Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

The Perfect Fresh Lime Margaritas | The ELL Blog

A pitcher of fresh lime margaritas might be one of the greatest things in the world. Okay, that might be a biiit of an exaggeration, but there’s something so special about the simplicity of a good margarita. Give me some fresh squeezed lime juice, a bit of agave, and a dose of tequila and I’m set – chips and salsa optional.

My love affair with margaritas ends, however, the moment sweet & sour or any other artificial mixers come into play. I don’t want to sound rude, but a fresh margarita is nothing compared to all of the pre-made mixes that are found in the tequila section of the grocery store. But there’s good news! Fresh lime margaritas are practically just as easy to make, so put that neon mix away, grab some limes, and read on!

After lots (and lots and lots) of marg testing, I like to think Elliot & I have come up with the ultimate margarita recipe. And this is coming from my husband who frowns on tequila in any other capacity, but will gladly sip on one of these. Trust me, they’re good. Plus, this recipe is so simple that it’s even become a staple during our weekly Taco Tuesday dinner.

The key to the right fresh lime margarita is a balance between the tartness of the limes, the sweetness of the agave, and the boldness of the tequila. My favorite part of this recipe, though, is the bit of bubbles that are added at the end. I am partial to any bubbly drink (hello, sparking rosé), and the slight hint of carbonation here really helps to lighten up the marg. I personally like to use club soda or lemon sparkling water in the recipe, but other flavored seltzers or sodas work great, too.

When it comes to the tequila, I always gravitate towards using blanco varieties in my margs. I’ve found Altos Tequila Plata to be one of the best for its price point, since it lends a great flavor to the margaritas – and the bottle is pretty rad, too. If you’re more of a reposado or añejo fan, though, stick with what you love.

Now, what better holiday to mix up a pitcher of these beloved margaritas than Cinco de Mayo?! This is another one of my favorite holidays, because who doesn’t love another excuse to have endless tacos, salsa + margs? Side note: How perfect are these pink cactus stir sticks for Cinco? Once again the amazing Roc Shop has slayed the cocktail game with these perfectly pink babes. They will definitely be in action at our fiesta on Saturday (and yes, it has been renamed a “Seis de Mayo” party). However you’re celebrating this week, I hope you’ll find yourself cheers-ing with a few of these margs!

Fresh Lime Margaritas (Serves 2)

4 limes, juiced (about 1/2 c. of juice)

1 oz. Agave nectar

4 oz. Blanco tequila

Club soda/lemon lime soda (or any bubbly beverage)

Juice the four limes into a shaker. Add agave and tequila, and shake well to combine. Rub a lime wedge along the rims of two glasses, and dip in salt. Fill glasses with ice. Pour margarita mixture into both glasses and top off with the bubbly beverage of your choice. Grab a lime wedge and stir stick, and you’re ready to party!

Elderflower Gin Fizz

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog
Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Elderflower Gin Fizz | The ELL Blog

Okay, before I get to the Elderflower Gin Fizz recipe,  let me first start off by talking about how darling this bottle of gin is. I mean, the label has flowers and cacti, plus it’s called “Sunday Gin.” What’s not to love?! This is definitely my favorite gin bottle yet. The fact that it comes from You & Yours Distilling Co. is pretty cool too, since I love using local spirits (and by ‘local’ I mean it’s literally downstairs in our apartment building). If you’re in San Diego and still haven’t stopped by the distillery for a cocktail, go now!

Anyways, back to the recipe.  It’s light, floral, and has a great effervescence that comes from the La Croix grapefruit water. Side note — is anyone else obsessed with La Croix, too? It’s become my favorite thing to have around the house lately. They have so many flavors, which also makes it a perfect addition to any cocktail in need of some bubbly! Add some flowers on top, and you’re set.  I was looking for some dainty flowers for this cocktail in particular, and was so happy to find a bouquet of chamomile at Trader Joe’s. They look like miniature daisies and may have just become my new favorite flower.

Elderflower gin fizz (for 2)

4 oz. You & Yours Distilling Co. Gin

2 oz. St-Germain

12 oz. La Croix Sparkling Grapefruit

Lime

Add gin and St-Germain into an ice-filled shaker. Shake for at least 20 seconds, and strain into two glasses filled with ice. Top with grapefruit sparkling water and a squeeze of lime. Cheers!

Note: I love using the extra large Peak Ice Works cubes for cocktails like this, so the ice doesn’t melt as fast.

Tropical Guava Rum Punch

Tropical Guava Rum Punch | The ELL Blog

Tropical Guava Rum Punch | The ELL Blog

Tropical Guava Rum Punch | The ELL Blog

Tropical Guava Rum Punch | The ELL Blog

Tropical Guava Rum Punch | The ELL Blog

With festival season kicking off this weekend, summer feels closer than ever. Pool parties, barbecues, picnics, and long days… I can feel it coming! (okay, so springtime in San Diego is practically summer weather anyways, which means bring on the outdoor festivities!) Now for some honesty.. I completely thought April 14th was National Rum Day — I may or may not have seen it listed somewhere incorrectly —  and I was super stoked to come up with a rum inspired cocktail! Instead, I found out the holiday isn’t until August (duh), but I’m not complaining because this gave me an excuse to bring some summer flavors to spring. Lesson of the week: double check online facts before telling everyone it’s a national holiday.

In better news, this tropical guava rum punch tastes like liquid Hawaiian sunshine. Guava, pineapple, coconut.. mmm what’s not to love. Kind of like a tropical unicorn in a glass. That’s a thing, right? I’m also a big fan of using craft spirits in my cocktails, and this local rum from Malahat Spirits Co. is perfect for this punch.

Also, how cute are these stir sticks from The Roc Shop?!  Nic’s line of laser-cut party ware has always been my favorite, since she has a ton of fun, cheeky designs that can be made in virtually any pretty color you want! I thought these peachy geometric shapes were perfect for spring + summer cocktails. Side note — The Roc Shop just launched a brand new line of rad feminist inspired goodies TODAY, so hurry over to her Etsy shop and check it out!

Tropical Guava Rum Punch (for 2)

4 oz. Guava nectar

1 oz. Cream of coconut

3 oz. Pineapple juice

Juice from 1 lime

3oz. White rum

Place guava nectar, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, lime juice, and rum into a shaker with ice. Shake well to combine, and strain into glasses filled with ice. Garnish with stir stick and enjoy!

Note: If you like your drinks with a bit of bubbly (like me!), you can top this off with some club soda.

Watermelon Bloody Mary

Watermelon Bloody Mary Bar

Watermelon Bloody Mary Bar

Watermelon Bloody Mary ingredients

Our/Los Angeles vodka bottle

Our/Los Angeles Vodka bottle and enamel cups

Ingredients for bloody mary bar

Vodka and ingredients for watermelon bloody mary

Watermelon Bloody Mary

Skewer for Watermelon Bloody Mary

Watermelon Bloody Mary overhead

Watermelon Bloody Mary

Watermelon Bloody Mary

Helllllo weekend! With spring officially here, bloody marys seemed like a great way to start off a Saturday. And why not mix it up with a fresh watermelon-tomato mix? The thick, spicy juice is a great compliment to this vodka I received from Our Vodka by Our Los Angeles. The bottle is so darling too, and looks great set out with the bloody mary toppings! Speaking of , aren’t bloody marys best when you get to build them yourself? While traditional toppings include olives and celery, I wanted to try switching it up with some colorful produce to brighten the bar. Some of the ingredients I selected included cubed watermelon, radishes, lemon wedges, yellow tomatoes, yellow chili peppers, basil, homemade pickled red onions, and himalayan sea salt. Hope you enjoy!

Watermelon Bloody Mary

1/2 c. Tomato juice

1/4 c. Watermelon puree*

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 -1/2 tsp. Hot sauce (depending on preference)

1/4 tsp. Celery salt

Juice from quarter of a lemon

3 oz. Vodka

Salt + pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Fill two glasses with ice and pour mixture into both. Add toppings of your choice and enjoy!

*Note: To make watermelon puree, place cubes of watermelon in blender and blend until smooth.

 

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Matcha Made in Heaven

Matcha Made in Heaven cocktail

Matcha Made in Heaven cocktail

Matcha Made in Heaven cocktail

Matcha Made in Heaven cocktail

Matcha Made in Heaven cocktail

If you’re looking for a new spin on a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail, this emerald whiskey concoction is for you! The drink gets it’s green hue from Japanese matcha powder, a form of green tea that has been ground down. The powder, which I got at Shuhari Matcha Cafe, has a higher concentration of antioxidants than regular green tea, which brings some healthiness to happy hour! The slight bitterness of the matcha with the sweet honey and lemon compliments the whiskey, making this the ultimate St. Patty’s beverage. Enjoy!

Matcha Made in Heaven

4 oz. Irish whiskey

1 oz. Honey

2 oz. Lemon juice

1/4 tsp. Matcha powder

Extra large ice cubes

Club soda

Pour whiskey, honey, lemon juice and matcha powder into a shaker. Shake well for at least thirty seconds in order to incorporate the matcha power into the liquid. Pour cocktail mixture into two glasses with large ice cubes and top with club soda