[Recipe] La Tomatina by Luke Adriano of Matador (Manila)

Luke Adriano of Matador in Manila riffs on the classic Bloody Mary, creating a clarified cocktail that's inspired by Spain’s Famous Tomato Festival (La Tomatina) that takes place every last Wednesday of August.

His version is made with charred pimenton, tomatoes (both sundried and fresh), mezcal for smokiness, sherry vinegar for acidity and brightness to replace Worcestershire Sauce. To uplift the flavors, white pepper cordial and shiso umeshu add notes of pepper and earthiness.

Ingredients:

30ml Mezcal 

60ml Tomato Base (homemade)*

20ml White Pepper Cordial*

20ml Blanco/Dry Vermouth 

20ml Cherry Soda

10ml Shiso Umeshu (plum wine)

5ml Sherry Vinegar 

*Make the Tomato Base

Char ingredients: 230ml pimenton and both tomatoes (230ml fresh and 280ml sun-dried) then blend with 500ml vodka and sous-vide for 4 hours. Let it cool then add 100ml acid solution before adding 310ml milk for clarification. 

*Make the White Pepper Cordial 

Grind toasted 15gm white peppers then combine with 200ml water and 200ml sugar to make syrup, adjust with 3gm citric and 5gm malic acid. 

Method:

Combine the mezcal, tomato base, white pepper cordial, dry vermouth, shiso umeshu, and a touch of sherry vinegar into a mixing glass and stir till chilled. Strain into a highball glass with ice, and top off with cherry soda.