Our Dinner + Mezcal guest this week is Herminio Torres, who has been feeding hospital workers and undocumented families thought his organization Humans4.org. He joined his mother Minerva at their family restaurant, El Gallo Taqueria, to recreate a dish he enjoyed growing up – sopa aguada de letras (alphabet soup).

Shopping list:
• 1 bag of fideo de letras (alphabet pasta)
• 2 potatoes
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/4 large white onion or 1/2 small white onion
• canola oil (3 tbsp)
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 1/2 – 2 quarts of water
• 1 lime (optional)
• salt to taste

Round up your ingredients and be prepared to want to make this recipe over and over again…because Deborah’s movie pick is Groundhog’s Day.

Ingredients needed (Serves 4):
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 large cucumber
2 cups watermelon, cubed
2 tomatillos
2 pieces scallion
1 jalapeño pepper
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup stale bread (no crust)
juice of 1/2 lime
splash of Ilegal Joven (about 1.5 tbsp)
salt + pepper to taste
optional: country bread for toast points

Chef Tony Kim fires up the grill for a Mexican twist on a spicy shrimp and corn cocktail with a splash (or two) of Ilegal Mezcal. Inspired by his love for gambling, this dinner pairs great with movie Uncut Gems.

Shopping list:
• 12 medium shrimp (deveined)
• 1 ear sweet corn
• extra virgin olive oil
• 4 wooden skewers
• Old Bay spice
• Kosher salt
• black pepper
• bay leaf (optional)

Cocktail sauce
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 1 avocado
• 1 Persian cucumber
• 1 Habanero pepper
• 3 limes
• 1/4 bunch cilantro
• 4 T ketchup
• 1 T Maggi sauce
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T Tapatio Hot Sauce
• 1/3 C Jarritos Mandarin (or other citrus soda)
• 2 T Kosher salt to taste
• 2 oz Ilegal Mezcal to taste