Here it is, another Cinco de Mayo and here you are, counting down to Happy Hour when you can down a pitcher of margaritas and a few shots of tequila you know—to wash down all that nachos and guac.
We’ve talked about this. Remember last year when you vowed to never again celebrate so hard that Seis de Mayo was painful? No?
Well, let’s go over the LUSHiouslife Rules for Sensible Cinco de Mayo:
1. Don’t be that girl. Be respectful. Today is a Mexican holiday to commemorate the 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. So that doesn’t mean that it’s OK to don a cheap serape and Charro hat and break out your Spanglish. Not cool.
2. Do. Not. Drink. Cheap. Tequila. Cheap tequila is the devil and the devil is a lie. If you want to have a Cinco de Mayo you can (and are proud to remember) leave those flourescent green, mystery margaritas that come out of a vat or a slushie machine alone. Yes, the price is right and sure, there are plentiful drink specials. But the day after is going to break you. Hold out for tequila made from 100 percent agave. The silver (clear) kind and the reposados are great for mixing, añejos are wonderful for sipping.
3. While you’re being choosy about the tequila, you should also insist on fresh mixers. That means fresh juice squeezed from real limes and grapefruits (if you’re having a traditional paloma). No Rose’s lime, no mystery mix. Your lack of next-day headache will be thanks enough.
Now that we’ve dispensed with the ground rules, you’ve earned that drink. Here are a few Grown Folks options, four cocktails and one party punch, to help kick off your celebrations.
Amante Picante Margarita
By Juan Martinez, mixologist at LA hotspot Toca Madera
2 oz. DeLeón Platinum Tequila
¾ oz agave
1 oz lime juice
Serrano pepper
Cilantro
Add all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir well over ice. Strain into a chilled couple and garnish with a thin lime wheel.
Tamarind Paloma
1.5 oz of Tequila el Jimador blanco
1.5 oz Bohemia beer
5 oz of fresh lemon juice
5 oz of tamarind syrup
2 Dashes of orange bitters.
Shake all ingredients except the Bohemia beer with ice and pour into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Fill rest of glass with Bohemia beer.
Las Flores de Mayo
By Brian Matthys from The Gander and Corkbuzz in New York City
2 oz. DeLeón Platinum Tequila
1 oz. Verjus (unfermented grape juice)
¼ oz. Velvet Falernum
2 dashes cacao bitters
Add all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir well over ice. Strain into a chilled couple and garnish with a thin lime wheel.
Herradura Vesuvio
2 oz Herradura Silver
¾ oz red pepper juice
½ oz lime juice
¼ oz Cholula hot sauce
¼ oz agave nectar
Rim a coupe glass with cayenne pepper and salt mix. Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake hard and pour into the chilled coupe glass.
Jimi Punch
Serves 20
1 Bottle el Jimador Silver
1 bottle Korbel Champagne
6 oz Campari
6 oz agave syrup
1 liter orange juice
¼ liter lemon juice
1 orange cut into slices
1 tray of raspberries
Add all ingredient to a large punch bowl, add lots of ice stir, cover and leave to sit 20 mins before serving. Stir occasionally during service
[…] 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. […]
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