In the Kitchen: Perfect Party Margarita

Margaritas are always popular in our house- we make them often and have come to like them better at home- mostly because we are now margarita snobs and to get a good one out can cost a pretty penny. As you probably know by now, I love throwing a good party, and my favorite party food is any simple Mexican dish, so we often also have margaritas at our parties. Over the years, I've developed this Perfect Party Margarita- perfect because a) it's not quite as strong as a really high quality margarita you'd get from a good bar so people can have several without incidence, b) it's a little sweeter, thus appealing to folks who are used to margaritas made with syrupy sour mixes, and c) it uses simple, high quality ingredients so I still feel proud of what I'm serving my guests. It also gets rave reviews, which is always a bonus.

You'll Need:

6 cups good limeade- I like Simply Limeade, it's just water, lime juice and sugar.
1 1/2 cups 100% agave tequila- I use Sauza gold, it has nice vanilla notes and is quality, but not so nice you feel like you're wasting it by mixing it with other flavors.
2/3 c triple sec- for this recipe I use the cheapest I can find.
1 orange
Lime wedges
Flake sea salt, or the margarita salt they sell in the mixer section
Ice

Start by mixing the limeade, tequila, and triple sec together in a pitcher. Squeeze the juice from the orange in, and mix again. I like to also float a few small slices of orange in the pitcher for color, and a little more flavor.

Prepare the lime wedges by slicing a small slit near one end of each wedge.

Prepare the glasses:

-Using the slit, place a lime wedge on the rim of the glass and slide all the way around a few times to wet the rim with the juice.
-Remove the lime and dip the rim of the glass into a saucer or small bowl of salt. You may need to press it into the salt a few times to get good coverage.
-Fill about 2/3 full with ice and place a lime wedge on the rim.

Now just add the margarita mixture to each glass and serve! This recipe will make enough for about 4-6 drinks, depending on the size of the glass and how much ice you use.

I hope these Perfect Party Margaritas will serve you well at your next shindig- I know we'll be enjoying some this Sunday at our Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

P.S. I'm trying to think of a name for a cocktail column, rather than lumping them in with the recipe column. If you have an idea for a name, I'd love to hear it!

At Our Table: Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is one of my favorite excuses to have a party. Though I am as caucasian as can be, I've always had a love for Mexican culture(s), especially after visiting Quintana Roo and the Yucatan peninsula in college. One of my dreams is to spend time living there someday, finally becoming fluent in Spanish, learning to cook authentic dishes, buying up loads of textiles and pottery, and experiencing Cinco de Mayo in Puebla, the site of the Battle of Puebla- the moment in history that Cinco de Mayo celebrates. Until then, I'll enjoy putting together little fiestas whenever I can.

Having a patio for the first time in many years, it seemed the perfect setting for this inspiration shoot. When we have our real Cinco de Mayo party this coming Sunday we'll probably spread out between the house and the patio, since the patio is a bit small.

Not feeling talented enough to make papel picado, I opted for an easier fringed tissue paper banner. Easily made in an evening by folding cut sheets of tissue paper and creating fringe with scissors, simply hang the sections of tissue paper over twine and staple each section in a few spots. You can then hang the banners either by attaching them to walls, or long wooden dowels staked into the ground if your outdoor space doesn't have walls.

I focused on simple, but colorful details- festive cloth napkins, a cacti centerpiece, a Mexican serape used as a runner, and striped straws turned place cards. Serving low key, but delicious, dishes like chips and guacamole (recipe here), carnitas with warm tortillas, and fresh margaritas (recipe here), allows the cook to spend more time celebrating with everyone and keeps the fiesta going into the night.

Are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year? I hope this has given you inspiration for your own fiesta!