Patrón Tequila is taking a bit of the old, a lot of the new and combining them together to create a dining and cocktail pairing experience. 

The trend now is pop up restaurants and pop up dinners, off the grid locations with a somewhat exclusive in-the-know attitude.  But this isn’t so new, in days gone by when alcohol was illegal one would go to a speakeasy to drink and dine. At a speakeasy the little window in the door would open and if you had the correct password you were in.  For the Patrón Secret Dining Society, the little window in the door is now the text window on your cell phone with directions where and how to get to your dining experience.

These Patrón Secret Dining events have happened all around the country. The last Patrón Secret Dining Society was held in Baltimore and just prior to that in Las Vegas, both with the Re-Imagining the Holiday Feast theme.   

What exactly goes on?

Here is Patrón’s formula for each city: one talented chef, one creative mixologist plus one visually outstanding location creates a memorable evening one will remember for years to come. Notice of the upcoming Secret Dining Society dinner is posted on the Patrón Social Club website. You are given a short time to answer the contest riddle and a lucky number are chosen to participate in the mystery dinner. You get a notice you are in and clues to where to meet and where to go all come via text.

In Rhode Island, after you answered the contest riddle, you were instructed to show up in front of the Newport Library between noon and 12:15. Then you texted the word Anejo and a reply told you to cross the street and get the clue from the fisherman. He handed out a map which lead participants to the Ann Street Pier, where a launch took winners to the Arabella, a three-masted, 160 foot yacht in the middle of the harbor. They had Top Mixologist Jerri Banks and Chef Jules Ramos serve a 5 course meal paired with the Patrón cocktails.

The Patrón Social Club website offers much more to those who are over 21 years of age; recipes and notifications of lifestyle special events.  Anyone of legal drinking age can join the Patrón Secret Dining Society and if you are one of the lucky winners answering a riddle you could be invited to an amazing food and cocktail pairing with a guest that is valued approximately at $200.00 per person.

 Everyone walks away knowing that food and cocktails can make for great entertainment and that tequila, especially Patrón Tequila, is not just for Margaritas – that a premium tequila is perfect for cocktails and pairing with food.

Enjoy these holiday Patrón cocktails created by Baltimore’s renowned mixologist Brendan Dorr:

RE-IMAGINING THE HOLIDAY FEAST

Baltimore, MD ~ DECEMBER 17, 2010

COCKTAIL RECIPES – Brendan Dorr Mixologist - B & O Brasserie

Hors D’ouevres and Dinner – Christopher Becker, Executive Chef - The Wine Market

THE PATRÓN LILLY - Reception

1 ½ oz Patrón Sliver

¾ oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Simple Syrup

Rosé Sparkling Wine

Twist of lemon for garnish

Combine Patrón Silver, lemon juice and simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add ice, shake thoroughly and strain into a highball glass with no ice. Top with rosé sparkling wine and garnish with a spiral twist of lemon.

PATRÓN & STORMY - Reception

1 ¼ oz Patrón Silver

¼ oz Lemon Juice

2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters

Ginger Beer

Wedge of Lemon for garnish

Combine Patrón Silver, lemon juice and bitters in a mixing glass. Add ice, shake and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Fill with ginger beer, stir to mix and garnish with a fresh wedge of lemon.

RESTED MISS CLEMENTINE – paired with Duck Breast Carpaccio & Tartare

1 ¼ oz Patrón Reposado

¾ oz Stone Pine Liqueur

¼ oz Herbal Liqueur

1 oz Fresh Clementine Juice

¼ oz Lemon Juice

½ oz Simple Syrup

½ Fresh Egg White

Fresh Pine Tree Clipping skewering a Fresh Cranberry for garnish. Prep a chilled martini glass with herbal liqueur as a rinse. Combine all other ingredients in a mixing glass. Dry shake vigorously to emulsify egg whites, then add ice and shake again to chill. Swirl herbal liqueur in prepped glass and dump. Then strain cocktail into glass and garnish with a 4 inch fresh pine tree clipping skewering a fresh cranberry.

PUMPKIN PATCH ELIXIR – paired with Pan Seared Scallop & Cauliflower Flan

1 ½ oz Patrón Reposado

1 oz Sherry

¾ oz Homemade Pumpkin Ale Syrup*

1 Dash Orange Bitters

1 Dash Aromatic Bitters

Honey Spiced Apple Balls* for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice and shake with vigor. Strain into a champagne coupe and garnish with skewered honey spiced apple balls.

*Homemade Pumpkin Ale Syrup — Open 4 bottles of Pumpkin Ale and allow to sit overnight to lose all carbonation. Measure out the beer and pour into a saucepan. For every 2 cups of Pumpkin Ale add ½ cup of sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture begins to boil lower it to a gentle boil to allow the syrup to reduce and become more concentrated for approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool before using. Keep refrigerated when not using.

*Honey Spiced Apple Balls — Peel 4 apples and ball out approximately 5 balls per apple. Combine ½ cup Sherry and 1 cup of spiced honey syrup in a mixing bowl. Add the apple balls to the syrup mixture covering all balls with mixture. Next, equally separate the balls into 4 reclosable plastic bags. Remove all air from the bags, seal and place in the freezer.

Keep frozen overnight before use. Allow the honey spice apple balls to thaw before using.

PATRÓN SLEIGH – paired with Crispy Pheasant Confit

1 ½ oz Patrón Añejo

½ oz Honey Liqueur

½ oz Maraschino Liqueur

2 Dashes Bitters

Dehydrated Orange Wheel for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir approximately 40 times. Strain into a lowball glass and garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel and a large ice cube.

PATRÓN EGGNOG XO – paired with Toasted Walnut Carrot Cake

4 oz Patrón XO Cafe

2 oz Honey Liqueur

1 oz Walnut Liqueur

4 cups Warm Homemade Eggnog

Freshly Grated Spices for garnish

In a large saucepan combine all ingredients and warm at a medium heat, stirring constantly so as to not solidify eggnog. Serve in a glass punch mug and garnish with freshly grated spices.

*** Serves approximately 4-5 cups ***

Photographs of a majority of the drinks are in this articles slide show.

My favorite cocktails was the PATRÓN & STORMY when I attended the Baltimore Secret Dining Event as a media guest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~