Mar 8

Mar 8 Behind the Bar - Blood Orange Margarita

In the Kitchen, Hit Close to Home, Behind the Bar

It's finally the weekend and good God do I need a drink.

While March in other parts of the country means rising temperatures, melting snow, and blooming flowers, in New York City, March feels more like the climate equivalent of getting a swift kick in the ribs when you're already on the ground--probably because you slipped on ice. Total snowfall for the month (and yes, we are one week into the month) is at almost 14 inches and although that may be small potatoes for Midwesterners or Canadians, it has instilled in me an overwhelming urge to get the hell outta Dodge and never come back. At least not until after Memorial Day.

But since I haven't yet figured out how to live the Endless Summer life, I've been surviving the cold the way New Yorkers (and other mammals) have done for generations--by hibernating. And of course, a necessary component of hibernation is booze. Lots and lots of booze.

This blood orange margarita is the perfect cocktail for getting you through this final stretch until spring. Citrus fruits are the one thing that are at their peak in the winter months, so by mixing blood orange juice with tequila and lime, you get a drink that's both seasonally appropriate and a hint of the beachy days to come.

Blood Orange Margarita

Adapted from HonestlyYU M | Makes one drink

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 ounces tequila

- 1 ounce Cointreau

- 1 ounce fresh lime juice

- 1 1/2 ounces blood orange juice

- Drizzle of agave syrup

- Splash of seltzer

- Blood orange salt for the rim

- Lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

To make the blood orange salt: Squeeze some blood orange juice on a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Use a pastry brush to fully coat the salt with the blood orange juice and then set aside to dry.

Once the salt has dried, run a wedge of lime around the rim of your cocktail glass so the salt will stick. Dip the glass into the blood orange salt. Add several ice cubes and set aside.

Combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and blood orange juice. Give the mixture a stir and add a drizzle of agave. When you feel good about the sweet to tart ratio, mix again and pour into your glass. I like to add a splash of seltzer for a little effervescence but you can skip that step if you prefer pure, unadulturated booze + citrus. Garnish with a lime.

Bottoms up!