A Refreshing Baja Club Cocktail: A Taste of Tex-Mex Innovation
At Travail, we’re always excited to push the boundaries of flavor and share unique experiences with our guests. As we gear up for our upcoming Spotlight Dinner Series, we’re inviting you to join us in exploring bold, creative Tex-Mex cuisine paired with innovative cocktails. To get you in the spirit of things, we’re sharing the recipe for one of our favorite cocktails that will be featured during the event: the Baja Club!
This cocktail is a refreshing, minty take on the classic Pegu Club, and it’s the perfect way to start your journey into the world of Tex-Mex and craft cocktails. But what makes this drink truly special isn’t just the combination of flavors—it’s the quality and story behind the ingredients.
The Baja Club: Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
1.5 oz Las Californias Citrico
0.75 oz Alma Finca
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
5 mint leaves, torn
2 cucumber slices
1 pinch salt
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin.
Add ice and shake hard.
Strain into a glass over ice.
Garnish with an orange peel and a mint sprig.
This simple but sophisticated cocktail is a delightful balance of bright citrus, refreshing mint, and a touch of salt to bring out the best in each ingredient. Now let’s dive into what makes these ingredients so unique!
The Ingredients That Make the Baja Club Shine
Las Californias Citrico
The star of this cocktail is Las Californias Citrico, a gin made with botanicals from two neighboring countries—the United States and Mexico. This is more than just a gin; it’s an exploration of the diverse flavors that span the borderlands of these two countries. The unique botanicals are foraged from both sides of the border, combining elements from the colder waters of Alta (which provide flavorful kelp) and the floral white sage found in the dry deserts of Baja.
What makes this gin truly special is its “hyper-local” focus. Las Californias isn’t just a product; it’s a story of how the cultural and biological diversity of this region can be captured in a bottle. The blend of ingredients from two distinct environments creates a harmonious, refreshing base for the Baja Club cocktail.
Alma Finca
Next up is Alma Finca, a one-of-a-kind Mexican orange liqueur made with fresh ingredients harvested from the Yucatán Peninsula, the citrus capital of Mexico. Alma Finca is a farm-to-bottle product that celebrates the sun, tropical climate, and rich soil of the region, which creates the ideal environment for growing world-class citrus.
What sets Alma Finca apart is the meticulous process used to create it. The ingredients are hand-selected and macerated individually in neutral cane spirit for five days, then blended to create a vibrant and complex orange liqueur. The result is a bright, aromatic liqueur with a natural citrus flavor that perfectly complements the botanicals in Las Californias Citrico.
Together, these two ingredients provide a base that’s both refreshing and layered, with a perfect balance of botanical depth and citrus brightness.
Why the Baja Club Cocktail Works
The Baja Club is more than just a drink—it’s a reflection of the terroir and the craftsmanship that goes into each ingredient. The Las Californias Citrico offers an aromatic, botanical complexity, while the Alma Finca brings a smooth citrus note with just the right amount of sweetness. The addition of mint leaves and cucumber slices gives the cocktail a fresh, herbal lift, while the pinch of salt ties everything together, enhancing the natural flavors of the spirits.
When you sip the Baja Club, you’re not just enjoying a refreshing cocktail—you’re tasting a story of cultural richness and the dedication that goes into making these exceptional spirits. It’s the perfect drink to kick off your Tex-Mex adventure, whether you're at our Spotlight Dinner Series or making it at home!
Join Us at Travail for More Tex-Mex Magic
If the Baja Club has your taste buds tingling, we’d love for you to join us at Travail’s Sky Lounge Rooftop from March 14-22 for our Spotlight Dinner Series. Chef Brendan Denne has curated an experimental Tex-Mex menu paired with amazing cocktails like the Baja Club, and we can't wait to share the full experience with you.
Don't miss out—CLICK BELOW to reserve your seat today!
