[ 本文由奥美加·阿特兹赞助。This post is sponsored by Olmeca Altos.]
墨西哥餐饮正在流行起来。从屡屡获奖的高档餐厅到无处不在的快餐小食，越来越多的消费者成为墨西哥菜的拥趸。正如tacos、quesadillas、salsa或enchilada等菜肴引发了全世界对墨西哥文化的兴趣，特其拉和梅斯卡尔等龙舌兰烈酒，打开了通往丰富的墨西哥酒饮世界的大门。
In the f&b world, Mexico is having its moment. From renowned fine dining restaurants to street food vendors, Mexican food has been growing popularity among consumers all over the world. Like tacos, quesadillas, salsas and enchiladas which introduced customers to vivid Mexican cuisine, tequila and other agave spirits such as mezcal, are also lifting the status of the country's food and drink around the world.
墨西哥的国酒——特其拉，如今逐渐摆脱了单纯的派对买醉饮料的名声。一些生产商试图推出更高端高质量的产品，以满足消费者和调酒师的品鉴需求。作为一个调酒师，你会推荐用什么样的特其拉鸡尾酒搭配墨西哥菜肴呢？这是即将于8月14日举行的塔合那协会（Tahona Society）鸡尾酒大赛的8位参赛者需要回答的问题。
These days, tequila is shedding its party drink reputation, with the artisanalmakers of the spirit giving the category a better reputation among moreserious drinkers. As a bartender, how do you harness tequila’snew perceptions to convert your customers and pair its cocktails with food? That’s the gauntlet thateight bartenders will take on when the Tahona Society Cocktail Competition returns to Shanghai on August 14.
塔合那是一种两吨重的火山岩石磨，根据传统的酿造工艺，酒厂工人们将收获的蓝龙舌兰芯剖开、蒸熟后，放入塔合那中碾磨，得到的蜜糖般的浆汁便是特其拉的发酵原料。奥美加·阿特兹是采用这种传统工艺的特其拉生产商之一，而在全墨西哥，目前只有七家蒸馏厂还在使用塔合那石磨。
The Tahona refers to a two-ton millstone madeof volcanic stone. In the traditional tequila making process, distillers crushcooked blue agave hearts between two heavy stones to extract juice forfermentation and distillation into tequila. Olmeca Altos is one of the seven distilleries in Mexico that still uses this traditional method for its fine quality tequilas.
以此命名的塔合那协会成立于2008年，由Dre Masso、Henry Besant以及奥美加的总蒸馏师Jesus Hernandez创立，汇聚了来自世界各国的专业人士，致力于在全球范围推广特其拉这一独特的墨西哥烈酒。
The tequila brand'sfounders Dre Masso and Henry Besant also founded the Tahona Society in 2008 with their master distiller Jesus Hernandez, and the group has since become the world's leading tequila educator, gathering a global network of professionals fervent about the Mexican spirit. And just like how the heavy stones harness the nectar of the agave plant, this competition aims to tap on the understanding and affinity for tequila among this year's participating bartenders.
让我们看一下今年的参赛选手吧！
Participating in this year's China leg of the competition are:
胡双双 Terry Hu
El Ocho
李兰 Landy Li
Mr & Mrs Bund 外滩18号六楼法餐厅
李志猛 Max Lee
Mito
林智明 Zhiming Lin
Wonderland
孙前堂 Chris Sun
The Bull & Claw
王帷骐 Hughz Wang
Jz Club
张安宝 Rambo Zhang
Above the Globe
字玟庭 Ting Zi
Daimon Bistro
参赛选手们要制作两款鸡尾酒。首先是一杯改编版的Paloma——特其拉、西柚、青柠、苏打——如何将个性化的创新融入这款经典的夏日鸡尾酒，足以考验调酒师们的巧手匠心。
The eight competitors enlisted to showcasetheir skills on the day will be tasked to make two cocktails on their pathto glory. The first is a twist on the Paloma, which calls for a thorough understandingof the classic cocktail’s grapefruit, lime juice, soda and tequilaratios before they can exercise their creative flair on the classic summerdrink.
为了契合餐酒搭配的主题，选手们面临的第二项挑战，是从三款墨西哥经典小食塔可（taco）——莎莎酱炸鱼塔可、青酱猪肉塔可和芝士青椒塔可——中选择一款，设计一支以奥美加·阿特兹银特其拉为基酒、与餐食完美搭配的原创鸡尾酒。
The second challenge will throw food pairinginto the mix. Contestants will choose one of three tacos – pescado (fish), carnitas (pork) or chile rilleno(stuffed pepper) – and create a cocktailusing the fruity, zesty and sweet Olmeca Altos Plata that will play wellwith the dish.
今年的获胜者将获得一座沉甸甸的、塔合那石磨造型的石质奖杯。冠军将在今年9月前往墨西哥，来到特其拉的故乡哈里斯科州的瓜达拉哈拉，参加今年的全球总决赛。
For the ingenuity, expertise in flavourand the spirit put on display during the competition, one bartender will win a solidstone trophy for keepsakes and a ticket to Mexico to compete in the globalfinal in tequila’s Guadalajara, Jalisco homeland.
哪一位调酒师的鸡尾酒最能与墨西哥国民美食相得益彰？让我们拭目以待。资深特其拉专家Alberto Navarro、El ocho的吧台主管Karou Takii、Wonderland的Johan Holmberg与elEfante的总厨Carlos Sotomayor将组成评委团——他们可能是林林总总的鸡尾酒比赛中，吃得最饱的评委了。
Judging the competition will be tequila expert Alberto Navaro, Karou Takiifrom El Ocho, Wonderland’s owner Johan Holmbergand elEfante chef Carlos Sotomayor.
从左至右：Alberto Navarro、Johan Holmberg、Karou Takii与Carlos Sotomayor
From left: Alberto Navorro, Johan Holmberg, Karou Takii & Carlos Sotomayor
在正式比赛之前，特其拉专家Alberto Navarro将为大家带来一场龙舌兰烈酒品鉴大师班。Alberto Navarro与特其拉等龙舌兰烈酒打交道超过15年，其著作《Larousse del Tequila》被墨西哥酒吧行业视为“特其拉圣经”。他将与我们一起品尝三款以龙舌兰为原料的烈酒，分享关于特其拉的生产、文化及历史知识。
The competition will also welcometequila expert, Alberto Navarro, for a masterclass before the contestants get competitive. Lauded as one of the world's foremost tequila educators, he’s been sharing knowledge on the category for the last 15 years and has even penned the Larousse del Tequila, widely regarded as the bible for the spirit. He’ll lead a tasting and masterclass on the agave plant andits different spirits like mezcal, bacanoraand raicilla,which are produced usingthe many species of the plant. Participants will get to taste three differentagave spirits – including tequila, of course – and dive deep into theirproduction methods, culture and history.
Alberto Navarro与龙舌兰
Alberto Navarro
想要来体验正宗的墨西哥餐饮与风情，学习龙舌兰烈酒的知识，欣赏调酒师们的精彩表演？那请速速预约吧，请在这条图文留言区留下姓名、联系方式、供职酒吧，并注明“参加大师班”、“观看比赛”或“全部参加”，或发送邮件至mia@drinkmagazine.asia。
Want to cheer on the eight bartenders, experience Mexican cuisine, culture, as well as pick up some important knowledge about agave spirits on August 14? RSVP to join us by leaving a comment here, or email mia@drinkmagazine.asia. In your message, include your name, phone number, and the name of the bar you work at, and tell us if you’d like to attend the masterclass, witness the making of this year’s Tahona Society China champion, or do both. We can’t wait to see you there. ¡Salud!
塔合那协会鸡尾酒大赛
8月14日
1pm 龙舌兰烈酒品鉴大师班
3.30pm 塔合那协会鸡尾酒大赛
elEfante
上海市徐汇区东湖路20号
Tahona Society Cocktail Competition
August 14
1pm Agave spirits tasting and masterclass
3.30pm Tahona Society Cocktail Competition
elEfante
No. 20 Donghu Raod, Xuhui, Shanghai
