Popular local restaurant El Cabo Verde (1023 Provenance Pl. Blvd. #210, Shreveport) will host the proprietors of Mezcaloteca for three public, ticketed events, April 3-4, 2019. Mezcaloteca is a revered mezcal library and bar located in Oaxaca, Mexico, which has become an international destination for spirits connoisseurs. Mezcaloteca has taken their show on the road few times prior to this trip, including visits to Paris, Berlin and Copenhagen.

Gabriel Balderas, chef and co-owner of El Cabo Verde, is bringing Oaxaca’s Mezcaloteca to Shreveport. Photo by Jim Noetzel.

Media outlets like Departures and The New York Times have praised Mezcaloteca’s practice of sourcing mezcal directly from producers, many of whom are located in tiny mountain villages and do not commercially market their product. In other words, some of these mezcals can only be tasted in two ways: 1) by climbing a mountain and doing business directly with a mezcalero or 2) by visiting Mezcaloteca. Mezcaloteca will bring some of their collection to Shreveport for a mezcal class on April 3 ($35), a series of mezcal tastings on April 3 ($65), and two back-to-back mezcal dinners at El Cabo Verde on April 4 ($100). To make reservations for any of these experiences, visit El Cabo Verde in person or call (318) 603-3167. Only 15 spaces are available for each mezcal tasting session on April 3.

View/RSVP to the official Facebook events.

“This would be like having the winemakers from the Champagne region of France come to Shreveport to teach a class on Champagne,” said Gabriel Balderas, chef and co-owner of El Cabo Verde. “I think that mezcal will be the next big thing in the cocktail world. In the next five to ten years, you’ll be seeing a lot more mezcal on menus.”

These events will be focused on education, unlike many beer, wine and bourbon events. The mezcal class will include lunch, the tastings will include snacks, and the dinners will include five courses paired with mezcals selected by Mezcaloteca.

My prediction? The two mezcal dinners on April 4 could turn out to be culinary highlights of 2019 in Shreveport. Talking with Balderas, I could hear in his voice how amped he is to cook for these dinners. Having worked for more than a year to arrange the Mezcaloteca visit, I’m thinking he’s going to show out.

Like El Cabo Verde on Facebook.
Like Mezcaloteca on Facebook.
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Photography Note: Photos for this post were downloaded from the Mezcaloteca Facebook page for purposes of promoting their upcoming event. If you own the rights to these images and would like to have them removed, please contact CJay@sbctb.org.