A study in contrasts, the Something Old, Something New cocktail at The Wanderer bar inside Hotel Indigo is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. The unique version of the margarita combines the sweetness of strawberries with the herbaceous taste of bay leaves underlined by an edge of sugar and salt.
“It’s a fun and enticing classic with a twist,” says Erin Meeker, food and beverage manager at Hotel Indigo, adding that the drink was actually the result of a misunderstanding between her and bar manager Austin Gulledge. . While discussing flavors that pair well with strawberries, she suggested he try basil. “He misheard me and thought I said bay, which he thought was odd, but I’m the boss, so he just agreed,” she says. “What he created was beyond expectation – a little sweet, a little salty and very appropriate for the season.”
While the drink’s name comes from the fact that it’s a twist on a classic, the name – like the names of all of The Wanderer’s cocktails, such as Build Mama a Coffin and The Railroad Man – is also a reference to Meeker’s favorite podcast, “Old Gods of Appalachia.”
“I got enthusiastic permission from the show’s creators before launching our menu, and it’s an interesting theme to play around with,” Meeker says.
What do you need:
1 ounce Espanita Blanco or any silver tequila
ounce Cointreau
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce of agave
1 large strawberry, chopped, plus 1 for garnish
1 bay leaf, plus 1 for garnish
Salt/sugar mixture to frost the glass
What are you doing:
1. Rim a tall highball glass with the salt/sugar mixture and fill with ice.
2. In a shaker, mash together the strawberry, bay leaf and agave.
3. Add tequila, Cointreau and ice, then cover and shake.
4. Strain into the prepared highball glass.
5. Garnish with strawberry and bay leaf.
