Here at Café Coyote we want to get you ready for your weekend by celebrating your upcoming mini vacation with some of the world’s most premium Tequilas along with some creative tequila based cocktails.  Every Thursday Café Coyote likes to spot light one of our 100+ tequilas and create a cocktail, other than a margarita, to offer guests a new tequila drinking experience.  Our resident mixologist Kenny Kaufmann works closely with the crew of bartenders and Tequila Ambassadors to come up with new and innovative ways to pair Tequila with the freshest ingredients like: berries, peppers, mint and other exotic spices to create a truly unique drinking experience.

Tequila is becoming known far and wide as a quality spirit for consumption at almost any type of event.  Café Coyote has chosen Thursday to be our weekly day of appreciation for the spirit and have added a lobster Dinner special to the menu to further enhance the Thursday night experience.  Once you arrive at Café Coyote on Thursday you will notice the display that the Tequila Ambassador has put up to show everyone.  Starting with what particular brand of tequila we will be spot lighting and what new and creative cocktail will be served.

Tequilas are not just for shots anymore and Café Coyote is just the place to show you how to enjoy this spirit in a new and exciting way!  Please join us every Thursday and ask your server, hostess, busboy or anyone wearing or colorful Coyote T-shirt about talking to one of our in house Tequila Ambassadors to create a night of tequila magic that you will want to experience again and again.

A Summer of Fun

So many things to do in America’s Finest City, San Diego! Last weekend Café Coyote participated in the 3^rd annual San Diego Spirits Festival. This two-day celebration of spirits, local mixology and great fun was held at the stunning Port Pavilion on the Broadway Pier.  The weather was just right for an afternoon of local food, art and a diversity of beverages.

60 international and local liquor brands presented their products in a creative fashion to attract hundreds of people that passed by their booths. The party was wild! Many wanted to continue the party in a responsible manner. The after party continued in many of San Diego’s local hot sports; one of them being our very own, Café Coyote.

I was privileged to set up a table that featured 4 of some the finest tequilas in Mexico: 1519, Fortaleza, Don Fulano, Tanteo infused and Chihuahua’s famous Don Cuco Sotol.

There were many other though: Milagro, Agave Underground, Kah, Agave 99 and Sonora Mexico’s Bacanora from the rare agave Pacifica also shone in this diverse assortment of spirits.

Summer has just arrived and there is still time to enjoy San Diego’s perfect weather!

Taco Tuesday, Tequila Thursday, bloody Maria Sundays with smoky Mezcal. Wow, there is a party here everyday!

This weekend will literally be a blast with Fourth of July weekend.  Ask for a  ‘Red, White, and Blue Margarita to support this great country, The United States Of America!

Ask for quality 100% agave tequila in your drink so that the only starts you see are the stars on our beautiful flag and not the stars you see after a horrible hangover when you drink average tequila.

I will be here all weekend and hope to see you at this award winning place, Café Coyote!

Salud !!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

June 2, 2011

The Endless Summer

June is here and summer is just around the corner. It seems that summer never ends in America’s finest city. This endless summer calls for cold drinks in a casual and relaxing ambiance. The place to visit this hot summer is Café Coyote! The entire month of June is set aside to teach you about tequila Cazadores and our delicious and complex cocktails made with this legendary brand. Tequila Cazadores (the one with the deer on the label) is produced in Arandas, Jalisco.  Arandas is located in the southern part of Los Altos (The Highlands) of Jalisco, which is just 100 kilometers to the east of Guadalajara. Arandas is known for its rich, red and fertile soil. Some of the world’s best tequilas were born in this noble place.

This Thursday I will be making a, “Blood Orange Cream sickle Margarita.“ Join me at Café Coyote from 6-9p.m. to learn step by step the correct way to make it. Discover what a difference it makes to pour 100 percent agave tequila in some of your favorite cocktails and dare to taste new innovations with fresh ingredients.

Besides being Tequila Thursday, it is also Lobster Thursday.  Deep-fried Main Lobster, Puerto Nuevo style goes great with our weekly-featured cocktails. If you overstuff yourself with our generous portions of food, I can guide you to excellent tequila that will take care of that full belly feeling.  In many parts of Mexico it is a custom to sip on tequila after a meal. They call it,  “el desempanze,” in other words a great digestive.

See you soon!

Salud!

Mario Marquez

World Class, Master Tequilier

Café Coyote, Old Town

May 26, 2011

Tequila vs. Mezcal

One of the biggest misconceptions that I encounter when I talk to my customers about tequila is the question about the worm in the bottle. Today I would like to clarify the worm myth.

It is quit simple; tequila never has a worm in the bottle. The spirit that sometimes has the worm in the bottle is called mezcal.

Tequila and mezcal are related but differ in many ways. Mezcal has been around since the 16^th century. Tequila is simply the son of this mother spirit. Tequila is a type of mezcal but has acquired the name of its town, Tequila to distinguish itself from mezcals that are produced in the Mexican states of Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Durango, and most recently some parts of Guanajuato.

To be called tequila, the agaves used for tequila production can only come from the entire state of Jalisco and selected counties of the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Tequila can only be distilled from only one variety of agave, the Agave Tequilana Weber Azul.

Though tequila is generally known to be a type of mezcal, rules and regulations have been implemented to distinguish between these two spirits from Mexico. Since tequila goes through a steam cooking process, in masonry or stainless steel autoclaves (steam pressure cookers) the end product conserves a steamed agave flavor that is most notable in blanco (silver) tequilas. You will never see a bottle of tequila that has the name mezcal on the bottle or vice versa.

Mezcal can be made from various types of agaves (thirty as of today) such as: Espadin, Tóbala (wild agave), Cierego and Mexicano, just to mention a few. One of the most notable features about mezcal is its production. The traditional method of roasting the agave in underground wood-fired pits, stone milling, and distilling in small batches using small copper pot stills helps mezcal aquire its smokiness, unique aromas and flavors. It is important to note that some mezcals today are acquiring more state of the art production methods but still keep some traditional touches to distinguish among other agave-based spirits.

Tequila is what I call, an evolution of mezcal. There is an old saying that goes: “ Para todo mal, mezcal. y para todo mal también !” (Mezcal for the good times, Mezcal for the bad time as well)

Salud!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

Café Coyote

May 12, 2011

The Institute of the Americas honors Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal, President of Jose Cuervo, S.A. DE C.V. at UCSD

For years the University of California at San Diego has hosted       “ The Institute of the Americas’ Business Leadership in the Americas’ Award” to exemplary business people.  On May 10, 2011, the award was giving to Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal, President of Jose Cuervo S.A. de C.V. Over 100 people attended this great event to honor this legendary individual.

Café Coyote’s very own Tequila Ambassador attended this historical event to learn from Mr. Beckman and other Jose Cuervo’s top executives. Mario Marquez personally congratulated Mr. Beckmann and the Cuero team on their successful business endeavors.

The night began with an inspirational speech by Mr. Beckmann. He explained the history of his company and what future awaits the entire tequila industry.  Their Director of Training and Education, Rene Valdez moderated a brief tequila discussion. The guest got to enjoy a nice tasting of some of the top line of Jose Cuervo’s products.

Thank you all that came to hear Mr. Beckmann speak and spending Mexican’s Mother’s Day (May 10) away from your humble home, Mexico.

Salud!

Article in Cheers Mag about Tequila April 2011

Follow the link to see an article from Cheers Magazine featuring Cafe Coyote and our very own Mario Marquez!

Cinco De Mayo Warm up

Ready or not, Cinco de Mayo is two weeks away!

The streets of Old Town are already busy with the preparation of this annul fiesta.  The festivities begin Saturday April 30^th and May 1^st with a celebration your entire family can enjoy. The main stage located outside of Café Coyote will be sponsored by Corona beer and will feature live bands and entertainment to dance the night away.

Thursday, May 5^th will be a party for all the adults 21 years and older. Café Coyote is definitely the best place to be at this special day. We have over 600 seats to accommodate our guest and we count with 3 full service bars and satellite bars that will make your experience enjoyable and relaxing.

Join me tonight for our featured cocktail of the week, the tequila Cilantro Mojito.

This drink is similar to the rum mojito but is substituted with El Jimador, 100 % agave tequila and cilantro instead of mint leaves. This drink is very refreshing and will have you wanting another.

I will also be educating our patrons on tequila, mezcal, Don Cuco Sotol and Bacanora.

All the above are Mexican regional spirits from agave or close related plants native to Mexico. Don’t hesitate! Happy hour is until 6:00p.m. and I will gladly make you one of my signature drinks with your favorite tequila.

Salud!

Mario Alejandro Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

Café Coyote,  Old Town, San Diego

4-7-11

El Jimador  (The Harvester)

There is something about April that I absolutely love: spring break, people’s positive attitude, and the right climate conditions to sit down and relax with a nice cold margarita or a unique-complex beer. We are almost in the middle of the month and I am anxious to receive the thousands of people that visit our lovely restaurant for our annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. Even though there is always a fiesta at Café Coyote, Cinco de Mayo is a day that brings out the Mexican out of everyone that joins us.

The party begins early this year.  On Saturday, April 30^th and Sunday April 31, we kick off the celebration with our annual Old Town Fiesta.  Festivities and entertainment for the entire family will be provided at no cost for everyone to enjoy. On the actual 5^TH of May, we get to leave the young ones at home for a grown up fiesta.

If you wont be around late April and early May. Celebrate even earlier by coming down to Café Coyote any day of the week for and experience you will never forget. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will show you the time of your life. Really, try a Margarita with our tequila of the month, “ El Jimador”. Casa Herradura  (the tequila with the horseshoe label) from Amatián, Jalisco  created this brand to commemorate the agave harvester. “El Jimador” is an expert on cultivation and harvesting of the agave plant. On a daily basis one jimador can harvest about 80 agave plants. Each plant is harvested in less that tree minutes.

When drinking El Jimador tequila think about the hard work that went into the final product of 100 percent agave; pure tequila. Come talk to me every Thursday from 5-9 p.m. to learn about tequila and enjoy our tequila based cocktail of the week.

¡ Salud !

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

Café Coyote, Old Town, San Diego

March 24, 2011

Kick off Spring With a Shot of Corralejo Along with our Homemade Sangrita

Spring is in the air! The sporadic rain that falls in San Diego hasn’t stopped people from coming into this great happening place, Café Coyote. Get an early start to your weekend by joining us for our weekly “ Tequila Thursday. I will be there from 5-9 p.m. to educate you on tequila Corralejo. Enjoy a nice shot of Corralejo along with our homemade Sangrita.

If you are in the mood for my signature margarita, I will personally hand select the ripest lime and squeeze them to make you the best margarita you ever had. Along with the freshly squeezed lime juice, tonight I will add our crisp 100 % agave Corralejo blanco tequila, Cointreau and a dash of our healthy agave nectar.  Every Margarita that I make tonight will be shaken to result in a well balance cocktail. I guarantee you will love it!

If you cannot make it this Thursday, join us This Saturday and cheer for Mexico’ s National soccer team (La Selección Mexicana) against rival team Paraguay. Our Cantina and Puerto Vallarta Room are  equipped with giant High definition LCD Televisions to help you enjoy this exciting soccer game. The game starts at 2:00 p.m.; don’t forget to wear your soccer jersey!

There will also be a soccer game on Tuesday, March 29. This day Mexico’s National Soccer team will take on Venezuela. The game will kickoff at 8:00p.m. Come and witness a first-class soccer match and watch some of the world’s best soccer players compete while enjoying great food and drinks in Old Town, San Diego.

GO, Mexico!!!

Salud!

Mario Marquez

Tequila Ambassador

Café Coyote

Tequila of the Month, Corralejo

While the majority of tequila is produced in the state of Jalisco, tequila Corralejo is a brand that comes from Jalisco’s neighbor state, Guanajuato. Hacienda Corralejo is full of history. Mexico’s founding father, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was born on the Hacienda in 1753. Miguel Hidalgo led a group of indigenous and meztizo peasants in the fight for freedom from Spanish rule.

In 1989, Leonardo Rodriguez, a glass bottle maker from Spain bought the Hacienda and refurbished the distillery. The distillery was designed to attract tourist from all over the world.  There is nothing to hide at Hacienda Corralejo. Its open doors let you witness what tequila making is all about?

We will be featuring tequila Corralejo for the entire month of March. Begin by tasting the blanco. Leonardo Rodriguez calls his blanco, La Verdad (The Truth). He calls it la verdad because he feels that unaged tequila is the closest representation of what authentic tequila should taste like.

If you are interested in tasting aged tequila, I recommend you try the reposadao or añejo.

The reposado is rested for four months in three different kinds of oak: French, American and Encino. Aging in the barrels creates a complex tequila profile that creates a diverse array of flavors and aromas.

Corralejo añejo has been aged in small American Oak barrels for over 12 months. This tequila has a rich flavor and is oakier than the reposado. It has aromas of smoke, vanilla, cocao, and cooked agave. Drink it after a heavy meal to help you with digestion and make your dinning experience complete.