Margarita made better ...
One of the perks of my real estate business is the gifts I get from my clients. It’s always such a lovely surprise to get a thank you gift for just doing my job.
One such gift was a bottle of Banhez mezcal, and it has transformed my opinion of agave. Very much for the better.
While I certainly wouldn’t turn one down, and I’ve knocked quite a few of them back over the years, the venerable Margarita has never been my cocktail of choice. Something about the flavor of tequila just doesn’t work for me. Or maybe I should say, it doesn’t work as well for me as other spirits.
Enter mezcal. Tequila is made only from blue agave plants from the tequila region. Mezcal is made from any old agave plant from anywhere they grow – and I like it much better! Fuller, rounder, more complex than tequila – and with a distinct smoky aftertaste that reminds me of good scotch.
And how does it work in a Margarita? Very well indeed! I might even say totally deluxe! The Mescal Margarita has become one of my go-to drinks.
So, if you find the taste of the standard Margarita a little thin, or even if you love them but want to branch out, try one of these beauties. You won’t regret it!
Mezcal Margarita
2 ounces mezcal
1 ounce lime juice
.75 ounce triple sec (use a clear one like Combier or Cointreau)
.25 ounce agave nectar (or simple syrup in a pinch)
Get the mixture absolutely freezing cold and serve up or on ice. Salt the rim if you must, but I like it better without.