It’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted from a looming threat to an everyday reality in Alabama. That’s when Gov. Kay Ivey, like many governors across the country, issued a statewide order that shut down a number of businesses, including restaurants. Between supply chain pressures and uncertainty about the spread of the virus, the pandemic has upended the entire food industry.

It was about this same time that Katherine Cobbs received word that the highly anticipated May 2020 release of her newest cookbook, “Tequila & Tacos,” would be postponed until fall. The Birmingham author and editor of dozens of bestselling cookbooks – that include Birmingham chef and James Beard Award winner Frank Stitt’s “Southern Table” and Atlanta chef Todd Richards’ “Soul” – says publisher Simon and Schuster made the decision since there would be no book signings or promotions.

“It’s rather ironic,” she says. “The idea was born in spring 2019 on a brainstorming call with the executive editor and publisher who wanted to bring the cookbook to market rapidly to capitalize on the trend. Instead of the usual 18 months it traditionally takes to get a cookbook from proposal to print, they would be doing it in six months.”

“Tequila & Tacos” is the latest release from Alabama cookbook author Katherine Cobbs. (contributed)

Cobbs spent much of summer 2019 talking to owners of bars and taco stands from across the country to curate the collection of recipes, each with its own authentic story. She recalls that during those conversations, businesses were booming and places were busy with lots of talk of plans and expansions.

“I’d get an interview with a chef or bartender and the promise of an emailed recipe to follow,” she says. “And then I’d spend days trying to track down the last bit that I needed. I was used to that. Restaurants are frenetic places.”

Once the book was completed and then its publication delayed, Cobbs reached back out to the restaurants to check in on them. That’s when she had some more in-depth conversations with many chefs and owners. They suddenly had time and the struggles they shared were raw and real.

“Each and every place was closed for a time or forced to rethink their service,” Cobbs says. “Most had to let staff go and struggled to survive on PPP and takeout. People got sick. People were depressed. Mostly they missed doing what they loved, feeding the masses, and the energy of a restaurant packed with patrons.”

Even those who feared closing the most still held out hope that normalcy would return and they would find a way to do what they loved again. Others found unexpected success with curbside pickup, to-go cocktail kits and other innovations that they were forced to make to survive.

These conversations with the chefs and owners combined with her years of experience in collaborating with chefs on cookbook projects gave her insight into what trends will emerge post-pandemic.

“I think that curbside and to-go orders will be a valuable part of every restaurant’s bottom line,” she says. “Even white tablecloth places have seen the benefit of this channel of service.”

While hygiene is always on a restaurant’s radar, things like ventilation, spacing and outdoor dining will be with us forever. Restaurants suffered in indescribable ways over this past year, and to many people, they are essential – they feed us body and soul. Cobbs believes that their impact on the economy cannot be denied, and restaurant workers need our support.

Cobbs sees restaurant menus evolving as well. “I think a focus on the sorts of dishes that hold up well as takeout options will likely predominate,” she says. “People crave comfort food at times like these, and I read that pizza restaurants have fared exceptionally well during the pandemic.”

Cookbook author Katherine Cobbs saw her latest release delayed due to the pandemic, but it ended up offering her insights into how the restaurant industry moves forward. (Becky Luigart Stayner)

While the pandemic has had a devastating impact on restaurants, it’s had the opposite effect on cookbooks, which have seen a jump in sales. More people are cooking at home and looking for meal ideas. They are spending more time in the kitchen, so they are gaining experience and experimenting more with complex recipes.

Tacos and tequila make a great choice for cooking at home because the inspired options are infinite, from complex to simple.

“I love that you can fill a tortilla with virtually anything in your fridge, either whipped up from scratch or using leftovers from last night’s takeout,” says Cobbs. “Think shredded Full Moon Barbecue topped with their chowchow, some pickled jalapenos, and a few cilantro leaves cradled in a warm tortilla.”

For breakfast, she suggests scrambled eggs and last night’s cold pub fries from Ollie Irene tucked into a tortilla with slivers of avocado and a splash of hot sauce.

On the drink side, Cobbs suggests that good tequila and mezcal are truly terrific foundations for an array of mixed drinks and cocktails – from sours and fizzes to classic cocktails like a Manhattan made with añejo tequila or a smoky margarita made with mezcal.

According to Cobbs, the ingredients are key to having a bar or restaurant experience at home. “Quality ingredients that are thoughtfully combined will yield the best results,” she says. “Buy the best bottle of spirits and mixers that your budget allows.”

But when it comes to having an authentic restaurant experience, Cobbs writes in the book that she thinks the word “authenticity” is overused.

“Every cuisine and every dish is an evolution, including the taco, which borrows from Mexican, Spanish, and Lebanese culinary traditions,” she says. “The taco’s origin story exemplifies how we can experience a bit of the world in a single bite, whether it is cloaked in a corn tortilla, sandwiched in a seeded bun, tops a chewy crust, or is called a taco, burger or pizza. Every iconic dish is a fusion of ingredients, cultures and creativity, and every time it is made by different hands, it is also a reflection of the cook.”

The recipes in her book deliciously demonstrate that. Here’s a sampling of a tequila and taco favorite from her cookbook. For more delicious tales and recipe pairings, check out “Tequila and Tacos” here. Follow Cobbs on Instagram @katherinecobbs.

Recipe: Spiked Mexican Tepache and Monte Cristo Taco

By Katherine Cobbs

Tequila & Tacos

In the tequila category, Vida Taco serves up a mean margarita, but it didn’t seem like the ideal match for this brunch-y taco, so they allowed me to come up with an alternative complementary cocktail sidekick. Tepache, a Mexican fermented pineapple drink similar to kombucha, popped to my mind as the backdrop for a bubbly tequila-spiked alternative to the brunchtime mimosa. The fermented juice can be made up to a week in advance and kept refrigerated. Include the jalapeño if you like a little kick.

Spiked Mexican Tepache and Monte Cristo Taco from “Tequila and Tacos” by Katherine Cobbs. (Becky Luigart Stayner)

Mexican Tepache

Serves: 8 to 10 (makes 2 quarts)

Ingredients

• 1 whole pineapple, stemmed and washed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 whole cloves

Instructions

1. Cut the pineapple (skin and core included) into 2-inch cubes. Combine the pineapple and the remaining ingredients with 2 quarts hot water in a large stockpot. Stir to combine. Cover the pot with several layers of cheesecloth. Set aside at room temperature for 24 hours.
2. Remove the cheesecloth and skim away any foam that may have formed on the surface of the liquid. Cover again and let sit, skimming if necessary, until the mixture is sweet and pleasingly fizzy, 24 to 48 hours.
3. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a gallon-size container. Refrigerate and enjoy straight over ice, dilute with water to taste, or make into a cocktail (recipe follows).

Spiked Mexican Tepache: Add 2 ounces blanco tequila to an ice-filled Collins glass. Add 6 ounces tepache and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Garnish with a lime wedge and pineapple leaf. Serves 1.

Monte Cristo Taco

Serves: 2

This recipe is a delicious example of what happens when cooks are given the freedom to play in the kitchen. The folks at Velvet Taco were focused on fleshing out their brunch taco menu when they came up with this taco spin mashup of French Toast and the classic Monte Cristo ham-and-cheese sandwich. From batter to filling to salsa, it’s easy to see how the Velvet Taco chefs thoughtfully packed in flavor at every step.

Ingredients

• French Toast Batter (recipe follows)
• 4 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• 8 thin slices ham
• 4 tablespoons strawberry jam
• 1 tablespoon Strawberry Salsa (recipe follows)
• 4 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon micro mint or chopped mint leaves

French Toast Batter: Whisk together 2 large eggs, ⅔ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Makes about 1⅓ cups.

Strawberry Salsa: Combine 1/2 cup diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon seeded and diced jalapeño and 2 tablespoons diced red onion. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Instructions

1. Preheat an electric griddle to 350°F (or heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat) and spray with cooking pan spray.
2. Dip a flour tortilla in the French Toast Batter. Let soak for 30 seconds. Transfer the tortilla to the hot griddle and cook 1 minute. Flip the tortilla over and immediately cover with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove to a cooling rack while you prepare the remaining tortillas.
3. Place the ham slices flat on the griddle. Cook for 30 seconds per side.
4. Top the melted cheese on each tortilla with 1 tablespoon strawberry jam and 2 pieces of ham. Cover the ham with 1 tablespoon of the Strawberry Salsa and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar and a pinch of micro mint or chopped mint leaves.