I put myself through college by working in a little Mexican restaurant in upstate New York called “El Loco.” I didn’t make a ton of money, but the benefits were undeniable. Every Friday night I got to clean out the frozen margarita machine which meant… drumroll... emptying the ribbons of limey, frozen lusciousness into pitchers at the end of the shift.
Those nights were some of the happiest of my life. Strawberry margaritas were my friend, Maile’s favorite, while my other friend, Kait preferred the stronger, “gourmet” margaritas that were non-frozen. I haven’t made friendships with the same intensity since then, but reflecting back, being the emptier of the margarita machine had something to do with those bygone bonding sessions.
The spirit of San Miguel has made me mine that memory bank. I suddenly feel the urge to re-create those margs to serve alongside my famous three-bean, Crockpot chili, or New Mexican tamales. For dessert? Rum cake, or flan, of course.
Here’s a great and simple recipe for a frozen margarita, sans the crazy machine that rivaled the complexity of Wright’s first airplane (see www.drinksmixer.com for variations). Just make sure you have a good blender tucked away somewhere.
*makes 4 margaritas
-8 tsp coarse salt
-4 lime wedges
-12 oz tequila
-4 oz Triple Sec
-8 oz lime juice
-4 cups crushed ice
Place salt in a saucer. Rub rim of a margarita glass with lime wedge and dip glass into salt to coat rim thoroughly. Reserve the lime. Pour tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and crushed ice into a blender. Blend well at high speed. Pour into margarita glass. Garnish with your lime.
Can you improve on my recipe? If so, prove it. What food do you serve up at Mexican style fiestas? I hear there are thousands of variations on guacamole. If you have recipes for those or any other Mexican meals, tell us here, please!
|