooking classes, takeout and contactless curbside pickup.

Safety first

Guests gather at The Westin Nova Scotian for a number of reasons — from intimate events and business meetings, to families staying as they await appointments at the IWK, to universities protecting the community by encouraging safe isolations. The Westin Nova Scotian team is doing everything they can to ensure each stay is comfortable, safe and worry-free.

“We believe all these people seek the same thing from us: safety and knowing our mandate is to eliminate guest anxieties ... while doing what we do best — host.”

Wellness has always been a top priority at the Westin Nova Scotian, and over the decades it has earned the hotel a reputation of excellence. In today’s COVID world, the Westin Nova Scotian has risen to the pinnacle of guest, staff and community care. They’ve achieved this by adapting quickly and offering a high standard of cleanliness and quality at a scale that few others can achieve.

These new standards of excellence have earned The Westin Nova Scotian the title of Best Hotel of the Year award by ReFINEd magazine.

“The Westin Nova Scotian has been an industry leader since 1930, but winning this award at this time in history reinforces our belief that looking after our hotel family will ensure our guests receive the best service, which will ensure our business will thrive,” says Dove. “The future is unknown, but we remain optimistic that it will be bright.” The Westin Nova Scotian Seaport Social 1181 Hollis St., Halifax 902.421.1000 www.thewestinnovascotian.com www.seaportsocialhalifax.com

Savoury Morning Buns

Rise and shine! There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh baked goods to wake you up in the morning, and these little delights are no exception.

Ingredients

Dough

1 cup Fox Hill milk 1 large free-range egg (room temperature) 1 large free-range egg yolk (room temperature) 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 4 cups organic all-purpose white flour 1 1/4 cup salted butter, softened and divided 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup organic fair-trade sugar

Filling

1/2 cup diced onion 1 tbsp butter 1 cup Fox Hill quark cheese 3 tbsp heavy cream 2 cups Fox Hill herb and garlic gouda cheese, finely grated

Directions

Serves: 12

Dough:

1. In bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together milk, egg yolk and yeast 2. Using the dough hook attachment, add flour, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt and beat at low speed for about a minute, until dough comes together. Continue beating for about five minutes, until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of the bowl 3. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a small ball. Place dough in the bowl and turn dough to grease. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for two hours 4. With a pencil, lightly draw a 12 x 18-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper.

Turn the paper over after drawing the rectangle so that either ink or lead isn’t transferred to the butter. Place 1 cup of butter on parchment and roll out. Top with another sheet of parchment and shape to fit the rectangle, keeping it nice and straight to the edges. Transfer wrapped butter on a baking sheet, refrigerate overnight 5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle.

Wrap dough with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight 6. Let butter rectangle sit at room temperature for 15 minutes 7. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16 x 20-inch rectangle. Unwrap butter and place at centre of the dough.

Fold dough over the butter, meeting in the middle and press to seal dough around butter 8. Turn dough 90 degrees and roll dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, turn 90 degrees and roll again. Fold into thirds once more

9. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes.

Roll and fold into thirds. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1.5 hours

Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 375F 2. Grease muffin pan with cooking spray 3. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter. Add onions and cook until translucent, about five minutes.

Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature 4. Roll dough into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle 5. In a stand mixer with paddle, whip 1 cup of quark with 3 tbsp of heavy cream until fluffy. Spread the quark mixture onto dough, sprinkle cooked onions and gouda cheese, leaving a 1-inch border on the bottom edge of the dough. Starting at the 18-inch long side, roll up the dough. Trim the edges and cut into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces.

Place rolls into greased muffin tins 6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool in muffin pan for 15 minutes. Remove and serve with local honey or jam

Local Source Guide

Dairy: Fox Hill Cheese House Organic Fair Trade Sugar: Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op

Recipe provided by: Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste of Nova Scotia tasteofnovascotia.com, #TasteofNS

Roasted Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Roasted Carrots

10-12 heirloom carrots 4 tbsp olive oil to taste salt and pepper

Labneh

2 cups plain Greek yogurt 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 tsp sumac to taste salt

Pickled Red Onions

3 red onions, sliced 3/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup water 3 tbsp sugar

Pine Nut & Quinoa Granola

1/2 cup quinoa 1/2 cup oats 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tbsp salt to taste salt

Garnish

mint leaves dill sprigs

Directions

Preparation time: overnight plus one hour

Serves: 4

Roasted Carrots

1. Preheat oven to 400F 2. Wash, peel and cut carrots in half and then into three-to-five-inch pieces 3. Spread carrots out on a sheet pan and add olive oil, salt and pepper 4. Toss the carrots until evenly coated in olive oil 5. Roast carrots in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until carrots are al dente

Labneh

1. Strain yogurt overnight in fridge using cheesecloth

2. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and sumac to yogurt 3. Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt

Pickled Red Onions

1. Bring vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil

2. Pour hot liquid over sliced onions 3. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate

Pine Nut & Quinoa Granola

1. Preheat oven to 325F 2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients 3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread granola evenly 4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes 5. Granola should be golden brown. Let cool and place in airtight container

Assembly Instructions

1. Spread three-to-four-tablespoons of labneh on plate 2. Place a quarter of the roasted carrots on plate 3. Sprinkle two-to-three-tablespoons of granola over carrots 4. Break apart several slices of pickled red onion and place on top of salad 5. Tear two-to-three mint leaves and dill sprigs and place randomly on top of salad

6. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil on top of salad

Local Source Guide

Produce: Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling Fruit Farms Ltd., Masstown Market or at select farmers’ markets of Nova Scotia locations Yogurt: Fox Hill Cheese House

Recipe provided by: Renée Lavallée of The Canteen on Portland Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste of Nova Scotia tasteofnovascotia.com, #TasteofNS

Lobster Diavolo Pappardelle Pasta

From lobster boils to lobster rolls, everyone has their favourite way to enjoy Nova Scotia lobster. One of our new favourites is this fabulous Lobster Diavolo Pappardelle pasta! Chock-full of lobster and perfectly seasoned with a little kick of spice, this recipe screams Nova Scotia comfort food.

Ingredients

4 whole shelled lobsters

4 tbsp olive oil, divided 1 cup (+ a splash) local white wine to taste sea salt

500g dry pappardelle noodles 2 carrots, peeled 1/2 fennel bulb, tough ends removed 1 small yellow onion, peeled 1-2 chilis

1/3 cup tomato paste 3 398 ml cans crushed tomatoes 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 3 tbsp chili oil

Garnish

hard aged cheese

Directions

Serves: 6 1. In a food processor, chop carrot, fennel, onion and chilis until small and uniform

2. In a large pot, warm olive oil over medium-low heat and sweat the chopped vegetables until tender and the fennel and onions have become translucent. Season with a few pinches of salt 3. Add tomato paste to pot, stir and let cook for a minute until it sticks to the vegetables 4. Deglaze pot with a splash of wine.

Simmer until wine has reduced slightly, then add crushed tomatoes and vinegar. Stir, then cover and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes 5. In a large frying pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Cut lobster into one-to-two-inch pieces.

Once the pan is up to temperature, add lobster and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook lobster five to six minutes, turning halfway through until the meat is opaque and firm to touch.

Remove lobster and set aside to cool 6. Add a cup of wine to the frying pan to deglaze and simmer for two to three minutes, until reduced by half. Add remaining liquid to the simmering tomato sauce and stir 7. Cook pasta to al dente, rinse, set to the side.

8. Add butter and most of the parsley, saving a bit for garnish, to simmering tomato sauce. Taste the sauce, and if needed, add salt to taste 9. Remove sauce from heat and add noodles and lobster. Toss gently 10. Garnish with parsley, chili oil and hard aged cheese. Serve immediately

Local Source Guide

Lobster: Gidney Fisheries Naked Lobster – High Pressure Processed (HPP) raw lobster meat, available through Gidney Fisheries

Produce: Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling Fruit Farms Ltd., Masstown Market or one of the many other farmers’ markets of Nova Scotia Sea Salt: Tidal Salt

White wine: Jost Vineyards, Petite Rivière Vineyards, Blomidon Estate Winery, Benjamin Bridge, Avondale Sky Winery, Casa Nova Fine Beverages, Grand Pré Wines, Gaspereau Vineyards, Luckett Vineyards, Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards, L’Acadie Vineyards, Planters Ridge Winery, Sainte-Famille Wines, Lunenburg County Winery

Recipe provided by: Gidney Fisheries Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste of Nova Scotia tasteofnovascotia.com, #TasteofNS