Using mezcal in a variety of ways as a drink and paired with food
The journey wasn’t long from my home in South London, less than an hour but the transformation when I arrived at Brunswick House in Vauxhall for the Mezcal Amores Mexican Fiesta made it seem as if I’d travelled to Mexico.
Alright I might be exaggerating just a bit, but only a bit because as I was to find out Mexico can do London just as London can do Mexico.
That might sound confusing but all will be revealed.
With a menu of flamed Cornish mackerel, gooseberry salad and pickled jicama and Black Faced lamb shoulder, mole, creamed corn and charred leek you might begin to see how this fusion was pulled off.
Sarah Goodwin and Millie Wilson run the unusual import/export company that is Tea and Tequila. Their mission is to export tea to Mexico and yes you guessed it, to import tequila to London.
Each of the courses was accompanied by some imaginative cocktails made with mezcal, that’s the version of tequila made with agave (not blue agave) and only produced in nine states in Mexico.
So tomato juice, beer, bitters and mezcal made for a smoky Bloody Mary look a like – it tasted great.
The surroundings of the dinner couldn’t have been more seductive; Brunswick House is a beautiful Georgian building in the middle of a mass of developments just by Vauxhall Bridge.
Housed in the building is also LASSCO the up market salvage people. You want the interior of an 18th century court, they have one, an original Adams fireplace, they have a choice. You get the idea.
The dining area was festooned with over a 100 antique lamps all different designs. Very pretty and produced a warm glow, not unlike the mezcal.
Mexcal Amores is a fair trade product with the farmers caring as much about each bottle as you do when you buy it. Available in the UK from Tea and Tequila for £48 along with many stylish wares imported from Mexico.
Neil Hennessy-Vass is one of the UK’s leading food and drink photographers as well as having a particular liking for fine spirits. See more of his work here
