A smoky little number with plenty of eye candy.
The Little Red Corvette at Pêche in New Orleans is a spicy crimson cocktail that rocks.
Bartenders often pair the bright, tart flavors of hibiscus with bold and smoky mezcal.
Mezcal 101
Is mezcal a type of tequila? Technically, it’s the other way around! Both tequila and mezcal spirits are made from the agave plant, but in the mezcal making process, the piñas (hearts of the agave plants) are roasted, giving mezcal its smoky characteristics.
Like tequila, mezcal may be unaged (blanco) or left to rest in oak barrels (reposado and añejo). Tequila is made from one type of agave (Blue Weber) while mezcal is made from a variety of agaves, typically Espadín.
Choosing a mezcal
When shopping for spirits, ask for a “mixing” mezcal rather than a “sipper.” There are plenty of options under $40. We have used Mezcal Unión Uno in cocktail classes and Montelobos is another go-to for making mezcal margaritas.
Too smoky?
The LRC is an excellent gateway cocktail to appreciating mezcal but you can always substitute blanco tequila.
Making the cocktail at home
For a home bar version of the Little Red Corvette, we extract the hibiscus flavor (and rich red hue) from hibiscus tea bags, preferably The Republic of Tea.
For the seasoned salt rim garnish, Tajín Clásico Seasoning does the trick beautifully and is easy to find in the Hispanic section of the grocery store or order on Amazon. Tajín is a chili lime seasoning blend seen often as a margarita garnish.
How to make the Little Red Corvette:
Pêche is located at 800 Magazine Street in New Orleans.
See the Milk Punch Media ode to one of our favorites in “Play Again, Pêche: A Parade of Seafood with a Magical Drum.”