{Brooklyn Salsa} Micheladas

I like salsa - a lot. To me, it's so much more than just a dip for some chips. I've recruited it to jazz up meats and eggs, used it in marinades, as a zingy condiment on sandwiches and burgers. I've used it for a heck of a lot of things, but I've never drank it.

Another thing that I like is beer. It's hard to beat an icy cold beer, fresh from the fridge - especially at the end of a long, hot day. Or, even in the middle of the day - hey, no judgement here.

I've had spicy salsa and beer at the same time - as in salsa in my food, beer as my beverage. Never have I ever thought of combining the two. You see where this is going?

Yesterday, I was in the market for some salsa - Brooklyn Salsa to be exact. And - I don't know how I haven't noticed this before - but right there, on the side of the BK Salsa label it says, Try it in a cold beer for a Brooklyn Michelada. The gauntlet was thrown.

Never one to back down from a challenge, I took that jar of Brooklyn Salsa - the Hot variety of course - and added a couple of more key items to my grocery list, ie Pacifico and limes. With the goods in hand, and quite a bit of pace in my step, I hightailed it home to let the games begin.

Micheladas are, in a word, spectacular. It's hard to make a beer any better than it is in its purest form. However, hot sauce, tomato juice, lime and a salt rimmed glass do have serious powers of transformation and, if you haven't had the pleasure of imbibing one of these concoctions, then I suggest you make it your business to do so on your next brunch go'round. Bloody mary step aside, the Michelada is in town.



Back at home, I got right down to business. Because we're friends, I'm going to tell you that the bell had not yet tolled five o'clock when I found myself making Micheladas yesterday evening afternoon. What can I say? I couldn't wait to see what happened when salsa and cerveza joined forces.

I'll tell you now - it worked out well. So well in fact, that I'm thinking of stocking our bar - which is really just a shelf - with a jar of Brooklyn Salsa solely for Micheladas. Right next to the bitters and olives. I think it would really up my mixology game, which at the moment is kind of limited to mixing gin with tonic and stirring.

Hats off to you, Brooklyn Salsa. I liked you before, but I'm an even bigger fan now. You have managed to take salsa, where no salsa has gone before. To the bottom of my beer glass.

What you'll need:
1 ice cold Pacifico or beer of choice
3 generous spoonfuls of Brooklyn Salsa
1 lime
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon coarse salt

On a small dish, mix the cayenne pepper with the salt.
Cut the lime into quarters and grab a pint glass.
Use one quarter of the lime to wet the rim of the glass - by rubbing the flesh of the lime directly around the rim.
Dunk the rim of the glass into the plate of seasoned salt and turn it - making sure to coat the whole rim.
Spoon the salsa into the bottom of the glass.
Squeeze a quarter of the lime into the salsa and mix.
Pour that ice cold beer into the mix and garnish with a little extra lime.

{Tips}
You'll notice that I did not use ice cubes - I have a weird thing about putting ice in my beer, but by all means add ice if you want to make it super cold.