Tag: Drinks

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Margaritas

LD’s recipe for one margarita, best made in Cozumel while looking out over the Caribbean Sea. Amounts are approximate and should be adjusted to taste. As far as I know, Controy is only available in Mexico, where it is cheap. Bring a bottle back with you if you try it there and like it.

Ingredients for 1 drink

  • 2 oz. 100% agave tequila (El Jimador Reposado is a good, reasonably priced brand)
  • 1 oz. Controy (or other orange liqueur, such as triple sec or Cointreau)
  • Juice of ½ – 1 lime, depending on size of lime and how tart you want the drink
  • Simple syrup or honey to taste; I usually use about 2 tsp. honey per drink

Mix all ingredients, adjust to taste, and add a few ice cubes. Stir and let sit about 15 minutes. Serve over ice.

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Pitcher (serves 8):

  • 2 c. 100% agave tequila (El Jimador Reposado is a good, reasonably priced brand)
  • 1 c. Controy
  • Juice of 4-8 limes , depending on size of lime and how tart you want the drink
  • Simple syrup or honey to taste; I usually use about 2 tsp. honey per drink, about 1/4-1/3 cup.

Mix all ingredients, adjust to taste, and add a few ice cubes. Stir and let sit about 15 minutes. Serve over ice.

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Nor’easter Cocktail

Inspired by Char No. 4, and adapted by LKD from http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-the-noreaster-cocktail-the-10-minute-happy-hour-200385. Equally lovely on a cold winter evening or a hot summer day. Serves 1.

  • 2 ounces bourbon (I prefer Knob Creek)
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce real maple syrup (skip this recipe altogether if all you have is Log Cabin, etc.)
  • Fresh ginger juice to taste (1/2″ knob of fresh ginger, grated on the Microplane and pressed through a fine-mesh strainer to extract juice)
  • Ginger beer (so far, I like Reed’s best – available at Trader Joe’s)

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the bourbon, lime juice, maple syrup, and ginger juice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Top with ginger beer.

Recipe notes: If you don’t have ginger beer you can substitute ginger ale but the cocktail will be sweeter. Most ginger beer is non-alcoholic; Crabbies is about the only brand with alcohol. Either way is tasty.

 

Nor’easters for a crowd (Makes 1 gallon)

Base (48 oz.):

  • 32 oz. Bourbon
  • 8 oz. fresh lime juice
  • 8 oz. real maple syrup
  • Fresh ginger juice to taste (or use bottled organic ginger juice, available at Whole Foods)

Ginger beer (96 oz. = 8 12 oz. bottles of Reed’s)

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Margarita de Diabolita

Scroll down for larger quantity recipe. This is my version of an absolutely delicious drink of the same name that I had at Masa in Minneapolis. Their drink has blood orange juice, but I couldn’t find that so substituted a mixture of red grapefruit and orange juices. The habanero-infused tequila adds a nice bit of heat with a zingy aftertaste. It’s not mouth-burning, though.

Margarita de Diabolta (one serving)

  • 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 oz. orange juice
  • 1 oz. pomegranate juice, unsweetened
  • 2 oz. red grapefruit juice
  • Ginger syrup to taste (recipe below)
  • 1.5 oz. habanero-infused silver tequila (see instructions below)
  • 1/2 oz. Licor 43 (vanilla/orange/herb-flavored cordial from Spain, available at Binny’s)

Mix all well. Pour over ice in salt-rimmed glass. Garnish rim with little lime wedges cut into devil horns. Serves 1.

Margarita de Diabolita by the pitcher

  • 1 c. fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 c. orange juice
  • 1 c. pomegranate juice, unsweetened
  • 2 c. red grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 recipe ginger syrup (recipe below)
  • 1 1/2 c. habanero-infused silver tequila (see instructions below)
  • 1/2 c. Licor 43 (vanilla/orange/herb-flavored cordial from Spain, available at Binny’s)

Mix all well. Pour over ice in salt-rimmed glass. Garnish rim with little lime wedges cut into devil horns. Serves 8-10.

Habanero-infused tequila

  • 1 750 ml. bottle Sauza Silver tequila (no need to spend $$ on expensive tequila for this)
  • 1 habanero chile, seeded and cut into strips Add the habanero chile strips to the bottle of tequila.

Let sit for four (4) hours, no more, no less. Strain the tequila and pour back into the bottle to store. Be sure to label the bottle!

 

Ginger syrup

  • 1/4 lb. fresh ginger, sliced thinly
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 c. water

In small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain into water-tight container. Store in refrigerator.