June’s Sean Brock
PAIRED TO PERFECTION (x2) Tony Mantuano’s Puglian dishes and perfect wines at Yolan / Herradura Tequila pairs with Sean Brock’s tasting menu at June Written by Dave Mahanes / Photos courtesy of Brown-Forman and Yolan Melissa and I were recently treated to a private curated tequila pairing dinner featuring Herradura tequilas at June, Chef Sean Brock’s newest venture located above its sister restaurant, Audrey. June offers a tasting menu-only format creatively incorporating ingredients indigenous to the American South. Brock was seen in the open kitchen overseeing each of the evening’s impeccably composed dishes. June and Audrey’s master mixologist and national winner of the 2016 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience, Jonathan Howard, curated the tequila cocktails. At our table was master tequilier Ruben Aceves, whose family founded Herradura in 1870. Sold in 1995 to BrownForman Distillers Corp, Herradura tequilas are still produced at the same facilities in Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico, with the same care and perfection. Herradura tequilas are sophisticated, complex premium spirits that only use 100% agave and are 100% natural. Herradura has been the #1 selling tequila brand in Mexico for the last 70 years. First Plate: Grilled swordfish belly, green tomato, watercress Tequila: Herradura Blanco Herradura Blanco is a clear blanco tequila; however, this tequila is the only blanco that is aged 45 days in American White Oak which results in sweet agave flavors and oaky notes. Other blancos are not aged.
The Herradura Blanco Cocktail Jonathan’s approach was to take this beautiful tequila that has so much vibrancy and so much going on in the glass already and just season it to highlight certain small areas that are going to pair with the food. He used simple dashes of the green tomato, brandy and shiso salt, not to change the tequila but to just add to it. Second Plate: Giving thanks duck, brassica, Parmesan Tequila: Herradura Reposado Reposado means rested or matured in the barrel. The industry standard for a reposado is to age the tequila for two months in an oak container. However, Herradura Reposado is aged eleven months instead of two in a smaller 55-gallon charred White American Oak barrel. Herradura Reposado was the first reposado and debuted in 1974. As a result of the aging process, it has a beautiful amber color with elements of butter, vanilla, and cooked agave, with a smooth, sweet finish with a slight taste of spice. Herradura Reposado Cocktail Jonathan took fresh pressed grapefruit juice, North Carolina honey and a component of different spices used as non-alcoholic binder. Subsequently, he used liquid nitrogen to freeze this and cut it into frozen chunks. Then the Herradura Reposado was simply poured over this frozen concoction where it slowly dissipated to create a more concentrated flavor throughout the experience. slmag.net
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