Adventures in Raicilla Tasting

The first activity on our group’s itinerary was raicilla tasting. I had never heard of raicilla before, so I was excited to learn about this new (to me) beverage. But what I thought was going to be a simple, straightforward sampling of a spirit turned into a gastronomic adventure involving much more than just a drink. It became an adventure that included bone marrow, manta rays, fungus, and insects.

Barrio Bistro

We were dropped off at Barrio Bistro by Memo Wulff, a place owned by chef and restaurateur Guillermo “Memo” Wulff. The Wulff family are pioneers not only in the restaurant business, but in clothing, architecture, and tourism, among other fields. Memo’s grandfather even served as a consultant on the movie The Night of the Iguana.

Wulff’s family opened El Dorado Restaurant here in Puerto Vallarta — PV as it’s frequently referred to — some 50 years back. (We would visit El Dorado a couple of days later during our walking tour of downtown PV.) Memo worked there for a while, then branched out on his own. Along the way, he became a well-recognized, award-winning chef.

Barrio Bistro, which just celebrated its 7^th anniversary this past April, is dear to Chef Memo’s heart. He is very passionate about his food, his guests, his restaurant, and raicilla. Often Chef Memo can be found discussing dishes on the menu with the bistro’s guests, collaborating on the coming meal, or just chatting with the patrons.

The menu at Barrio Bistro changes once a week or so and they are flexible with it. The food served here is made from fresh ingredients, mostly locally sourced. Speaking of fresh, the garden-to-table ethic is Barrio Bistro’s focus. They have an exceptional way of taking everyday items and preparing them in unique, fun, and delicious ways. (Spontaneous ways, too. I was surprised to learn that Chef Memo and his team do not use recipes.) Chef Memo invites you to bring your adventurous appetite and experiment with the offerings on the menu.

Once you walk inside, it seems like Barrio Bistro is several places in one: A bistro where meals are served; a small art gallery; La Lulú Raicillería, the bar section of Barrio Bistro, which I’ll tell you about in a moment; a stage that features live music on most nights; and a cooking workshop. Aside from the kitchen, each area seems to flow into the next.

Now, about raicilla… Let’s start with the basics:

What is raicilla?

Raicilla is a distilled spirit that comes from the southwestern part of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is a product of the agave plant, like its cousins tequila and mezcal.

At the time La Lulú opened, it was the only raicillería in the world. When they started producing and serving raicilla, it was a relatively unknown spirit, yet it’s been around for centuries. Some people are even calling it the new drink on the block (I guess by those who are not familiar with its history). And its popularity is growing now that a Denomination of Origin for raicilla has been established.

So how do you pronounce raicilla? It’s actually easier than it looks. Say rye-SEE-yah. Raicilla means “little root” in Spanish.

Agave that is used to produce raicilla is grown in two regions: de la sierra (of the mountains), meaning the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains, and de la costa (of the coast), usually around Puerto Vallarta.

Raicilla is made from the heart or piña (which literally means pineapple) of the agave plant. In other words, the root. Once the agave is harvested, the leaves are chopped off with a sharp, round-headed tool called a coa, leaving the piña. The piña is roasted, then chopped into a mash. Next, the mash is fermented, and finally distilled.

Difference between raicilla, mezcal, and tequila?

If all three are made from the agave plant, what is the difference between raicilla, mezcal, and tequila? That is a good question. Technically, raicilla is a mezcal. It is roasted like mezcal but is single distilled. Mezcal is double-distilled.

Tequila is smoked. It must be at least 51% Blue Weber agave, and it can only come from Jalisco or limited areas of four other Mexican states. Mezcal, controversially, can only be produced in nine Mexican states — Jalisco is not one of those states — but can be made from a variety of different species of agave. During our tasting, Chef Memo did go into the various types of agave there are, and which mezcals and tequilas are made from each. It’s kind of like how Champagne can only officially be called “Champagne” if it originates from the Champagne region of France, uses grapes from Champagne, and follows the production methods of the Champagne appellation (Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC)).

Raicilla has been described as having a distinct, smokier, more subtle flavor than mezcal, and especially more so than tequila. Its taste is definitely influenced by the region’s terroir and climate. Because it has a more floral character, it lends itself very well as a mixer in cocktails.

All this begs the question: If raicilla is made from the agave plant like mezcal and tequila, why isn’t it as popular as its more famous cousins? The answer goes way back to the 1800s when the Spanish were busy colonizing the country. They levied a heavy tax on raicilla. That had the effect of increasing the purchase and consumption of Spanish-made alcohol because it was now cheaper than the artificially-inflated cost of raicilla. The farmers, understandably, were not about to pay those taxes, so raicilla production moved underground. Believe it or not, raicilla could be considered moonshine, if you really want to take it there.

La Lulú Raicillería

Our actual tasting took place next to La Lulú Raicillería. We were seated at a table near the art gallery. (Actually, there’s artwork everywhere, not just in the gallery.) Elements for the tasting arrived at our table in stages. As each arrived, our interest and hunger were increasingly aroused.

Chef Memo revealed what we could expect during the tasting:  We would be served cocktails made with different kinds of raicilla, in addition to small bite dishes specially prepared to complement each one.  A platter at the head of our table contained various fruits to cleanse the palate: lemon, orange, starfruit, grapefruit. A couple of spoonfuls of Tajín in the center of the platter helped spice things up.

Chef Memo gave us a running commentary throughout our time here, seasoned with a little humor. (On a side note, I saw a clip of him giving a talk to patrons at El Tasting Room, a place we visited during our taco tour. Chef Memo was talking about mixing drinks with raicilla as he poured samples of his mixed raicillas. He then proceeded to pick up another bottle of raicilla to demonstrate, but his chef stopped him, reminding him that there was already some raicilla in the drinks he had just poured for everyone. Chef Memo looked at his chef with that “oh, yeah, that’s right” look, shrugged his shoulders, and promptly resumed pouring the raicilla into the glasses.)

As I explained to you earlier, raicilla is produced along the coast and in the surrounding mountains. When Chef Memo told us that, it reminded me of the bee keepers at Casa del Apicultor in Caibarien, Cuba. The apicultors told us about how they can taste the difference between honey produced from bees hived along the coast as compared to honey produced by those same bees when the hive is moved inland to the mountains.

The raicilla Chef Memo and his team produces is made on his farm with no chemicals or preservatives, and very low sugar. His talk flowed into the different flavors he makes, what goes into each, and the best way to drink them. And being the consummate host he is, Chef Memo warned us about the spirit’s high alcohol content; 45% ABV or higher. We even got to sample one of the two bottles of Huisque — a play on the name “whiskey” — that el maestro raicillero (the master raicilla maker) Fernando made. More involvement with whiskey is on La Lulú’s horizon. That same horizon includes plans to start making rum. But I digress.

The raicilla Chef Memo and his team make is branded Arre Corazón. The logo is an agave plant in the shape of a heart. Though Arre Corazón is the house label, La Lulú serves other raicillas, both from the coast and from the mountains; more than 30 different kinds.

Arre Corazón falls under the category of “artisanal raicilla”. That means the agave root has to be cooked in a pit or above-ground oven. Although it is permitted to use machines, Chef Memo’s team uses machetes instead to shred the cooked agave. They produce a very small output of maybe 100 liters of raicilla.

The Adventure Begins

I am definitely covering new gastronomic ground tonight. I had never heard of a lot of what we were about to be served, let alone tasted it. All of the drinks we would be served tonight are made from Arre Corazón raicillas.

Pasiflora (Passion Fruit)

First up was a tasting of a cocktail made with Arre Corazón’s Pasiflora (passion fruit) raicilla.  I think Chef Memo called it a passion fruit colada. It actually looked more like a tequila sunrise. Tajin on the rim instead of salt and what looks like baby’s breath “planted” in the ice were nice touches. I think that’s grenadine swirling around near the top.

With the day/evening being warm and the passion fruit colada being ice cold, it was very refreshing from the start. But I had to remember this was an agave-based liquor, thus very strong. The way the mixologists prepared it, it was quite balanced. I couldn’t really get the flavor of the passion fruit, but the raicilla base was definitely discernable.

To pair with the passion fruit colada, Chef Memo prepared a ceviche made with grouper and manta ray. This was complimented with blue corn tortilla chips to either scoop the ceviche or to cleanse the palate in between bites.

This would be my second time having manta ray. The first time was up north in Ensenada. During that visit, I had a manta ray taco… that tasted like chicken… that had been marinated in seawater. So I was kind of expecting that same sort of taste with the ceviche.

Not here. Chef Memo did an excellent job with this dish. None of the flavors overpowered the other, and that includes the onion. Each one of the ingredients played well off each other, including the marinade. And no overwhelming seawater taste. The more I ate, the more I enjoyed it. Chef Memo has just earned the trust of my palate.

Gondo

Once the previous dish was cleared, ceramic mugs began appearing in front of us. Chef Memo told us inside was a cocktail based on raicilla blanca, the clear version of raicilla. The juice of gondo, a kind of sweet fruit, was mixed in. Ice was added to the mug and it was presented with a flower floating on top that looked to be a red chrysanthemum. My eyes kept looking at the ice, the purple color of the drink, and the chrysanthemum just hanging out like it was tubing on a lazy river. My mind kept thinking hibiscus tea. Again, I had to remember this was a strong, agave-based liquor and slow my roll.

Gondo is a small fruit with big anti-oxidant properties, like açai. It even looks like an açai berry. Chef Memo calls it a superfood. Though native to México, gondo is difficult to find both in real life and on the internet, thus it is expensive.

Our food pairing was ham with panella cheese. A beet-based (?) paste in the abstract shape of a whale was placed to the side of the ham and panella. Cherry tomatoes and cilantro were added as garnish. Here is where Chef Memo’s knack for food pairing shined. The sweetness of the ham was a perfect complement to the gondo raicilla cocktail. I’d never had this type of cheese before. It was neither sharp nor too funky. Nice mouthfeel and consistency, almost like tofu. Taking a bite of both the panella and the ham together offered a nice flavor. I’d like to see how Chef Memo would develop this combination into a full meal.

Raicilla Blanca

Like changing records on a turntable, our next pairing arrived. And things got REALLY interesting with this one.

Plain raicilla, or raicilla blanca, is pretty much what you’d expect judging from the name. This time, it was served straight up in a glass, not mixed in a cocktail.

The dish Chef Memo selected to go with the raicilla blanca is called tuétano con escamoles; roasted bone marrow with fried ant larvae (!). This was served on a blue corn tortilla.

Let’s explore this: Tuétano is popular in México. Normally, it is scooped onto a tortilla to make tacos. Here, it was served right on the sliced bone; we had to do our own scooping of the contents.

Around the world, tuétano has become somewhat of a trendy item, with prices to match. In México, it is usually used to flavor other dishes or as a filling for tacos. (Personally, I’d love to find someplace that serves tuétano. During a recent wine tasting trip to Ensenada, our guide told me I have to try tacos with tuétano as a topping. He says tuétano really enhances the flavor of the taco.)

So, are escamoles real ant larvae or is that just a name? Escamoles are indeed real ant larvae. Escamol (plural, escamoles) is the egg or larva of the velvety tree ant (Liometopum apiculatum). You’ll love its nickname: la hormiga pedorra. In English, that means “the farty ant.” Apparently, you will understand how the velvety tree ant got that nickname when you walk by its nest. Yeah, this is what we’ll be eating.

Escamoles are also known as the caviar of the desert. It is a luxurious treat in México, and as you would expect, carries a high price tag. Though it is fashionable in the present day, Aztec royalty were dining on this delicacy 800 years ago.

I have wanted to try insects at some point in my life. But I always figured it would be something like chocolate covered ants and be experienced on my own timetable. And I figured it would be an occasion I could control where I could back out if I got cold feet. That would not be happening tonight.

Wait, it gets better. Also on the plate was huitlacoche. Huitlacoche is corn fungus, or corn smut (yes, corn smut). This is another delicacy in México. It is said to have an earthy flavor like mushroom. A dollop of this was placed on the edge of the tortilla.

Our dishes were carefully placed on the table in front of each of us. I was surrounded by my group to my right and in front of me, Chef Memo at the head of the table to my left, and a wall behind me. I couldn’t wimp out in front of my friends and our gracious host. I had to man up and go through with it.

Hmmm. How to approach this. I figured I’d just wrap everything inside the tortilla and go for it. I scooped out some of the tuétano and ate it by itself. It tasted like a pureed, smooth, decadent and delicious piece of fatty roast beef. I could definitely have more tuétano. The rest went into the taco.

An Atlas Obscura article describes the taste of escamol as “[having] a nutty, buttery taste and a cottage cheese–like mouthfeel.” I couldn’t really taste the escamoles in the taco. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. The huitlacoche had a barely discernible flavor. While not overbearing, the tuétano was the flavor I tasted most of in my taco.

I think the raicilla blanca served more to cleanse my brain from the thought of eating insects and fungus than it did to cleanse my palate. But I finished it…and believe it or not I would probably have it again.

Cuastecomate

Our final raicilla was one made with cuastecomate. Chef Memo showed us the cuastecomate fruit that it is made from. He knocked one on the table to show us how solid the shell is. It is similar to a small gourd. He then cracked it open against the edge of the table so we could see the pulpy insides. The inside is like a ball of shredded purple flesh. That’s where the deep purple color of the cuastecomate raicilla comes from.

Cuastecomate is the fruit of the Coastal Tecomate tree. The tecomate tree is native to México. Cuastecomate is a versatile fruit. It can used for medicine. Sometimes it is combined with honey and chocolate and mixed into a drink. The shell can be split and used as a cup to drink water, juice, raicilla, or any other beverage from. Even soup. They can be emptied, dried, and filled with seeds to make maracas. And they can be painted and turned into artwork. Almost anything you can do with a gourd, you can do with the dried cuastecomate fruit.

As with the raicilla blanca, the cuastecomate raicilla was served straight up in a glass. It has a bit more flavor than the raicilla blanca, but it is just as potent. No food pairing this time.

For dessert, we were served flan. I’d have to say this was probably the most beautiful presentation of flan I’ve seen. Strawberry and blackberry slices, a couple of twists of cucumber, thin swirling drizzles and dots of caramel decorating the plate, and chopped walnuts scattered over everything. The citrus of the fresh berries provided a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the flan. A delicious way to end the tasting.

Keep in mind, we had a unique experience during our tasting. As I mentioned, the menu changes often and is flexible. The spontaneity of Chef Memo and his team at Barrio Bistro and at La Lulú Raicillería means your experience will most likely be a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure, as was ours. Wait, did I just say adventure? Yes, I believe you can call it that.

 Photo credit: Tuétano with escamoles – Andrew Stillman of Life in Another World

Update – December 28, 2022: La Lulú Raicillería is moving to a new location soon. Follow them on social media for the latest news.

Thanks to Cross Border Xpress (CBX) and the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board for hosting me on this trip. All opinions are and remain my own.

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