Drink Detour: Simple Margarita

Here's what you need to know:

I don't actually know that this is a margarita. My partner drinks bourbon in ginger ale, and we spent a year telling everyone his favorite drink was a "highball" until we learned that a highball refers to any alcohol, in any soda. So this simple margarita recipe, taught to me by Allrecipes.com, might actually just be a pretty good excuse to drink tequila.

This drink pairs well with shredded chicken tacos. It's simple, so don't make one of these if you want to feel like you've just paid $15 for a cocktail that has eighty-five ingredients in it and tastes like a fruit smoothie. This drink is best made when you come home after a long, long evening at work listening to your boss explain their therapy sessions (unprompted), and you want to feel like a man with scruff on his chin and a glass of plain whiskey in front of him - except you don't drink whiskey, and you can't grow scruff, so you make this.

You should probably use:

2 oz. tequila of choice (I like Cazadores Reposado)

1 oz. lime juice

1 oz. triple sec

Ice

my two cents on ingredients: If you're using store-bought lime juice like I usually do, it will probably be more tart than you would expect from this recipe. I'd recommend using 3/4 of what is in the recipe and then adjusting the ratios to your tastes. If you're not big on these flavors, this is a perfect opportunity to buy some fresh fruit at the store and go to town. I had fun combining 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of pure cane sugar, a handful of blueberries, and a dash of lemon juice to make blueberry syrup. Then, add about 2 oz. to your margarita to make it fruit-flavored. Muddle some fresh fruit in with it too if you're feeling fancy.

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add a few blocks of ice.

2. Cover with the lid (make sure you hold it on tight), and shake until the metal fogs on the outside, about 30 seconds.

3. Rim your glass with your choice of salt or sugar. Fill a shallow bowl with just enough water to wet the rim of your glass, then dip the wet glass into the salt or sugar you want to use.

4. Strain your margarita over ice into the glass. If you're feeling fancy and have fresh limes, garnish with a slice of lime.