What to pair with Caballito Cerrero? As part of our ongoing series on what to pair with mezcal (or other agave spirits), Tess Rose employs her considerable expertise to create an easy combo that zings.
For this springtime perfect pairing I wanted to keep things casual and light–something that would be easy to throw together on a sunny weekend afternoon. As the existential crises outside of our control mount, finding moments of joy and pleasure is even more important. A good snack with a tasty beverage should not be underestimated, especially when shared among loved ones. The central components to this pairing don’t require any cooking, and lend themselves well to an al fresco meal that can fit into a backpack for easy transport to enjoy on a mountain top, the beach, or in a shady forest. As always, there is plenty of room for overachievers and creatives to take it to the next level by putting a signature spin on it.
Is Caballito Cerrero a tequila?
About the spirit: Among agave aficionados, Caballito Cerrero is iconic. Defying classification as part of its identity; it is not a certified tequila nor mezcal, but it is without a doubt a traditional agave spirit, and a very tasty one at that. The spirit is closer to a tequila than a mezcal (especially the bottlings made from 100% blue agave like their blanco) but preserves the historical flavor profile of agave spirits before industrialization. In other words, Caballito Cerrero is essentially a tequila that appeals to mezcal drinkers. The flavors feature rich agave notes with clean minerality, healthy salinity, unctuous oiliness, and notes of vanilla custard. It offers a complex and robust profile for neat sipping as most of us agave nerds prefer, especially when paired with thoughtfully curated bites.
The perfect snack plate lets Caballito Cerrero shine
The idea behind this pairing is to complement the savory notes on the spirit with the food, which will not only celebrate the clean and fresh profile, but also draw out the more reserved flavors like citrus, cream, and toasted sugar. The herbaceousness and minerality of the spirit are a touch briney, which we complement with pickles and/or olives. Cheese mimics the lactic and salty notes, while drawing out the custardy vanilla and creamy elements. Ham matches the robust oiliness and saltiness, giving any hidden baked pineapple and fruit notes a chance to shine through as well.
In the simplest format–which is often the best–a snack plate featuring 1-2 types of cheese, ham, pickles, olives, and crackers or bread would be an ideal spread to accompany the flavors of this unique agave spirit. But could you create a fancy little sandwich with olive tapenade, pickle aioli, ham, and cheese…toasted in a pan with buttered bread for a flavor-packed grilled cheese situation? Yes, of course. Could you build little one-bite skewers carefully layered with mustard schmeared bread, a pickle, ham, and cheese? Also yes. The possibilities are really endless.
Pickle, Ham, & Cheese Snack Plate (for 4 people)
Ingredients:
- 12-16 slices mortadella, or other cooked ham
- 12-16 slices prosciutto, or other cured ham
- 12-16 slices taleggio, or other washed rind cheese
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella, or other mild fresh cheese
- 1 loaf italian bread, sliced
- oil cured black olives
- half sour dill pickles
- mustard of choice such a dijon or spicy brown
- Sliced carrots, or other fresh crunchy vegetable
- (optional) sweet element such as honey mustard, fig jam, or fresh fruit
Method:
Assemble ingredients beautifully on a platter, and experiment with different combinations to create the perfect bite. Pair with Caballito Cerrero Blanco.
Leave a Comment