Alice Gao

4 pounds pork shoulder (butt or picnic), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8-9 strips orange zest
7–8 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped (plus extra finely chopped onion for garnish)
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅓ teaspoon ground cloves
Corn (or flour, which I tend to prefer) tortillas, warmed
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Salsa, for serving

Prep the pork & start the boil
Trim any thick external fat from the pork and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes, discarding pieces that are pure fat. Add the pork to a large heavy pot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As it comes to a boil, skim off any scum or impurities.

Add aromatics & simmer
Once the surface is clear, add the orange zest, garlic, chopped onion, red pepper flakes, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, oregano, salt, cumin, and cloves. Give a gentle stir. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the pork is completely soft and easily shredded. Add water as needed to keep the meat just submerged.

Reduce & crisp
Taste and adjust the salt. Continue simmering until the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. As the pot dries out, the pork will begin to fry in its own rendered fat. Let it brown and crisp slightly, stirring occasionally. (For crispier carnitas, let it go a bit longer.) Add a splash of water if the bottom starts to stick.

Serve
Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Spoon warm carnitas into small corn tortillas and finish with chopped onion, cilantro, and your favorite salsa (or really any toppings you like!)..

2 oz LALO High Proof Tequila
½ oz hibiscus syrup *
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz Cointreau
Optional: small pinch of sea salt or chile tincture for dimension

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
Shake very well. Double strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with an edible flower, lime twist, or a floating dried hibiscus petal.

To make hibiscus syrup, combine 1 cup of dried hibiscus, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 ½ cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil until all the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steep for another 10 minutes for more intensity. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar or bottle. Let cool completely before using.

4 slices cucumber, about ¼ inch thick
1 slice lime, about ¼ inch thick
½ to 1 whole jalapeño, sliced (with seeds) — adjust to desired heat (me and my guests
like it spicy!)
1 oz orange liqueur
¾ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ oz agave syrup
2 oz LALO High Proof Tequila

Build the base + muddle: Add the cucumber slices, lime slice, and all the sliced
jalapeño to a cocktail shaker. Muddle firmly until everything is broken down and fragrant.
Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds, until well chilled.
Run a lime wedge around the rim of a lowball glass and dip into Tajín. Fill the glass with ice (I skipped this because of the cute pepper inside these glasses, so mine were served up.) Double strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Optional garnish: Add thin slices of cucumber, lime, or jalapeño on top.