21 Things to Do with 21 Tequila Bottles

21 Things to Do with 21 Tequila Bottles http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4uYAnyone can figure out 21 things to do with 21 Tequila.  Any tequila from a distillery like Nom 1414 is easily sipped or mixed in a million different combinations of cocktails.  But what I found particularly inspiring about 21 Tequila is the bottle. These are not aluminum bottles to be simply tossed away, they are food grade stainless steel.

Now I have been a big fan of stainless steel containers all of my life, having grown up in a blue-collar family of carpenters who never left home without a thermos of coffee.  Those thermoses fell off high rises and houses alike and still kept their coffee safe and warm.  So when I saw these significant stainless steel bottles that 21 Tequila came in, I knew we could not just throw them away or put them in a box in the bottle library.

These bottles deserve their own blog so I’ve compiled a list of 21 things that you can do with these great 21 Tequila bottles after you’ve finished drinking the great tequila inside them.

21 Uses for 21 Tequila Bottles

  1. 21 Things to Do with 21 Tequila Bottles http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4uYTake them to the pool filled with any tasty beverage.
  2. Take them to the beach filled with margaritas.
  3. Take them to parties and show off your mixology skills.
  4. Use them as refillable, dishwasher safe, water bottles.
  5. Store mouthwash in them.  People will love your bathroom!
  6. Use the blanco & reposado bottles for oil and vinegar.
  7. Mix salad dressing in them for picnics or potlucks.
  8. Keep your barbeque sauce in them. You’ll be a BBQ god!
  9. Use them as shaker bottles for meal replacement or protein drinks.
  10. Keep them in your bar for cocktail shakers.
  11. Mix fresh margaritas in them and store them in your reezer for a great frozen margarita.
  12. Fill them with ice and use them as something cold for your head when you have too many sweet cocktails.
  13. Use them as a coffee thermos.
  14. Mix your drinks in them and take them tubing on a river (they float).
  15. Use them for keeping your Gatorade cool during long bike rides.
  16. Use them as forms for your cowboy boots.
  17. Use them for egg storage when camping (break the eggs into the bottle and refrigerate).  You can shake them up for scrambled or drop them out one at a time for fried eggs over a campfire.
  18. Store camping matches in them to keep them dry.
  19. Store your loose change in them.
  20. Put a few pennies inside and use them for dog training.
  21. Keep one at your desk for pen & pencil storage.

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Diva Tequila Waffles Recipe

Diva Tequila Waffles http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4uMFew infused tequilas are done well, but when you find one with as versatile a flavor profile as Diva Tequila, it’s worth taking the time to experiment with it.  I’ve been using Diva Tequila in the kitchen for years now and heartily recommend adding Diva Tequila Waffles to your next brunch menu.

Diva Tequila Waffles Recipe

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 box Jello (I like Orange, Strawberry or Lemon) mix
  • ¾ cup water
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup Diva Tequila
  • 3 eggs

Mix all ingredients well and cook in well-oiled waffle iron.

Top waffles with whipped cream, mandarin orange pieces and/or fresh strawberries.

Serve with a Pink Paloma made with:

  • 2oz Diva Tequila
  • 4oz Grapefruit Juice
  • Serve in glass with ice

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Caprese Salad with Siempre Tequila

Caprese Salad with Siempre Tequila http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vs The first time I tried Siempre Tequila, I knew immediately that it’s herbaceousness would work perfectly in a vinaigrette.

Now when most people consider using tequila in a salad dressing they want to start adding avocados and limes and getting all kitchy on the Margarita theme. But I’m here to tell you that you need to stop doing that.

The next time you are looking for a salad, consider a Caprese salad without all that balsamic nonsense going around and use a Siempre Tequila dressing instead.  That’s right, no balsamic anything, no avocados, no limes, and nothing that smacks of a margarita.

 

Caprese Salad with Siempre Tequila http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vsCaprese Dressing Ingredients

  • 3 Tbl extra-virgin Olive oil
  • 5 Tbl Siempre Tequila
  • 4 cloves garlic (skinned)
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 c fresh basil leaves (loosely packed)
  • 10 basil leaves for topping

Preparation

Place first 6 ingredients in pulse style blender and blend until dressing is consistent and smooth. Serve drizzled over sliced tomatoes and cheese (mozzarella or goat cheese). The classic Caprese alternates tomato and cheese slices on a platter.

 

 Italian Dressing Ingredients

    • 6 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons Siempre Tequila
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
    • Pinch of dried oregano

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

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Glazed 888 Pecan Pound Cake Recipe

Glazed 888 Pecan Pound Cake Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4v1This recipe was adapted from a bourbon pecan pound cake. After looking at the ingredients itseemed to me me that Tres Ochos anejo would work especially well.

One of the tricks of baking with tequila is to know how much tequila to use and what varietal so as not to overwhelm the other ingredients. When you have a heavy recipe such as this one that calls for sour cream and nuts, an aged tequila can make for an excellent flavor accent. In this case that is exactly what Tres ochos Anejo did.

These mini Bundt Cakes did not last for long. They were a big hit with my entire crew of taste testers.

Glazed 888 Pecan Pound Cake

Ingredients

Glazed 888 Pecan Pound Cake Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4v1CAKE:
1 cup Butter, softened
2½ eups Sugar
6 Eggs
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
8 ounces Sour Cream
½ cup 888 Tres Ochos Tequila Anejo
1½ cups Pecans, Chopped

GLAZE:
¼ cup Butter
½ cup Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
3 tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Powdered Sugar
½ cups Pecans, Chopped

Instructions

CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat the butter on medium, until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually mix in sugar and beat on medium 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until yolks disappear.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Mix together sour cream and tequila. Add to the butter mixture alternately with flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix on low just until blended. Stir in pecans and pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. (For mini cakes, bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.)  Set on a wire rack for 15 minutes to cool. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack.
GLAZE:
In a heavy bottom saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add vanilla and powdered sugar and whisk until smooth.
Pour glaze over completely cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans, pressing down on them gently.

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken Recipe

Most King Ranch Chicken recipes are pretty bland and not at all what you might expect from a Tex Mex standard. The beautiful thing about King Ranch Chicken is that everybody has a different recipe (and ours is the best).
Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4v3Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4v3Since we prefer our food on the spicy side, we make our King Ranch Chicken a little bit differently…

If you enjoy something spicy that you can cook up in a slow cooker for a cold winter day then this recipe is for you!

The first thing we did to liven this up is slow cook the chicken in Santo Diablo Mezcal.

(While I enjoy sipping Santo Diablo Mezcal, I have found that I really love cooking with it.)

When adding the other ingredients, we used diced tomatoes with Hatch Chiles instead of Ro-tel. Next we added cumin and red pepper. These few changes turned a bland cheesy chicken casserole into something entirely different.

[Tweet “Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken Recipe @SantoDiabloUSA”]

Here’s how you can enjoy it too!

Santo Diablo King Ranch Chicken

Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4v33lbs Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1/4 Cup Santo Diablo Mezcal

Place the first two ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high until the chicken pulls apart easily with a fork.  Pull the chicken apart with a fork so you have a nice smoky pot of shredded chicken.  The add:

2 Cans Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Can Diced Tomatoes and Hatch Chilis

1 Bag Frozen Fajita Mixed Vegetables

2 Cups Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

2 Teaspoons Cumin

1 Teaspoon Red Pepper

Mix well and let it cook on high until bubbly.  Serve over steamed rice with a glass of Santo Diablo Mezcal.

[Tweet “Santo Diablo Mezcal King Ranch Chicken – Guaranteed to warm your winter. @SantoDiabloUSA “]

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Malinalli Tequila Extra Anejo German Apple Cake Recipe

I won’t lie or pretend to be unbiased here. I love Malinalli Tequila Extra Anejo. It is the little black dress of tequilas. Whether it is a drink for one with a book, a quiet night for two, or special celebration with friends, Malinalli is perfect.

But just because it is great for drinking doesn’t mean you can’t cook with it. In fact just a little goes a long way. In this recipe I discovered that the delicate spices in Malinalli Extra Anejo Tequila are the perfect accent flavors for German apple cake.

[Tweet “Malinalli Tequila Extra Anejo, the Little Back Dress of Tequilas. @malinallitequil“]

Malinalli Tequila Extra Anejo German Apple Cake Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vtIf you are a fan of aged tequilas and enjoy a well-made apple cake then you will want to try this recipe.

Malinalli German Apple Cake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 can Apple Pie Filling
  • 2 cups Sugar (or sugar substitute)
  • 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 cup Malinalli Extra Anejo
  • 2 cups all-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
  3. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or with a Cream Cheese Frosting and, of course, a snifter of Malinalli Tequila!

[Tweet “Malinalli Tequila @malinallitequil Extra Anejo German Apple Cake Recipe”]

 

Malinalli Tequila Extra Anejo German Apple Cake Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vt

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Christmas Panettone with Embajador Tequila Recipe

Christmas Panettone with Embajador Tequila Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vlIf you’ve tasted Embajador Tequila then you know that there’s always just a hint of orange. If you’ve visited the Embajador Distillery then you’ll know why. Orange groves surround their agave fields. It is because of this unique and very intentional terroir that Embajador Tequila pairs exceptionally well with orange, cloves, cinnamon, and Christmas!

That’s exactly why I chose to create a Panettone (traditional Italian Christmas bread) with Embajador instead of brandy.  In case you’re wondering, It is delicious!

Assemble the following ingredients in a bread machine (or bowl if you prefer Old World ways):

  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/3 Cup Water
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 6 Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Softened Butter
  • 1.5 Teaspoons Orange Peel
  • 3 Tablespoons Embajador Anejo
  • 3.5 Cups Flour
  • 3 Teaspoons Yeast
  • 1 Cup Mixed Dried Fruit (I used Cranberry, Raisin, and Date)

I ran this on the Dough cycle so I could bake in a pan in the oven, but this will bake up just as easily in the bread machine.  If you choose the machine,  run it on a regular 2lb loaf cycle.  If you choose the oven, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Christmas Panettone with Embajador Tequila Recipe http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4vl
A cross section of the light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of Embajador Panettone.

 

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

The 2016 Heartland Tour in Pictures

*FTC Disclosure: Brands appearing on the Tequila Aficionado Dia de Los Muertos & Heartland Tour had to be vetted as Brand of Promise Nominees and paid a nominal fee to be on the tour.

Look for new pictures and videos being added daily!
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/taheartland/

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

And Away We Go! The Heartland Tour Begins!

*FTC Disclosure: Brands appearing on the Tequila Aficionado Dia de Los Muertos & Heartland Tour had to be vetted as Brand of Promise Nominees and paid a nominal fee to be on the tour.

And we’re off!  The Tequila Aficionado 2016 Heartland Tour is off and running!  You can still ride along vicariously though!

Here’s the map of all the places we’ll be going:

It’s an interactive map, so feel free to zoom in!

Our Tour Schedule:

Sept 11: Bracken Cave Bat Flight, TX (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook & interviews)

Sept 12: Lake Texoma, TX (Look for scenic stills)

Sept 13: Drive to Wichita, KS (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook & shenanigans)

Sept 14: Private Sponsor Spirit Tasting at Felipe’s Restaurant (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook followed by short clips on each brand as soon as we can get in the production booth)

Sept 15: Drive to Des Moines (anything could happen!)

Sept 16: Drive to Minnesota (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and interviews with Los Osuna from Barrio in Edina, MN)

Sept 17: Private Revel Avila Tasting in Wayzata, MN.  (Look for live video bites on Youtube and/or Facebook, interviews and full video coverage as soon as we can get in the production booth) 

Sept 18: Drive to Stoughton, WI.  (Look for scenic stills.) 

Sept 19: Cheese Tasting & Pairing at Cheeser’s.  (Look for live video bites on Youtube and/or Facebook as well as follow up pairing suggestions for sponsor brands.)

Sept 20: Drive to Buchanan, MI.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and scenic stills)

Sept 21: Apple & Peach Picking at local u-pick farms.  (Look for video, recipes created with sponsor brands and local produce, jams & jellies)

Sept 22: Drive to Mammoth Cave National Park, TN. (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook & shenanigans)

Sept 23: Visit Mammoth Cave National Park. (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and scenic stills)

Sept 24: Visit Dinosaur World and Chaser’s Chocolate.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and chocolate pairing with sponsor brands)

Sept 25: Drive to Memphis, TN.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and scenic stills as we camp on the Mississippi River)

Sept 26: Riverboat Cruise on Mississippi River.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and scenic stills.)

Sept 27: Drive to Crater of Diamonds State Park, AR.  (Look for scenic stills.)

Sept 28: Digging for Diamonds!  (White, Brown & Yellow diamonds as well as amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, and quartz may be found at the Crater of Diamonds so look for video, stills and any gems we find will be featured and named for our sponsors.)

Sept 29: Drive to Lake Conroe, TX.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook and scenic stills)

Sept 30: Visit with Demetrio Tequila at Doneraki Restaurant.  (Look for live video on Youtube and/or Facebook & interviews.)  

Oct 1: Visit NASA’s Johnson Space Center (tentative).  (Look for live video on the tram tour!)

Oct 2: Drive home to San Antonio, TX.

*Please bear in mind that weather and travel conditions may cause changes in our itinerary and schedule.  Lack of high speed internet access may prohibit live video, in which case we’ll record and post as soon as we can get into the production booth. 

Follow Our Tweets!

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!

Heartland Tour Map & Itinerary

*FTC Disclosure: Brands appearing on the Tequila Aficionado Dia de Los Muertos & Heartland Tour had to be vetted as Brand of Promise Nominees and paid a nominal fee to be on the tour.

It’s Official – We Have a Rockin’ Itinerary!!

Here’s the map – it is a public map on Google so feel free to zoom in and really dig into it.  We’ve got some great stops and events planned that are going to make for epic content for our sponsors.

Check the itinerary below the map for a few details of our tour of some of the best of America’s Heartland.

We’ll kick it all off by spending a night at Bracken Cave, the world’s largest bat colony, and just happens to be made up of Mexican Free-Tailed Bats, the very bats responsible for the tequila we love.

Then we’ll drive north to Lake Texoma for some gorgeous photos ops with our sponsor brands.

Next, we’ll be spending some time with the Lujano Family, the owners of Felipe’s Restaurants in Wichita, Kansas.  We have an amazing private tasting of our sponsor brands planned with the Lujano’s and the folks of Standard Beverage.

After a quick stop in Iowa to refuel and exercise off all of the great food we’ll eat at Felipe’s, we’ll make our way up to Minnesota’s Twin Cities.  We’ll meet with and interview the folks from Los Osuna at Barrio on our first day there and attend an event of epic proportions hosted by Revel Spirits at 6Smith in Wayzata.

Heartland Tour Map & Itinerary http://wp.me/p3u1xi-4q8

From Minnesota, we’ll roll into Wisconsin where we will stop in the quaint community of Stoughton that can trace it’s history to Norway.  There, we’ll spend some time with the proprietress of Cheeser’s to learn all about some of America’s finest craft cheeses (and a few imports).  While we’re there, we hope to find the perfect pairing for each of our sponsors.

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it! 

From Wisconsin, we’ll loop around Lake Michigan to visit some of Michigan’s finest u-pick farms and farmer’s markets for great local foods to pair with our sponsor brands.

Next we’ll drive to Kentucky for batty and Jurassic adventures at Mammoth Cave National Park, the world’s largest cave system, and Dinosaur World.  Weather providing, we should be able to take some great photos of the attractions and the brands coming with us.

Making our way south, we’ll do some glamping by The Big Muddy and maybe hop a riverboat in Memphis.

Catfish and barbeque can pair nicely with tequilas and mezcals!

After that, we’re headed to Crater of Diamond’s State Park in Arkansas to get our rock hound on!  When you find a diamond there, you get to name it, so we’re hoping we’ll find enough to name one after each of our sponsors.

Can you say the Siempre Diamond?

After our big diamond strike, we’ll make our way back to Texas to explore the American space program at NASA in Houston.

With three weeks on the road, we’re going to see some of the Heartland’s finest sights and enjoy the local flavors and we’re looking forward to doing that with all of our sponsors:

Route 66 Tequila, Diva Tequila, 888 Tres Ochos Tequila, Soltado Tequila, Santo Diablo Mezcal, ArteNOM 1579, Don Amado Mezcal, Desmadre Tequila, Papa Bueno Tequila, One With Life Tequila, 21 Tequila, JLP Margaritas, Revel Spirits, Los Osuna, Embajador Tequila, Z Tequila, Siempre Tequila, Malinalli Tequila, Senda Real Tequila, Don Fermin Tequila, Tequila Mandala, Mezcal Legendario Domingo, and Nocaut Tequila.

We don’t leave until September 10th so if you’d like to get on board as a sponsor, there’s still time to do so!  Simply fill out the form below and we’ll make sure you get on the tour!

FTC Disclaimer

Brands participating in Tequila Aficionado Tours are selected to participate based upon our interest in working with and promoting them.  We never endorse a brand we would not recommend to our mothers.  All participants in these tours pay a one-time sponsor fee to participate in exchange for receiving custom social media content creation. #sponsored

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!