Secret Summer is one of those events in NYC you simply can't miss. It's consistently ranked as a 'Best Festival in NYC' in the summer. Held in the beautiful Foundry in Long Island City, Queens at the beginning of August, this event is a must for cocktail enthusiasts. It also brings in foodies from all over the city and folks who want to hear great music!
We thought long and hard about sharing a unique expression of a Bloody Maria for the festival. We decided to collaborate with Bruxo Mezcal and create something truly elevated. Bruxo's No.1 Espadin has light floral notes and pronounced smoky tones on the nose. On the palate, it contains pepper notes and some citrus with a light touch of cinnamon. Toma Bloody Mary Original pairs really nicely with Bruxo No.1 due to its slight smokiness and peppery notes from our proprietary chipotle tomatillo sauce. Since it was warm out, we thought it would best to brighten up the cocktail with some citrus. We added lime juice and finished it with some chocolate chili bitters from Miracle Mile Bitters Co, giving it a luxurious mouthfeel and sweetness from the chocolate.
Finally, we garnished it with a gherkin and a roasted chapulin (grasshopper in Spanish) and added a chile salt rim. Salty and bitter goodness to amplify the cocktail!
Here's the recipe for this extraordinary Bloody Maria cocktail:
Ave Maria (A Bloody Maria with Mezcal)
4 oz Toma Bloody Mary Original
1 1/2 oz Bruxo Mezcal No. 1
1/3 oz Lime Juice (Natalie's)
3 dashes of Chocolate Chile Bitters (Miracle Mile)
Rim: Sal de Chapulines (Cricket Salt / Alt: Chile Salt)
Folks agreed. A Bloody Maria with Toma and Bruxo was a match made in heaven. Watch the video below to see a few guys go crazy over this cocktail!
In addition to all the delicious cocktails from spirit brands like Aperol, Suntory Whisky, Aldez Tequila, and Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, you couldn't help but notice all the beautiful people in their festive outfits. Here are some of our favorites.
Aren't those flower crowns beautiful?
Beautiful wide-brimmed beach hat.
This dude's matching 'flower beard' is super creative and straight-up cool!
The music was on point and did not stop from the moment the festival started. Kareem Thompson, DJ Danstan, and The High & Mighty Brass Band all contributed high energy to the event. Everyone was enjoying the tunes while sipping their delicious cocktails.
We had such a blast meeting so many new people at this event! We can't wait to see you all again next year!
(Sign up for our email list because we will be sharing discounted tickets to events like this all year long).
Cheers!