Cinco de Mayo

Friends, Cinco de Mayo is upon us again and, while I know you don’t need help celebrating, I thought you might like some ideas on what to drink to help you celebrate.  Naturally the spirit of choice that comes to mind when thinking of Mexico is tequila, so I’m going to focus this post on that.  Let’s get you started with a high-level overview of the production of tequila.  Now that you’ve got some background information, here are some reviews of tequilas I’ve sampled.

• Olmeca Altos
• Avion Silver
• Partida
• Espolon

The cocktails you make are going to be good so long as you choose a tequila that you like.  And speaking of the cocktails, here are the two classics that I really love, the Paloma and the Margarita.

Margarita

• Classic – This is the classic recipe.  Always tasty and very simple to make.
• Noon Day Sun – This is my spicy hot Margarita.  Though the recipe is also great without the bitters.
• Blood Orange – Jalapeno – This recipe comes from Spice and Ice by Kara Newman.  It’s a great spicy margarita that can be made up quickly.

Paloma

• Classic – Two recipes here.  One with Squirt, which is traditional, and the other from all fresh ingredients.  I go simple and use the soda.
• Tequila por mi Amante – Try this infused tequila in a Paloma.  You’ll be happy, I swear.
• Jarritos Toronja – This version uses Mexican grapefruit soda.  It’s good, but honestly, I prefer Squirt.

So those are my two standby tequila cocktails.  But there is oh so much more you can do with it.  I haven’t explored the many facets of crafting new cocktail recipes much, but my fellow bloggers have.  In depth.  Here are some links to sate your thirst.

• Rosita – Cocktail Enthusiast
• Dragon Fire – Spice and Ice
• Fresh Fruit Margaritas – The Intoxicologist
• Caballada – Trader Tiki
• Sonora Sour – Two at the Most
• Anejo Manhattan – Science of Drink
• Pinky Gonzales – The Pegu Blog
• Ruirita – A Dash of Bitters
• Blood and Gold – A Mountain of Crushed Ice
• Mexico on Fire – Dr. Bamboo
• Tequila Old Fashioned – Oh Gosh!
• Flor de Jalisco – The Cocktail Chronicles
• Acapulco – Kaiser Penguin
• Litigious Bastard – Cocktailians

And finally, should you need tequila shots, here is a good Sangrita recipe to chase them with.

• Sangrita – Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Drink up, friends.  Salud!