Our Favorite Margarita
April is almost over and that means Cinco de Mayo is just days away. We know that there are a lot of Margarita recipes out there but we think you should try one that our friend, David Haynes, served us recently. It is also a perfect recipe for a crowd because you can make up large batches in advance and then just have the guests serve themselves by adding the tequila to the shaker to make up their individual drinks.
David Haynes
Osvaldo Vazquez Campa
We caught David sipping his Naranja Margarita at our local Coco stand in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico. He was served one of Osvaldo Vazquez Campa's famous Marisco y Coco. It is a thrilling event to watch Valdo chop the top of the coconut with his huge machete, pour the water into a plastic bag, tie with a rubber band and add a straw to drink it. He then adds your choice of fresh fish to the hollowed out coconut. We had a shrimp coco made with Clamato juice, shrimp, lime juice, shreds of coconut and what Valdo called black salsa (better known to us as soy sauce!)
If you can't find a coco stand, try David's Naranja Margarita with homemade tortilla chips sprinkled with Sal del Mar and salsa.
David's Naranja Margarita (recipe for one cocktail)
Sal de Margarita
l lime wedge
1 1/2 oz. of white tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. fresh orange juice
1 oz. lime juice
Grand Marnier (optional)
6 to 10 ice cubes
Spread Sal de Margarita on a small plate. Moisten half the rim of a martini glass with lime and then dip into the Sal de Margarita to crust just half the rim.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau, orange juice and lime juice. Cover and shake it a lot (tiny ice crystals should appear) until frothy and cold. Strain into the Sal de Margarita-crusted glass. Add a "floater" of Grand Marnier to top and serve.
David's Naranja Margarita (recipe for a pitcher of Margaritas)
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups white tequila
1/2 cup Cointreau
Grand Marnier (optional)
Use Sal de Margarita to crust the rims of martini glasses. Make the pitcher of the ingredients. When ready to serve stir and add to a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Shake and strain into the Sal de Margarita rimmed glasses. Add a "floater" of Grand Marnier. Repeat for remaining margaritas.
Sal de Margarita