Another Cinco de Mayo is upon us, which means another chance to get it right this time. No offensive poncho and charro hat-wearing, no OD-ing on guac and chips and absolutely no drinking of cheap tequila and terrible bottled margarita mixes. We’ve discussed this before.
So rather a night of poor decisions, let’s make this May 5th the night you have almost too many choices for (responsibly) enjoying a celebratory cocktail. You can’t go wrong with any of the drinks below, so Choose Your Own Adventure:
Some Like It Spicy
Rosa Picante Margarita
Created by Jordan Corney, San Antonio, TX
2 oz. Patrón Silver
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
½ oz ginger syrup
½ barspoon jalapeno oil or a fresh jalapeno slice
Combine all ingredients and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake to chill. Strain into a chilled coupe that has been half-rimmed with rose sea salt. Garnish with a rose petal.
Mango Habanero Margarita
Created by and available at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar in NYC
1¾ parts Milagro Silver tequila
¾ parts Orange Curacao
1 part mango puree
1 part scratch sour mix
2 slices fresh habanero
4 drops Bitterman’s Hellfire Habanero Shrub
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and shake with a Boston shaker to blend. Pour into salt rimmed glass and top with 2 slices of habanero. Garnish: Habanero slices and salted rim
For Traditionalistas
Classic Margarita
Think of this as a basic blueprint and use it as a starting point. For a sweeter ‘rita, add a little agave syrup (made from two parts agave nectar dissolved in one part water). Muddle some fresh strawberries in the shaker for a rosy tint.
1½ oz 100% agave blanco (or silver) tequila
1 oz Cointreau, triple sec, or other orange liqueur
¾ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
Add ingredients to shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into chilled glass or one filled with ice. Garnish with lime wheel
Optional salted rim: rub a wedge of lime around the rim of a rocks glass and dip into salt to create a rim
Cadillac Margarita
1 ½ oz reposado tequila, my new fave is Tromba
1 oz Grand Marnier
¾ oz fresh lime juice
Horseshoe Margarita
2 parts Tequila Herradura Silver
1 part Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
½ to ¾ part Agave Nectar (to taste)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake hard so that some of the ice melts, then strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Optional salted rim: rub a wedge of lime around the rim of a rocks glass and dip into salt to create a rim.
Tequila Daisy
2 oz Patrón Reposado
½ oz Patrón Citrónage Orange
½ oz fresh lime juice
Sparkling water or club soda
Pour Reposado and Citronage and lime juice in a shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and top with splash of club soda or sparkling water.
Not a ‘Ritas
Mexican Martini
Developed by Garrett Flanagan for El Original Tex Mex Cantina in NYC
3 oz tequila
1½ oz fresh lime Juice
1½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. olive juice
Shake with ice, pour into martini glass, garnish with olives and enjoy!
Paloma
2 oz reposado or blanco tequila
½ oz fresh lime juice
grapefruit soda
Pour tequila into glass, add lime juice and top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with wheel of lime
Cinco de Laphroaig
1½ 1.5 parts Laphroaig 10 Year Old whisky
Mexican Cola
Lime Wedge
Pour the Laphroaig into a Collins glass with ice. Top with Mexican Cola and garnish with a wedge of lime.
