Angel Teta loves to drink all libations, be it Sherry or a well built cocktail. When she's not spreading the Sherry-love as a Sherry Week ambassador, you can find her behind the stick as bar manager at Ataula, a tapas restaurant in NW Portland.
1) When did you fall in love with Sherry?
Angel Teta: When I was introduced to it by the way of an Adonis cocktail made for me by my good friend Adam Robinson. I was at Rum Club and asked for something low ABV. He knew of my fondness for reverse Manhattans and the drink was absolute perfection. I started drinking sherries on their own not too long after that.
2) Why do you love it?
AT: Versatility; the ability to sharpen flavors without a high abv; the pairing ease; and the history of it all - so romantic.
3) Who introduced you to Sherry?
AT: I suppose it was Adam, but Emily Metivier, our general manager (but firstly my friend) got Sherry and I into a closer relationship.
4) What makes a Sherry Cocktail special/different than other cocktails?
AT: I love the salinity factor it brings. The American palette has changed a great deal when it comes to drinking over the last ten years, and bitter has made its way back onto menus. Every bartender hears "not too sweet" on the regular. Salt works so well with bitter, and Sherry is a perfect way to introduce that. Old Fashioneds have become a regular call as well, and there's no better modifier than sweet sherry - just a bar spoon goes a long way.
5) Who is your favorite person to drink Sherry with?
AT: I have to say that Manzanilla tastes mighty fine after a long hot day in New Orleans with my C.A.P. family [at Tales of the Cocktail], preferably in the backyard of Bacchanal.
6) What would your perfect Sherry night be?
AT: I can imagine it would be in Jerez, surrounded by the producers and lovers of Sherry alike, and I'll one day make it there to test out this theory!
7) What’s your best Sherry cocktail?
AT: Woof. Not an easy question! To those who drink my cocktails, probably the El Burro Catalan, a riff on a Moscow Mule with the addition of Manzanilla (recipe here). But my personal favorite is my Agave y Amonti - an egg white sour with tequila and Amontillado (recipe here).
