Refreshing, light but filling, this is the perfect cocktail (It might even have Vitamin C!)
Getting older has the amazing reward of being surrounded by very cute, energetic young adults. My nieces, nephews and sons are probably the reason that I blog so much. They spend loads of time at my house, and sometime in the future they may want some of the recipes I dream up. They all have great personalities, and I enjoy every opportunity I have to sit, and talk with them. Now that they are over the age of 21, we can enjoy a cocktail together, and talk about life.
I started this cocktail series, thinking of them and the get-togethers that they have with their friends. Even though canned beverages are always convenient, it’s fun to put together a party from absolute scratch. Crafting a party takes the right guests, the right food, the right place, and the perfect beverage.
At the ranch, my brother-in-law makes Clamatos Preparados for his nieces, which is a hybrid Bloody Mary with loads of celery salt, and Maggi seasoning. I found this recipe for an Acapulco Clamdigger, which I thought was a great approximation of his amazing concoctions, without the obvious product placement of Clamato. You can add a dash of celery salt if you like, but most of the Acapulco Clamdigger recipes I found did not include it. I love celery salt, so I added a sprinkle.
Tia Meli’s message to the kids: So, use this opportunity to experiment with other garnishes, and figure out what flavors you like in your cocktails – Maybe a twist of lime peel, an added cocktail onion, or an extra amount of Maggi seasoning, or maybe make a mountain of bacon curls because you know your friends will like them. If you don’t know how to cook, a beverage is a great place to start. With the exception of the bacon, you can’t burn this recipe, and with the added tequila, your friends and family will quickly forget if you messed up in the preparation.
Most importantly kids, don’t forget to call your Tia Meli. She loves it when you visit.
Bacon is usually chilled in fridge storage, but allowing it to come to room temperature for 10 minutes makes it easier to roll into a tight curl
Broil for 5-7 minutes, and then drain on paper towels I used dry aged bacon, which has more bacon flavor.
Here is all you need for rimming a glass with kosher salt
Simply rub the lemon on the rim of the glass, and then turn upside down into the plate of kosher salt
Acapulco Clamdigger Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Cocktails
- Cuisine: Cuisine
Ingredients
Garnish:
2 strips bacon, cut into thirds
6 wooden or bamboo skewers, 4″-6″ in length
6 pickled okra
1 lime, cut into wedges
Cocktail:
6 oz tomato juice (177ml)
6 oz clam juice (177 ml)
3 oz tequila (substitute vodka if preferred) (89ml)
1 tbsp. Maggi liquid seasoning (15 ml)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (1 gr)
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
Instructions
Heat the broiler in your oven, and make sure the oven rack is close to the heat element, but not at the highest level, as that will cause the bacon to burn quickly.
To make the bacon curl garnishes, allow the bacon to come to room temperature so it is easier to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll the bacon into a tight pinwheel, and pierce with a skewer so that the curl is at the midpoint of the skewer. Place in a pan with sides, and broil for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly. If the bacon curls do not look crispy enough, allow to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from the broiler, and allow the curls to cool and drain on paper towels.
Once the curls are cool, take two of the skewers with the cooked bacon curls, and thread a pickled okra and a lime wedge onto the skewer. Set aside as your garnish. The remaining bacon curls, pickled okra and lime wedges can be assembled on a plate for snacking.
Combine the tomato juice, clam juice, tequila, Maggi liquid seasoning, black pepper and lime juice in a small pitcher. Along with your cocktail glasses, chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, and then serve over an ice cube in the chilled glass.
Notes
I prefer low-salt V8 juice in single serving cans, which are 5.5 oz in size, not 6oz.
No matter, I use them anyway. After checking all the available packaging of clam juice and tomato/ veggie juices, none of them match up so you have a waste-free cocktail. Tomato veggie juice comes in 5.5oz cans and 11.5 oz cans, and clam juice comes in 8oz bottles. The good news is that if you are having a party, tomato, veggie and clam juices all come in 46oz cans. The clam juice and veggie/tomato juice should always be in equal measure, so a party size batch is always easier than mixing up cocktails for a smaller crowd.
Also, I was not a fan of the dilution of flavor caused by adding ice. Consider making your cocktails ahead of time, and chilling them in the fridge for fuller flavor. Once the cocktail is chilled, you can add 1-2 cubes of ice to keep it cold.
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