SammyHagar shares his favorite recipes
Musician Sammy Hagar shares recipes for his favorite drinks, plus a little something he cooked up with chef Guy Fieri
Sammy Hagar lives for the summer months: the surf, the sun, sand between his toes, rockin’ tunes and a cold margarita in his hand.
Though the Red Rocker’s Sammy Hagar & the Circle Summer 2020 Tour has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that doesn’t mean he’s giving up on enjoying his favorite time of year, so he’s pairing premium cocktails with delicious food at backyard barbecues.
While the 72-year-old singer-songwriter, who splits his time between Mill Valley, Maui, Cabo and Southern California, is known as the wild man fronting bands like Montrose, Van Halen, Chickenfoot and more recently, Sammy Hagar & the Circle — with original Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson — he’s also known for his entrepreneurial endeavors.
Hagar partnered with chef, television personality and restaurateur Guy Fieri and master distiller Juan Eduardo Nuñez to create Santo brand Tequila Blanco and Mezquila, which is distilled in Jalisco, Mexico. Hagar also owns his own Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, which is distilled in Puerto Rico. As you might expect, he has definite opinions on summer cocktails.
“I have two drinks I make at home: a mojito with rum and, man, I’m a margarita guy,” he said during a recent phone chat. “I’m not a guy that can do shots and shots of tequila. I like to have a margarita and sip on it for an hour or so.”
With the Mezquila, he likes to add a little squeeze of an orange and a chili salt rim, but for the Tequila Blanco, he puts “just a kiss” of salt on one corner of his glass. To spice up the margarita, add some sliced jalapeño.
“Then you get the hot, salt, sweet and sour … it doesn’t get better than that for drinks,” he said.
It’s important to pair the drinks with the proper food. For Hagar, that means eats off the barbecue — ribs, chicken wings, hamburgers, or his favorite baconwrapped shrimp. We’re all practicing social distancing, he said, and a grill is hot enough to kill off anything.
“The outdoor barbecue situation is the best situation,” he said. “Everyone can stand back and when they’re ready, walk up and get their food, take what you want and you’re good to go.”
When he’s not tending to his garden or safely checking out the local beaches, Hagar is doing the “Lockdown
Sessions” on YouTube with his band, each from his own home. So far they’ve covered songs by Bob Marley, The Who, Buffalo Springfield, AC/DC and more. The fifth season of his “Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy
Hagar” is also currently airing on AXS TV on Sunday nights.
Though he can’t physically be out on the road right now, Hagar said it’s nice to be able to share a little of that virtual escape through the show, bringing in artists such as county singer Tanya Tucker, Queen’s Brian May, the Eagles’ Joe Walsh, Def Leppard and more.
“About an hour after it airs every Sunday night now, I get texts from my musician friends saying they liked the show or they want to be on it,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s because we’re all stuck at home and the lockdown is forcing people to watch it or if the show is getting bigger and better, but I’ll take it.”