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The Mystery of Mezcal

You might have heard the news about the opening of our brand spanking new cocktail and Mezcal bar in Canary Wharf which is already serving a fantastic range of tongue tingling cocktails to the good people of Canada Square. You might even have read our post with a little background information about the “Elixir of the Gods” that is Mezcal. But we thought we’d share this beautiful film produced by the Oaxaca State Government, which brings to life all of the passion that has been bottled up in the production of this mysterious spirit for generations.

We’re always keen to hear from you, so please let us know if you have any Mezcal stories, or any favourite Mezcal cocktails by commenting below.

Wahacos > Banter at the Bar > Food & Drink > Cocktails > Food & Drink > News > News > Our News > Wahacos > What's Happening

Cocktail & Mezcal Bar – Opening Canary Wharf

Opening today! Wahaca is proud to open its first Cocktail & Mezcal Bar serving a list of delicious Wahaca cocktails as well as our favourite Mezcals & Tequila, Mexican beers, wines, refreshing Aqua Frescas and snacks such as our Tortilla chips with freshly made Guacamole. Come visit us soon!

With views out over Canada Square Park, the cocktail & Mezcal bar is located on the second floor of the Park Pavilion – just above the wahaca restaurant. With a Mexican table football, swing chairs and a living plant wall that creates a vibrant, buzzy and unique spot for after work drinks.

A little information on Mezcal
Heralded as the “elixir of the Gods” Mezcal is the best kept secret to be smuggled out of the Americas in the last 20 years.  Mezcal comes from the maguey or agave plant which is grown mainly in Oaxaca.  There is a saying in Oaxaca “para todo mal, mezcal…y para todo bien tambien” (for everything bad there is Mezcal…and also for everything good).  Mezcal has a wonderful smoky/ peaty texture to rival the best Scottish Malts. The flavour comes from the agave plant being baked in huge pits in the ground.  The plants are then crushed to extract their rich, sugary juices.  Tequila is a form of Mezcal and comes from the Blue Agave plant (there are hundreds of different varieties of Agave plant) and has a smoother, less smoky taste. Wahaca’s tequilas are all 100% Blue agave and taste of vanilla, caramel and peppers.  Both plants need to sunbathe for up to 12 years before they have soaked up enough solar energy to produce the sugars to make the alcohol….so drinking them is like drinking sunshine in a bottle!

For all those that have ever had a bad night out on Tequila, we challenge you to discover the real thing at Wahaca.  With no impurities and made from 100% agave they are 100% delicious. Wahaca’s cocktails blend the best of our mezcals and tequilas with other Mexican flavours like tamarind, lime, hibiscus, grapefruit and mint.

For wahaca recipes – click here and here to visit some blog posts with some of our favourite recipes from Sammi.

Do you have any suggestions for Sammi? Let us know any ideas for some of your favourite cocktails and you may have your very own cocktail on our menu soon!

Photos taken by Amy Murrell

What's Happening > Contributor Competitions > What's Happening > Street Art > Wahacos > What's Happening

Claroscuro’s Street Art at Canary Wharf

Last summer we ran a competition to find a street artist to graffiti our restaurant. After being blown away by the entries we got, Claroscuro emerged as the winners and have done an amazing job. To see how it all unfolded from a selection of the brilliant entries through to final artwork watch the video below.

Thanks to everyone who entered our competition and to everyone who voted as well. We were overwhelmed by both the quantity and fabulous quality of the entries and are looking forward to working with the street art community on other projects in the future.

Food & Drink > Food & Drink > Food Topics & Trends

Burrito tasting at Wahaca Canary Wharf

Last week we invited a group of Burrito lovers down to Canary Wharf to give us feedback on Wahaca’s burritos as we start to plan the take-away menu to launch in March. We had fun but also got some really helpful advice.

We started off doing a tasting of all the burritos we serve at the restaurant. We usually toast our burritos like the photo above but for take-away we are going to have to leave it with a soft tortilla so we wanted to see how they fare. Luckily we got some positive feedback on the soft tortilla burritos although there were a few who tried it toasted for the first time and really loved it!

Here is some feedback from our Burrito tasters:

“It was great to try the range of burritos at Wahaca and I was surprised by just how nice the toasted ones tasted! I was also very impressed by the hottest of the salsas. Usually I go for the chicken option so this tasting session was an ideal opportunity for me to try the other meats. The slow-cooked pork was particularly nice but sorry, pickled onions are not for me!”

Mark Jansen from London Burrito

“The slow-cooked pork burrito was heaven in a tortilla! The incredibly tasty shredded pork paired very nicely with fantastically zingy pickled onions and habanero chillies. Spicy!”

Elizabeth Dunne (AKA @eBeth)

“I really loved all the burritos – and it’s truly a tough choice for my favourite – but if I had to pick just one, I think I’d go with the char-grilled steak. Beefy, juicy and with the spice just right, I savored every bite.”

Chris Osburn from The Londonist

“It was really nice to see how much thought was going in to the takeaway burritos; if only I worked near the Canary Wharf branch! It was also good to have our suggestions trialled on the spot, and I think the final chicken burrito was much better for it. You were all very open to suggestions, as well as the decisions behind every aspect of the restaurant, particularly about the question of guacamole in the burritos. A tonne of avocados a week is rather a lot.”

Edd Hannay (AKA Burrito Safari)

The last bits were the most fun as we started playing with some ideas. Firstly we used a bit of Chipotle butter on a soft pork burrito – just brushed a little on the inside of the tortilla. The idea being to add some flavour to the edges of the tortilla. This was too naughty, too filling and just too much… for most of us but then a few thought it was just heaven.

I would definitely fall asleep at my desk if i had one of these for lunch… verdict was that it wasn’t right but a fun thing to try!

Next was Simon and Gail’s feedback on our chicken burrito as they sent Tommi back to the kitchen with some instructions and recommendations! Rather than using our Chicken tinga, which is a traditional Mexican recipe, they wanted us to use the grilled chicken with a tomato salsa to make it more fresh tasting. (Click here for Gail’s great blog)

Tommi came back with a delicious creation which did taste a whole lot fresher and has got us thinking further about how we can improve it… watch this space!

Thanks to everyone for coming along. For other perspectives have a look at these three posts:

One Million Gold Stars
Londonist
London Burrito

News > News > Our News > What's Happening

Mira! Mexico at the Barbican: 21-27 January 2010

This month sees a season of recent critically acclaimed Mexican film screening at the Barbican Centre from the 21st to 27th January.

“From civil war and revolution in the Silent era, through the Golden Age of the 30s and 40s to the Nuevo Cine Mexicano, establishing global big-hitters Alfonso Arau (Like Water for Chocolate), Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros) Carlos Reygadas (Silent Light), Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mama Tambien) and Guillermo del Toro (The Devil’s Backbone) to name a few, Mexican cinema continues to go from strength to strength. 

With debut works, new features and acclaimed shorts, this season spotlights the producers of Mexico’s international hits and festival favourites.” says the Barbican Website.

Click here to find out more information on screenings.

What's Happening > Events at Wahaca > News > News > Our News > What's Happening

Little Chilli Give Away – The Results!

We hope your little chilli pots have survived the cold Christmas and you have a nice little chilli plant growing! Its time to come and show us how you’re doing, perhaps get some advice or share notes with the team at Canary Wharf Wahaca, who have been growing their own plants too.

Visit us this January with your pot and enjoy a free Guacamole & Tortilla Chips from us. If you missed out on the chilli pots do not worry! Pop into Wahaca and we will give you some of our Serrano chilli seeds and some tips on how to grow them.

Bring some heat and spice into your life over the cold months at Wahaca!

(This is only available to those who received a Little Chilli Give Away Pot, the free Guacamole & Tortilla chips are to be enjoyed in the restaurant alongside a meal and only at the Canary Wharf Wahaca restaurant).

What's Happening > Events at Wahaca > Food & Drink > Food & Drink > Food Topics & Trends > Food & Drink > Pairings > What's Happening

A Mexican wine evening

On Wednesday night Bibendum Wines & Wahaca got together a group of wine experts for a food and wine pairing with Thomasina Miers of Wahaca and Hugo D’Acosta – a Mexican wine pioneer.

Mexican wine to most people is a new discovery and for me it was an incredibly enjoyable one. I am not a “wino” at all and whether a bottle is good is measured by me wanting another glass or not but I found it very interesting to match it with food and enjoyed combining the flavours.

I am also very interested in anything mexican (obviously!) and the whole history of wine and the culture around it I found fascinating.

Hugo gave Wahaca a book on The Wine Valleys of Mexico which are based in Baja California – a very beautiful dramatic region of Mexico just near the border to the US. I am actually planning to go there in February so will definitely have a lot more to say and show on it while out there.

This book gives a little history of the origin of Wine in Mexico with it starting back in the 16th Century when the vines were brought over by the Spaniards and renewed themselves – achieving their own personality and essence. But some grapes did actually already exist in Mexico before the Spaniards arrived – a wild or Cimarron grape from which a juice was extracted and which the Aztecs mixed with honey and fruits to make a beverage called acachul which can still be found in Mexico using the traditional recipe. These grapes were not able to be made into wine though so the Spaniards quickly planted the European grapes Vitis vinifera and due to unbeatable conditions the vines were to be found in many different regions.

By 1595, the enormous production of grapes in Mexico became a big problem for the Spanish winemakers and also the owners and managers of the merchant fleets in Cadiz saw their wine producing business diminish so pressure was put on the King to pass a law which forbade more vines to be planted in Mexico. Many vineyards were burnt down as well.

This led later on in 1848 to Baja California being the centre for wine growing in Mexico as it was at this time not part of Mexico due to the war between the USA and Mexico and therefore enabled the missionaries to plant their vines without the threat of the law.

Can’t wait to find out more about this when I meet up with Hugo in Baja in a months time.

The wine experts at Bibendum have written a more detailed tasting blog on the wines which has got a couple of awesome videos in it as well.

It was a really great evening with Tommi creating dishes such as this delicous fresh ceviche and Hugo providing a wonderful selection of interesting and enjoyable wines.

To taste a very good example of Mexican wines come to Wahaca where Estacion Porvenir is served at the moment which is the only one of these wines available in the UK at the moment.

Here is the menu for the evening – we hope to see many of these wines over in the UK soon.

Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

Emblema 2008

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Scallops ceviche with tortilla chips

Piedra de Sol 2008

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Tostada

Black Bean

Herring

Kerubiel 2007

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Tacos

Mole Taco

Steak Taco w. cheese

Estacion Porvenir 2007

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Huitlacoche Quesadilla

Chorizo cheese Quesadilla

Ensamble Arenal 2007

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Churros

Maat 2007

If you want to read more about Mexican wine have a look at these great posts:

Bibendum’s Mexican Wine Night at Wahaca
Mexico’s Valley of Wine
A Toast to Mexico’s Undiscovered Wine Country
Trailblazers named Mexican Wine Persons of the Year

News > News > Our News > Wahacos > Staff observations > Wahacos

Feliz Navidad, My Christmas memories

I think sometimes we forget our roots and we just immerse ourselves in our lives and take everything for granted.

After living in London for more than 9 years now, I think this is the first Christmas when I have really missed the festive season in Mexico.

I wanted to tell you about a few of the things I love about Christmas at home in Mexico.

To start with we have the “posadas” witch means “shelter” that are held in neighbourhoods around Mexico. This celebration recreates Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem and are held from 16th of December to the 24th of December.

The celebration consists of a procession with candles, sometimes with individuals selected to play the parts of Mary and Joseph, or sometimes images are carried. The procession will make its way to a particular home (a different one each night), where a special song is sung. In this song those outside the house sing the part of Joseph asking for shelter and the family inside responds singing the part of the innkeeper saying that there is no room. The song switches back and forth a few times until finally the innkeeper decides to let them in. The door is opened and everyone goes inside.

Then the hosts give the guests food, usually tamales and a hot drink – like ponche or atole. Then there are piñatas and the children are given candy.

I remember doing this for many years in my grandparents house, we were a big family at that time living all close to each other plus we would have different posadas every day with a different neighbour! A never ending celebration, with so much food and drinks… just imagine how we would end up like for New Year…!

I remember my favourite Christmas were always with my grandparents, we all used to get together on the 24th from lunch time, my grandma would cook for all of us (around 20 of us!), then at night we will go to the church with my granpa, then come back drink some ponche and dance some salsa, I used to hate dancing but now I actually like it. We would then have a feast of my grandma’s cooking romeritos, mole, chicken achiote and spaghetti (Mexican style!). At that point we drank, we ate, we went to the church… but the most exciting part were the presents! We all used to exchange presents and I used to get full of clothes… not very exciting but still very nice. I think my best Christmas was when I got an electric guitar, I never knew how to use it though.

All the family used to stay overnight and Santa would come overnight. So you can imagine all my cousins at 5am waking up everybody showing off our new toys!

People say that good memories stay forever and that these are the treasures of human kind, I hope you enjoy this treasure!

Feliz Navidad y prospero año nuevo.

Julio

Food & Drink > Food Topics & Trends > News > Our News

Today in Trafalgar Square, Feeding the 5000

Tommi & Tristram - thrilled with the turnout today despite the cold and snow!

Tommi and I just got back from the freezing conditions and snow in (of all places) Trafalgar Square, where Tommi was giving a cooking demonstration as part of the feed the 5000 event.

Please click here for link to an article in the Daily Mail.

Tommi in action

Tommi handing out some of Wahaca's chilli seeds to those who came along to watch.

It was a great event and an amazing cause – we were so thrilled to be involved. We look forward to doing more on this in the future.

Food & Drink > Food & Drink > Food Topics & Trends > News > News > Our News

Feeding the 5000, Trafalgar Square December 16th

Pop by Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 16th December to witness the Feeding of 5000 between 12-2pm for some lunch. Tristram Stuart has organised with a partnership of campaigners, charities and other supporters to serve lunch to 5000 members of the public to highlight the problem of food waste, and the many practical ways to solve it. Wahaca’s Tommi Miers will be doing a live cooking masterclass between 12-2pm to show everyone how to best use their leftovers or food that would otherwise be thrown away.

Rich countries like the UK currently waste up to half of their food supplies therefore all the food handed out on the day to passers-by will be made from fresh and nutritious ingredients that otherwise would have been wasted.

The menu will include a winter-busting curry made from vegetables cast out because they are not cosmetically perfect and freshly-made fruit smoothies, pressed on the day by customised bicycles.

Organised by the author and food waste campaigner Tristram Stuart, Feeding the 5000 will highlight the work of the partner organisations, Save the Children; ActionAid; This is Rubbish; and FareShare.

The organiser Tristram Stuart explains:

“Feeding the 5000 is a wonderful partnership including food companies, farmers and charities. The aim of our lunchtime feast is to highlight how food waste can be avoided by putting food to good use i.e. feeding people.”

A few facts:

There are 4 million people in the UK who are unable to afford a healthy diet. Food is a basic human need.  There is plenty of it in this country and FareShare works with the food and drink industry to ensure quality surplus food – that would otherwise go to landfill or be recycled – is given to the vulnerable people who need it most.

UK households waste 25% of all the food they buy. This is Rubbish works to raise awareness of how individuals, as well as retailers, can reduce the amount of food waste they produce.

According to Save the Children, 3.1 million children die from hunger every year while billions of pounds of food are wasted. The average UK family wastes around £480 worth of food a year. For that price three children could be saved from malnutrition. Rich governments should be encouraged to make combating hunger a priority and ensure that resources saved by reducing food waste are put into feeding hungry people around the world.

Hope to see you there! For more information click here. Also worth checking out Tristram’s book on the subject called Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal by clicking here.

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