Cinco de Mayo, Rosangel tequila recipes, good news to drink to your health

By April MacIntyre Apr 29, 2010, 22:48 GMT

Rosangel Tequila, courtesy of Rosangel

Hibiscus flower infused Rosangel, a Gran Centenario Reposado tequila is ready for the big day, the Mexican St. Patrick's Day and Fourth of July all rolled into one, Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, the day the Mexicans party like its 1999.

The Rosangel bottle is very art deco in design, revealing the pink-colored nectar that respected medical people are claiming is good for your insides, in moderation of course.

The real hibiscus flavor makes this particular tequila a brilliant marinade ingredient, and I have found two recipes that this particular brand of tequila works well with. Both recipes, like the tequila itself, are low-calorie and heart-healthy meals easily prepared.

Rosangel Tequila imbues a bouquet of ripe fruit and hibiscus flower notes, with a hint of vanilla.  It smells much better than most tequila I've encountered.  It is best used as a mixer for cocktails or marinade/cooking tequila.

Rosangel sent recipes for their signature drinks, the Ruby Fizz, the Jalisco, and the Pink Sangria.  All of which sound delicious.  You have to have a well-stocked bar and a willingness to search for a few ingredients, but the drinks are worth it.

Tequila background

The Mexican liquor was born in the fields of Jalisco, and with the approaching Cinco de Mayo (the holiday is a commemoration of the Mexican army's victory at the Battle of Puebla) a holiday that has been hijacked by Americans looking for an excuse to drink mid-day and overdose on Con Carne and Queso a la Parilla and chips.

The plant that gives tequila is the showy blue agave plant (a lily family member, not a cactus!) that grows all over the Southwest and Mexico. If you landscape, you know that the agave can rip you up if you aren't careful handling this sharp edged plant.  Down in Mexico, mature agave plants are harvested for Aguamiel (honey water) and made into a beer type drink called Pulque, a thick, white-colored drink of 3-4% alcohol made by a brief fermentation of the sap of the maguey plant, an Agave species. It is different from tequila and mescal in that it is not distilled. 
 
Health benefits

Now, despite the obvious effects tequila can have, and the tastiness it can impart food in cooking, did you know there is growing evidence tequila is beneficial to your health?

According to UnboundedMedicine.com, a website that reports on various medical finds, they claim tequila's benefits are still being uncovered in research.

The compounds of blue agave showed interesting results in studies performed at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.

In a past report delivered at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, it was revealed that an ingredient in the plant that gave the world tequila may help protect against osteoporosis and other diseases too.

The delivery of effective drugs in to the colon has been a challenge for the doctors dealing with colon and rectal diseases.  Many drugs are destroyed by acids at the stomach. This could be avoided by the compounds of tequila, a type of polysaccharide known as fructans (a fructose polymer). This compound resists the destruction in the stomach and could let that drugs reach the colon without problems

It is the 'fructans' from the tequila-yielding agave plant which may be used in a new genre of processed foods with health benefits and as a source of nutrients that helps the body's absorption of calcium, according to Mercedes López, National Polytechnic Institute, Guanajuato, Mexico.

This development could be the first step in better treatments for ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions involving the colon.  Agave’s fructan is the ideal natural transporter of gastro-intestinal illness specific drugs.

Recipes and fun

Rosangel Tequila, an all-natural, hibiscus-infused tequila from Gran Centenario, is perfect for new types of cocktails that are far more unique, tasty, and colorful than their old-school counterparts.

Rosangel's pink low-calorie tequila pairs well with champagne and other liquors and cocktails ranging from gimlets to a classic sangria.  Rosangel tequila is also a perfect cooking or baking addition that imparts a nuanced citrus vanilla flavor and depth to a wide variety of dishes.

Tequila Shrimp

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings
 
Ingredients

    * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    * 4 cloves garlic, chopped
    * 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined
    * 1/2 cup tequila
    * 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    * Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

   1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic until light brown. Place shrimp in the pan, and cook for 3 minutes.
   2. Pour in tequila, and season with cilantro, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount per Serving Calories: 205 | Total Fat: 7.9g | Cholesterol: 157mg

Tequila Lime Chicken

Courtesy of Food Network's Ina Garten
Copyright 2002 Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Yield: 6 servings

    * 1/2 cup tequila
    * 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
    * 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
    * 1 tablespoon chili powder
    * 1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)
    * 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
    * 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Directions

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tequila drinks

Cinco de Mayo low calorie Tequila—Rosangel (www.rosangel.com) the world’s first and only hibiscus-infused tequila has provided some new cocktails to try out.