Here's What You Need to Know About Tequila Cocktails: An Interview With The Cabinet's Joann Spiegel
On March 19th, Leisurely and Cocktail Kingdom are mixing it up with some delicious tequila cocktails courtesy of Founder and CEO Greg Boehm as well as Joann Spiegel, Cocktail Kingdom’s Group Spirits Educator. Tequila should not be intimidating, and we’re excited to be able to guide our Leisurely fam into a world where tequila is savored and not shot back. We sat down with Joann to get her take on what’s in store for our upcoming class, what your grocery list should look like once you’re ready to start making drinks at home, and why you should save the worm salt for something else.
Joann Spiegel, your instructor on all things tequila! Photo: The Cabinet
What are some of the things you enjoy when it comes to teaching people about how to make cocktails?
I enjoy teaching people that cocktail making is really fun and approachable and not as intimidating as they might have thought. I like to tell people that making cocktails is like being a liquid chef.
What are you looking forward to the most when it comes to teaching students about tequila’s cocktail history?
Sharing the cultural significances, as well as changes in quality and availability for us here in the U.S..
This Leisurely class features the margarita, the rosita, and the paloma as featured cocktails. Can you talk about why you decided to feature these three specific drinks? Why are they memorable? What do you find challenging about making them?
As well as being delicious, and some of the most popular tequila cocktails, they are also three great examples of different cocktail making techniques: a built, a shaken and a stirred drink.
What are some of your favorite tequilas to use when it comes to building cocktails? What might someone who is interested in making tequila cocktails want to have on their home bar in order to make these drinks the right way?
Thankfully there are a lot a great tequilas to choose from these days. For mixing cocktails, a Blanco or Reposado tequila will be best. Make sure they are made from 100% blue agave. If you are planning to make tequila drinks at home made sure to add things like, agave syrup, coarse salt, fresh lime and grapefruit to your shopping list.
Why do you think this Leisurely class is a great way for people to learn about the right way to appreciate tequila?
There is a lot is misinformation and unclear brand messaging out there. We are here to help you cut through all that and get right knowing how to mix and drink great cocktails.
I’ve heard The Cabinet makes some pretty amazing drinks. What are some of the tequila cocktails you like to feature here and what are some characteristics guests might want to keep in mind when ordering them?
At The Cabinet, our tequila drinks definitely enhance the agave spirit, not hide it. The spirits available are selected with much thought and there is a lot of knowledge about the production and journey that goes into getting that bottle from its creator in Mexico, to the shelf, in a bar, in the East Village of Manhattan. The staff are there, armed with that knowledge. I would keep that in mind and engage the staff and have them help you find your favorite agave spirit.
What’s your version of the perfect margarita?
Not my version, but I will say Tommy’s margarita all the way! It’s so easy, just 3 ingredients, tequila, lime and agave syrup.
I’ve heard The Cabinet features worm salt on some of its flights. What do guests need to know about why worm salt might be a must have when drinking tequila or mezcal?
We will be focusing on tequila cocktails and worm salt is traditionally associated with mezcal.
An intimate cocktail class on 3/19 is just what the doctor ordered. Photo: John Shyloski/The Cabinet