FRIDAY COCKTAIL - WATERMELON MARGARITA!

WATERMELON......WATERMELON.......WATERMELON!!!

Tis the season!!

Ingredients:
1-1/2 oz blanco tequila
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz agave syrup
1 slice of watermelon (seeded)
wedge of watermelon
salt (optional)

Muddle watermelon slice and agave in a tall glass.  Add other ingredients and shake well.  Double strain the mix into a frozen martini glass.  You can salt the rim if you like, it really does taste great with watermelon.  Garnish with wedge of watermelon.

WATERMELON SEASON!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - PALOMA!

As Bon Appetit magazine so appropriately put it...It's Baller Season..as in Highball Spring season.  This thoroughly refreshing drink tops their list.

Ingredients:

2 oz blanco tequila
1/2 oz lime juice
6 oz grapefruit soda (ie: San Pellegrino)
kosher salt for rim
grapefruit slice for garnish

Rim a highball glass with salt and fill with ice.  Add the tequila and lime juice and top with grapefruit juice.  Garnish with grapefruit slice.

SIGNS OF SPRING!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BEER MARGARITA!

In honor of National Margarita Day tomorrow!
A little twist on the typical Margarita!

This recipe adds beer to the drink.  You should use a regular lager as opposed to a microbrew beer.  You can use the limeade can to measure all other ingredients.

Ingredients

1 (12 oz) can of frozen limeade concentrate
12 oz tequila
12 oz water
12 oz beer
ice
lime wedge for garnish

Pour limeade, tequila, water and beer into a pitcher.  Stir until completely blended and limeade is melted.  Add lots of ice and pour into glasses and garnish with a lime wedge.

HAPPY NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - CRANBERRY MARGARITA!

This is a great Thanksgiving Day cocktail for your family gathering from The Red Cat in NYC!  Let's call it Thanksgiving-in-a-Glass!

For Cranberry Jam
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 Tbl fresh orange juice

Assembly
1 Tbl salt
1 Tbl sugar
1-1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 lime wedge, plus 2 oz fresh lime juice
4 oz fresh orange juice
6 oz TEQUILA

Cranberry Jam
Bring cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally until thick and "jammy". This takes 30-40 minutes.  Mix in orange zest and let cool.  Jam can be made up to 5 days ahead .  Cover and chill.

Assembly
Mix salt, sugar, and five spice powder on a small plate.  Rub rims of Old Fashioned glasses with a lime wedge; dip in salt mixture and fill glasses with ice.
For each cocktail, combine 1/2 lime juice, 1 oz. orange juice, 1-1/2 oz. tequila and 2 Tbl cranberry jam in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice.  Cover and shake until outside is frosty, about 30 seconds.  Strain into prepared glass.

You can garnish with a lime or fresh cranberries.

THE RED CAT!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - RODRIGUEZ SOUR!

At least THIS cocktail won't get banned for life!  Sorry Yankee fans or A-Rod fans just couldn't help myself.

Ingredients:
2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1 oz Pineapple juice
1/2 oz Lime juice
1/2 oz Jalapeno simple syrup*
Slice of jalapeno for garnish

In a shaker with ice add all ingredients.  Shake for 20 seconds and pour into a rocks glass with ice.  Garnish with jalapeno slice.

* Jalapeno Simple Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 jalapenos sliced with seeds discarded

Boil the water and sugar until sugar dissolves.  Add jalapenos and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Let cool completely and puree in a blender.  Can refrigerate for 2-3 weeks.

BYE A-ROD!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - FROZEN WATERMELON MARGARITAS!

For our dear dear friend Brian!  While it may seem odd to blog a cocktail today, Brian would hate that I did not.  He loved to follow my escapades and cocktails on Facebook.  You are already missed so very much!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups cubed watermelon, pureed
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1-2 TBL confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups ice
garnish, lime wedge and orange slice

Put all in a blender and pulse until it is a slush.  Garnish with a lime and orange wedge

LOVE YOU BRIAN!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - THE SWEATY HIPSTER!!

If this was Sam's blog, he would use the recipe for a Hipster cocktail from the Urban Dictionary.  "Take your favorite cocktail and microwave it for 30 seconds and drink it before it cools!"

I on the other hand prefer this recipe for The Sweaty Hipster:

Ingredients:

2 parts Tequila
1 part Orange Liqueur
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part Serrano/mint infused simple syrup*
Chile salt for rim
Serrano chile slices for garnish

For syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 Serrano chiles sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint torn
Bring all to a boil, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let cool. Strain repeatedly until all chile and mint pieces are strained out.  Store in your frig.

Mix all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Use chile salt to rim a rocks glass.  Strain the shaker into the rocks glass with ice and garnish.

TO MY NEW HIP!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - STRAWBERRY MARGARITA JELLO SHOTS!!!

While "actual" Spring is March 20th...I AM STARTING NOW!

 

Cut the bottoms of the strawberry flat to get them to stand upright. When you do so, make sure that you do not cut off so much that there is a hole at the bottom.

Use a huller or apple corer to empty out the strawberry.

Once the strawberries have been emptied, use a towel to pat the outside of the strawberries dry.

 Check each strawberry and make sure there is not a hole in the bottom before you start filling.

Ingredients:

1 box Strawberry Jell-O, 3oz.
8 ounces tequila, preferably reposado or blanco
6 ounce Cointreau
Salt for garnish

 

Boil one cup of hot water in a saucepan, then add in Jell-o powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup of cold water and set aside.

Combine tequila and Cointreau, in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add liquor mixture to cold water and stir to combine. Then add cold liquor mixture to hot Jell-o mixture and stir to combine.

 
Pour final Jell-o mix into strawberries and chill overnight. Dip your finger in water or use a moistened brush to wet the edge of the strawberries, dip and rotate the strawberries in salt to rim. Garnish with cut lime triangles to finish.

BRING ON SPRING!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - PORCH SWING!

Oh the end of summer...so sad....but make one of these cocktails that are refreshing as all GET-OUT and boozy nevertheless...

4 sprigs of thyme
2 oz tequila (white)
2 oz watermelon puree (blend fresh watermelon)
1/2 oz agave nectar
splash of seltzer
lime wedge
chili salt

Muddle the thyme sprigs in the bottom of a glass...add all other ingredients except seltzer.  Coat the rim of a tall glas with chili salt. Stir and strain ingredients into the glass with ice..add a splash of seltzer and a lime wedge for garnish.

BYE BYE SUMMER!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BLOODY MARGARET!

Sorry I have been missing in action for two weeks...lots of visitors and fun in the sun...

In honor of my sister Margaret's (Peggy) upcoming birthday I am posting a crazy twist on the standard Bloody Mary.

Ingredients:

1 oz clear tequila
1/2 oz gin
8 oz chilled tomato juice
1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco
salt
pepper
celery, lemon and/or lime for garnish

Fill a tall chilled glass with ice.  Add the tequila, gin, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco and stir well.  Season with salt and pepper and add more Worcestershire or Tabasco to taste and garnish.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARGARET!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - SNEAKY TEQUILA!

So refreshing on these dog days of summer...although today on the coast...GORGEOUS!!!! Be careful with this one...it "SNEAKS" up on you...!!!!

4 parts tequila
4 parts coconut rum
1 part peach schnapps
splash of pineapple juice
splash of cranberry juice
garnish with pineapple wedge

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into an ice filled tall glass. Garnish with the pineapple wedge.

KEEP IT SUMMER FOREVER!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - 4TH OF JULY PATRIOT!

Gotta love this holiday for all it's Patriotic meaning....but also as it inaugurates us into SUMMER!!!! This is a super refreshing cocktail and so fun if you can get the layering down. You can make big batches of the red ingredients and the blue ingredients and just put them together as you serve.

Red Ingredients:
1 oz watermelon schnapps
splash of cranberry juice


Blue Ingredients:
1 jalapeno thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 lime thinly sliced
1-1/2 oz tequila
1/4 oz blue curacao
1/2 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water - heated until sugar dissolves)

Mix watermelon schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker and pour over ice. In another shaker muddle (crush) the jalapeno, lemon and lime with the tequila, curacao and simple syrup. Slowly strain the blue ingredients into the glass over red ingredients with ice.

Garnish with a watermelon slice.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BEER MARGARITAS!!!

Sorry I have been gone awhile....busy summer already!!!! I will try to blog more!!!

This may sound weird, but the beer is the perfect solution to eliminating that fluorescent GREEN color in your margarita. Use a"not-so-micro" beer to avoid a super strong beer flavor. Use the can of limeade to measure all your ingredients. If you don't like pulp, strain the melted limeade in the water first before adding the other ingredients.

One 12oz can frozen limeade concentrate
12 oz water
12 oz tequila
12 oz beer
ice
lime wedge garnish

Pour the limeade, water, tequila and beer in a pitcher (serves 6). Stir until blended and limeade has melted. Add plenty of ice and garnish with a lime wedge. Add more water if you find it too sweet.

SUMMER IS HERE!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - BEARS BLITZ MARGARITA

GO BEARS!
Impress your friends this year on the "most important game in each teams history" by pairing this fabulous cocktail with your favorite snacks.

As you know, simple syrup is a mix of sugar and water, boiled to dissolve the sugar then cooled.

Ingredients:
1 oz Malibu Coconut Rum
1/2 oz 1800 Tequila
1/2 oz Blue Curacao
1/2 oz simple syrup
lime
ice

Pour all in a blender....blend a few seconds, pour into a margarita glass lined with salt (optional) and garnished with a lime wedge....

Can't Wait!
ENJOY!

FRIDAY COCKTAIL - THE ULTIMATE MARGARITA

I could not end Anne's Margarita Week without the BEST OF BOSTON Ultimate Margarita!

The best Margarita in Boston is served up at Audubon Circle, located at 838 Beacon Street. Visit them there or here... http://www.auduboncircle.us/

As Boston Magazine says, "Unlike at other watering holes around town, this bar's margaritas are made without artificial mixes, syrups and OBNOXIOUS glassware. Instead, bartenders shake up freshly squeezed lime juice, Hornitos Reposado tequila, guava juice, a hint of cilantro and just enough ice cubes to give it a chill, but not water it down.

Poured into a salt rimmed lowball glass and garnished with lime and orange slices.

The foamy concoction comes with only one caveat......it might go down a little too easy!!!"

Happy Friday

Miss all of my family!

ENJOY!

IT'S MARGARITA WEEK - MARGARITA CUPCAKES

Yes, you read this correctly..Margarita Cupcakes.....

Could be the strangest thing I have blogged to date but seemed far too interesting to omit.

The recipe comes from the website advertising Margarita Texas Mix and actually sounds delicious even though I am not a cupcake fan...oh hell..there's alcohol in the recipe so of course I would LOVE them!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

9 oz of Margarita Texas Mix

3 oz clear tequila

3/4 oz Grand Marnier

1 box white cake mix

3 large egg whites

3 tbl canola oil

1 tbl sangria

Lime Buttercream Icing

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

5-6 cups powdered sugar

2 tbl fresh lime juice

1 tsp grated lime zest

pinch of salt

Lime slices for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 and place paper cupcake liners in 2 cupcake baking pans (makes 24)

CUPCAKES: Whisk together margarita mix, tequila and Grand Marnier in a bowl. Measure out and reserve 1-1/4 cups for this recipe.

POUR THE REST OVER ICE AND DRINK WHILE CUPCAKES BAKE!

In a large bowl blend cake mix, egg whites, oil, 1 tbl of lime zest and reserved margarita mix. Blend on low for about 30 seconds then on high for 2 minutes. The batter will still be a bit lumpy.

Spoon batter 3/4 full into 24 cupcake tins. Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpicks come out clean. Remove to a rack and completely cool.

ICING:

Place butter in a bowl and beat until it's fluffy. Add 5 cups of powdered sugar, salt, lime juice and 1 tbl lime zest. Mix until creamy. You may want to add more powdered sugar to make it creamy and good for frosting. Ice the cupcakes and garnish with a lime slice.

I know...REALLY!!!!!????

ENJOY!

IT'S MARGARITA WEEK

Yes, we are still on VACATION! One more day with Mom and Anne ..it will be so sad when they leave...so Anne decided I should have a MARGARITA week blog. So here we go!

PATRON POMEGRANATE MARGARITA

1 oz Patron Silver
1/4 oz Patron Citronge
Fresh pomegranate juice
dash of fresh lemon juice
Slice of an orange

Pour Patron Silver and Patron Citronge over ice. Add fresh pomegranate juice to taste. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with an orange twist.

As the Ad says ....SIMPLY PERFECT!
ENJOY!

WEDNESDAY COCKTAIL - HOT NANTUCKET NIGHT

I know it isn't Friday, but I am on vacation and

cocktails are on the brain!!!!

Here is yet another from Boston!!!

Woodward at Ames

One Court Street, Boston

$14

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz Don Julio tequila

1 oz agave nectar

1/2 oz lime juice

a slivered slice of a jalapeno pepper

2 fresh cranberries

Muddle the cranberries in the bottom of a shaker and add to shaker all ingredients with ice except pepper and serve with pepper garnish!!! Of course the bartender will kick it up a notch if this isn't hot enough.

Bartender "English Bull" Codman says "I love hot stuff. I always have a bottle of Sriacha and Franks Red hots in the frig....the fresh muddled cranberries are acidic, the agave nectar sweet and jalapeno hot!"

BOTTOM LINE: It's all about balance here. The cleverly named drink is a bit on the back of the tongue but doesn't burn on the way down.

MY BOTTOM LINE: I have a lot of friends who like hot stuff and would love this!!! I would choose one of their other drinks the Polished Passion drink ($14)...vodka, passion fruit juice, cinnamon, honey and chili flakes.

Tropical and savory!

ENJOY!

HAPPY CINCO de MAYO

Well you can't enjoy Cinco de Mayo without a fabulous MARGARITA!!!! These are a bit strong but if you are going to have one shouldn't it be a GOOD ONE!. However, you can certainly adjust the recipe to lighten up on the alcohol. This makes about eight cocktails....around my friends and family it would make about FOUR....

To salt the glass or not salt the glass.....that is the question???? In this salt conscious environment I still go for the salted rim. Just wipe the rim of the glass with a cut lime and roll the glass in a plate of good sea salt...yum!!!

In a blender mix:

1-1/2 cups tequila

1 cup triple sec

1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau

2 cups sweet and sour mix

Pour into glasses filled with ice. Squeeze a quarter of a lime in each and DRINK UP!

Happy Cinco de Mayo

ENJOY!